So, I contacted https://qualityrestorations.com/oldsmobile/ to ask for a price. $1800. This is what info I got in the email.The following information applies:



OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS/442 1966



I remove the 4 trim rings and the old plastic from the customer’s steering wheel frame, bead blast the frame and paint it the same color as the new plastic. The 4 trim rings are sent out for re-chroming. Through my proprietary process, I cast on a specially formulated thermoset UV stable urethane plastic in the original configuration without loss of the original detail. The urethane does not shrink, crack, turn yellow or change colors.



The steering wheel frame is placed into the appropriate mold. The clear liquid urethane is tinted to the desired color and added to the mold. Upon completion of the curing process, the plastic is heat treated, sanded and polished. The color is uniform throughout the plastic and the finished product is polished plastic, not a painted wheel. The molded plastic is one complete casting, there are no joints.



The cost is $1800.00 with a lifetime warranty. Re-chroming of the 4 U-shaped trim rings is included in the base price. For the continental US, there is a return shipping charge of $55-80 which includes $2200.00 of insurance. Turnaround time is about 4-6 weeks. At times, I have restored steering wheels in popular colors available for immediate exchange. Call me, 858-271-7374, for current turnaround times, shipping information and any other questions.

To get one repaired is $6-$800+. To have it recasted for $1800. Or purchase some aftermarket junk. Any thoughts?

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I had my 66 steering wheel on my 66 f-85 wagon done. Mine is the deluxe wheel which is the color of the interior plus it has two woodgrain sections. He is fantastic, he strips the wheel down to the metal and recasts the complete wheel, Mine looked like the typical 66 wheel and looked like the grand canyon. He is more than reasonable. He did my wheel complete for $450, and has molds for most cars not just Oldsmobile. The name is Koch's, Canyon Country CA. Phone number is: 661-268-1341 email customerservice@kochs.com Highly recommended, better than some $1300 steering wheels I have seen.

 

Thank you, I will give them a call today!

 

Cal, I will play devil's advocate. Why spend $1800 to have a steering wheel done when you apparently aren't doing a concours restoration? You were interested in an Edelbrock Torker intake in a previous thread. In addition, is the engine as your avatar going into your car? It's bad@$$, but the chrome valve covers aren't stock. Have you consiedered restoring the steering wheel yourself? I restored an Oldsmobile steering wheel with my dad; Oldsguy, in his 69 Delta 88. It turned out great.

https://www.eastwood.com/master-stee...w-instruc.html

Of course, it's your car so do what you want. You MUST post before and after pics.

 

I currently am working on 2 cars 66 442 I want mostly original, I pulled the chrome off after it got home. I couldn't take the look of them. Went to stock covers. But the 67 Cutlass is going to be more power and modern, with extra stuff.
I did think about trying it myself. I have watched a few videos and read a couple of threads on it. I have 2 66 steering wheel and one 67. But not sure if it will go well being I want it black and both 66 steering wheel are blue. So, I would paint them black after trying to repair. I have debated this with myself and figured it was time for some outside views.

 

LoL

Let us know what you do.

 

 

Have you thought about bowling ball repair.

 

I will have to look into that.

 

I have a picture of my steering wheel done by Koch's, but don't know how to post pictures, not really computer literate

 

I call them and it is going to cost about $550 for the steering wheel. Would be about $20 a ring for chrome. That sounds a lot more reasonable to me. I think I will be sending them one and try and restore the other. But, I am not a 100%. I am still looking at the different ways people have done their own restoration. I haven't found anything on the bowling ball repair. Eastwood is sold out of their repair kit. Good thing about sending it to Koch, they will take care of getting the rings chromed.
Right now I am leaning towards Koch's and restoring the other one in my (little to none) spare time.

The other 66 steering wheel

Definitely worse then the other one.

 

That wheel is too far gone, even if you could repair it, it's still old brittle powdery plastic. Once repaired guarantee it will probably crack elsewhere. With Koch's your starting with brand new material and won't crack resistant to UV rays. You'll be more than pleased with this company, $1800 for the other company is way out of line

 

Here is a link to Koch's steering wheel operation. There is a list there of all the wheels he can strip and recast. Of course, as usual- he can't do a '62 Cutlass wheel. For my wheel it looks like he offers the usual, grind out the cracks, putty it up, sand and repaint service.

Koch's Steering Wheel Service

 

Is your picture on your computer, or just your phone?

 

On my phone (Android).
Sorry thought you were asking me lol

 

Thanks for the link.

$550 is much more reasonable than $1800! I think having one steering wheel restored and repairing the other one is a good idea.

Here's a cool product for those of us that are too lazy or cheap to do either. FWIW, I have one of these on my 71 98. It fits and looks great, now I need to repair the steering wheel myself.

https://wheelskins.com/

 

So, I sent them my steering wheel. Cost estimate is $550 for recasting in black. $80 for re-chrome of rings on the steering wheel. $95 for the chrome bar, and 40 for the center chrome piece. In 10-16 weeks I will pay pictures.
Very friendly people there.