Just thought I'd post a few pics of my latest garage adventures. The city has my backlane dug up at the moment and my wife doesn't want me to drive the car through the neighbours yard...so I've been working on a few other projects for the Canuck.

First up, a new steering wheel. While I could buy a wheel, I thought it would be more fun to build one. I was also looking for something that was sort of stock looking, but clearly not stock. I purchased a thrashed wheel off e-bay and started thinking that if I could cut it down, driving the Amazon would be more like driving a car, and a little less like driving a bus (the stock wheel is a whopping 17" + in diameter).

So I bent a hoop out of 3/8 hot rolled steel (got Friday afternoon access to a slip roller) sized it to 14 3/8" diameter and welded it up. Then I cut off the old wheel and melted some of the plastic off the sides for welding.


You can see the difference in size.



What a few seconds with a cut-off wheel can do to a steering wheel. The sides of the wheel now need to have the metal exposed for welding.



The new wheel centre is much smaller than the old.



I've added 3/8 to the base height of the wheel to give it more dish and get my fingers away from the horn centre.



Here is the finished product - now to wrap it in wood.

The wheel will get a custom mahogany outer rim, but retain the stock horn centre (which I love) and shouldn't come off in my hands while driving - how the hell would you explain that one to the judge?



The grills are custom made laser cut 6061 aluminum of my own design - OK I ripped off the old style, but eliminated the vertical bars and beefed it up a little. I don't know if I'm going to chrome plate them or just polish the aluminum. Time will tell.


Craig

That's awesome stuff Craig! Very nice work on the wheel. Do you have a CAD drawing of that grill? It's gorgeous! That's looking very much like a necessity in the red car...

Oh MAN!!! That grill LOOKS AMAZING!! Seriously, that thing is gonna look incredible on your car Craig! I'd probably polish it, but your car has other chrome, so it might look out of place. How are you going to mount it?

The wheel also looks great! Can't wait to see the wood in place. Nice work! Amazing.

Has a package from John Parker arrived yet?

Hi Dale,

I've got the file kicking around if you'd like it.

Craig

Hi Greg,

The grill is going to be mounted from behind - no screws on the front side and the centre section is thicker (I have an additional 1/4 piece that doubles the thickness of the centre bar) - it should be pretty trick.

Still no word on the seat dye for the 264 interior, or my widened wheels...Oh and as for a package from Vintage Performance with a shiney new cylinder head, cam shaft, lifters, springs, and other stuff...NOT YET

Craig

P.S. I had dinner the other night with the red PV544 owner - so I've met the mythical owner of the mythical car.

The red PV544....is that the guy we were talking about last time, who lives on the west side? Cool. Does he ever drive it?

I can't believe you still don't have that head! Is it in the mail at least? Sigh. No new parts. I'm freaking excited to see that engine come together!

So I'm taking it your alley is all dug up too? I got a knock on my door, and a note in the mail from the city this morning, saying that I won't have access to the back alley for a MONTH! So they were already in the process of digging a giant trench in front of my garage door, and decided they better ask if that's okay. What the?!!!! If I wasn't home, they would have just done it I'm sure. No notice from the city at all. I mean, I think a week's notice would have been prudent. "Dear resident, we are going to pile four feet of dirt in front of your garage door, and will leave it there for one month. You have a weeks notice to reassemble your project car in case you need to drive it soon. Thanks." No luck. Fortunately my car is put together and running. If my car had been in there and I had been gone, there would have been problems. I can't believe there was no warning. Scary.

The PV owner is sort of the second/fourth owner of the car. I was his uncles from new, he had it for University, then sold it to a guy that restored it, then bought it back. Great story. He only drives it when it is perfect out (not even in the wind according to his wife...geeze it is Lethbridge - no wonder I haven't seen it). He is having SU problems - I offered to help...we'll see if he takes me up on my offer to get them working. We were talking about setting up the equivalent of the BP meet the Calgary guys do (you Calgary people are so lucky) - I'm in.

I don't think the head is in the mail...and racing season is starting, so maybe I see it mid-summer. I have to make a few decisions on that one.

The city dug a huge drunken bum trap in the lane about 2/3 weeks ago...then left ! I haven't been able to get anything in the garage since we dropped off the interior (thus the reason I haven't fabricated the brackets etc)! I have the fresh air system (got that last week ) to go with the compressor and am ready to do some bodywork and paint and can't get into the garage. I'd be OK if they were out there working...but it's just a big trench.

Maybe I'll withhold my taxes.
Craig