New Sunbeam Tiger Steering Wheels

[65sunbeam]

A Porsche 356 friend of mine who restores and rebuilds wood steering wheels for those cars is now building Sunbeam Tiger and Sunbeam Alpine GT wood steering wheels from cores that I supply. He took apart an old Sunbeam Tiger wood steering wheel, measured everything, and then made jigs and templates to create new steering wheels made in the same way as the originals. Original type wood with original style dovetail joints, original type black insert, and original finish but now with modern epoxy glues and finish materials for a much stronger steering wheel! The prices are-$1450 for a new wood wheel with a new steering wheel hub kit or $1150 for just the new wood wheel and you use your previously purchased hub repair kit. These prices include shipping and insurance in the USA. Overseas please ask for a shipping quote. Thank you, Eric sunbeams@sc.rr.com

 

[TAH_Tiger]

Sunbeam steering wheels

I saw the sample on the parts table at the TEAE United in Lacrosse. WI and it is amazing. Good work.

 

[65sunbeam]

I have two of these wood steering wheels left after our trip to SUNI and we recently had another batch of steering wheel hub repair kits made. Everything made in the USA too!
thank you, Eric

 

[Sunbeamdon]

Just for Ss and Gs - the original joints are not "dovetailed", they are "scarfed". The pictures do show scarfed joints, but the angle looks to be too shallow - maybe the camera angle.

Questions - How many segments are you using (the original used four)? What diameter are you creating (the original is nominally 3/4"). What is your source for your hubs? What is the country of origin for the wood?

 

[65sunbeam]

My steering wheel friend took one of my original steering wheels apart and made an exact copy of all the wood parts and that is how he builds the wheels but now glued together and finished using modern and stronger materials.
With his 356 Porsche background he is very particular and takes pride in what he does.
The steering wheel hubs come from Wisconsin where they are machined from Delrin by several old school machinists. They are not cast plastic like the broken original hubs!
I have no idea where the wood comes from but not grown in this country I am sure....
Shame you were not at SUNI to pick up and handle one of these wheels-they got lots of compliments.
Eric

 

[Warren]

BTW
Wood doesn't grow on trees anymore it's grown on forest products
I have one core wheel available if someone needs one.

 

[65beam]

BTW
Wood doesn't grow on trees anymore it's grown on forest products
I have one core wheel available if someone needs one.

Warren,
Trees are wood. The logs from cutting the trees are used to produce forest products. Those products are things like saw dust, wood chips, boiler fuel dust, laminated flooring, OSB board, pellet fuel and pellet bricks and even items like steering wheels.

 

[Warren]

Bob, You wouldn't believe the things I would tell you.
I was happily working on the dock one day when a Harbor patrol came up and said what are you going to do about that toxic waste I had been cutting a piece of plywood I scrambled looking at the can of oil thinking I had knocked it over wrong he was referring to the sawdust. Thanks for the Dendrology lesson. And yes I've been on the Pacific Northwest. That's what the wink means

 

[65beam]

Warren,
I'm the resident saw mill lube engineer for our company and I cover locations in Ohio, Kentucky, W.Va, Indiana and Tenn. so I can tell you a lot about the industry. There is a constant flow of trucks with 48' trailers on the roads here that haul saw dust to the local paper mills. Saw dust is not classed as Hazmat. Now you know why I can afford so many Sunbeams.

 

[65sunbeam]

So........is anyone interested in a newly rebuilt wood steering wheel or a new hub repair kit???

 

[Warren]

Still have the core wheel for anyone needing one. You're cost is shipping from West Coast to Eric. Plus the cost an adult beverage at some event in the future

 

[65beam]

Still have the core wheel for anyone needing one. You're cost is shipping from West Coast to Eric. Plus the cost an adult beverage at some event in the future

Someone in Connecticut currently has a couple cores on E Bay. Starting bid is $40.00.

 

[LoadToad]

Any warranty come with the wheels?

 

[TigerTrap]

So........is anyone interested in a newly rebuilt wood steering wheel or a new hub repair kit???

I am looking for one if you have any still available..

 

[65sunbeam]

I have one steering wheel and several hub repair kits on hand. Will send you a PM. Thanks.