My father had one of these Sunbeams! He bought it in 1965 I think. He was a young doctor and he drove it back and forth to his office and the hospital, and he also drove it to make house calls at night. He was very dashing! I remember my mother riding in the passenger seat wearing a chiffon scarf over her hair as we rode with the top down. It was a two seater, but there was a small space behind the seats and my sister and I were so small we would stand or sit behind there. (Oh those long ago days before seatbelts or child car seats!) I remember the feel of the finger grooves on that steering wheel! I will share your video with my dad, now 90 years old! Thank you for sharing your wonderful work with us!
Well Tom, you may have opened a whole new world. Car buffs that are good with metals will be knocking on your door to handle the wood found in classic cars. Great job!
Just beautiful! Every time I see one of your videos come up I instantly click on it. The craftsmanship, patience and attention to detail is wonderful to watch. Such a rare thing these days. Thank you so much because I know these videos take so much time to make and just for our benefit. Much appreciation from England.
What a miraculous transformation. I don't know what you charge per hour but with 30 hours in the job I would imagine it will cost the client about the same as the original car did back all those years ago. I hope they appreciate the work you did as much as I did. Just beautiful!
Indeed. I keep asking myself what the rate is. But whatever it is, it’s easy to see why a full auto restoration, done at the level of this steering wheel re-do, is so time and budget intensive. Beautiful work.
as always, nothing but admiration. always surprised by the relatively low grits used in sanding, not going up to say 600 and higher. Is there a reason for that? And then you said why, so ignore my question...
What a beautiful finish on that wheel Tom. Your dogged determination to get the best possible finish has certainly paid off. Long past the point where most of us would have said " Aye, that'll do" you are still re-sanding with an ever finer grit and applying another coat of varnish. A true professional.
Just an outstanding and interesting topic. MANY lessons to be learned here. Many thanks for spreading the deep knowledge of finishing techniques into the Auto world. It will be remembered. Surprising outcome. Most of us in the Auto world would have disposed of that wheel. There was nothing in my experience that could have been done even to save it, let alone have it turn out even better than I am sure it was as new. Great job !!! Be sure to get MANY photos with good cameras and from MANY angles. There will be MANY people looking to learn from this.
@@johnsonrestoration In the automotive world, especially in the post WW2 era, disposal and use of replicas rule. SAVING the actual heritage is not as big a concern there. Your primary goal of preserving and keeping things original is a NEW thought process in much of the Auto world, and MUCH appreciated.
The factory called and they want that steering wheel for their showroom. I had never anticipated seeing a steering wheel restored but this one was fun. The owner will be thrilled.
HI Tom. That sure brings back memories I had a Tiger. I got mine in 1965 and it ended sitting up for a year while I was sent to Nam. I do remember my wheel was wood with the black inlay. Just like it was when your finished the wheel I thought you might be interested in that. Great work
Wonderful video. I was unfamiliar as to Waterlox marine varnishes. I own a 1963 Century mahogany inboard and all the refinishers I have worked with insist on either Epiphanes or Captains varnish for the decks, sides and transom. Is the waterlox less soft than these tradtional finishes? Kind Regards. Craig
Thanks! Epifane has a reputation as the best. I am really liking the Waterlox. None of these will work well unless you let them dry between coats and do a full finish. Epifane uses a catalyst which no doubt helps the drying time tremendously
Well done Thomas! Fascinating look at the way such cars are made. I think the wheel you return to them will make the transformation of the car even more brilliant;) I notice you've gotten some new kicks. As you may remember I spent many years as a nurse, and it used to be they wouldn't let us use anything less than full leather uppers on shoes (because of liquids dropping and seeping through the shoes.) Then in the 60's clogs became popular, but were frowned upon because of the holes. These new shoes being put out today are far better for walking cement floors and they are thick enough on top to protect the feet. I love them, and as a great Auntie I have a selection of cool Sketchers, Adidas and others in tasty colors (my greats especially love the hot pink ones!;)
The alloy is closer to stainless steel but is much harder to bend. The inlay is very hard to match as it is a soybean based material. The inlay hides the rivets that are prominent on other stock woody wheels. As funny as this may sound a closer match to original finish would have been two coats of west system epoxy, followed by two coats of polyurethane gloss clear. Seen a nos once they were very glossy new. The shafts not so much on the nos as they rusted.
Wow that’s impressive transformation. 30 hours on such a small and seemingly straightforward object is testament to your skills, the results speak for themselves
Oh my gosh Tom what a beautiful transformation. That must have been exhausting and the level of detail you go to in getting the surface absolutely perfect is astonishing. I know the owner will be so delighted, hope s/he sends a picture of the restored car resplendent with its beautiful steering wheel, im sure i cant be the only one who'd love to see it! Another one of a kind restoration Tom, you did it again.👍👏
I did a steering wheel for a 1928 Chevy and the rim was just wood, short 6 or 8 inch pieces all finger jointed together, no metal in the rim. Good job as usual Tom.
Hi Tom, this is a unique project. Of course it turned out great. When I was a kid, I thought sunbeam cars were electric because of the sunbeam appliances at the time. Thank you for sharing Tom, and take care.
Awesome job!! I wanted to tell you that I just won high bidder at an auction in PA and took home a period William and Mary gate leg table. Everything original! Even the butterfly wrought iron hinges and pendant drawer pull. The finish is also original but needed some cleaning and polishing. With what I've learned from you, I have brought the finish back to life using wax applied with fine steel wool. It looks fantastic! The Krud Cutter you recommend worked great on the initial cleaning. Just wanted to share my excitement with you. Have a great weekend! Stephen
I'm not a car guy, but I found this fascinating. Whatever you charged the client, it was a bargain. Thank you for always showing the products you use. :o)
Beautiful work!! I really love your work ethic and your attention to detail. You might be the best restorer of wood on this planet. I love your work. Thank you for bringing your videos for us to enjoy.
Reminded me on how i restored my grandfather's 1964 Nardi steering wheel that was gifted to him by Nardi himself when he visited the factory. When he gave the steering wheel to me it was in rougher shape than that. The wood had split from the joint which was caused by the oxidation of the aluminum rim it took me weeks to get the powdered aluminum off between the wood and months to finish it. But in the end i finished looking good as new. Unfortunately my grandfather passed away before i could show it to him.
Translated from Polish: "I have been a car mechanic for 45 years. This steering wheel is a work of art. Beautiful and good work by Master Thomas. Regards."
@@johnsonrestoration No need to be. I barely know English, LOL. Google did a decent job there... Just thought I'd make it easier for you and other viewers to read their comment. :-)
As always, it was a splendid job. Congratulations! However, something is missing in your video: you should have shown the owner's face, their surprise, gratitud and satisfaction for your job. Kind regards.
Interesting to see your skills applied to "anything wood". Once again Tom, you ARE the man!! Have you ever tried an antique wooden golf club w/hickory shaft?
Hi Tom, well what an interesting and beautiful restoration, I owned one of these cars back in early '80s, and what a car it was! I hand stripped it back to the bare metal, and that was a task! Thank you for a great video, hope you and yours are all well, take care and see you on the next one, keep 'em coming
Now that's what I call a super perfect restoration. I've watched some of your super good videos over the last few days. I've never seen anything like it. You always do everything so perfectly and precisely. You take a lot of time for each object. That's worth admiring. Many people can take a leaf out of your book. There are so many people on UA-cam who claim and brag about how great they've renovated something. But in the end, they've broken more than it was before. It's a lot of fun to watch you with your Hoppy. Thank you for all your super good videos.
Well done, Thomas. One of the glories of European sports cars of the period were those elegant, rich, gleaming wooden steering wheels. If you had a more mundane sports car and added a nice Nardi wheel to it, that was supposed to be good for a 5 mph boost at the top end! The Sunbeam Tiger was heralded as a poor man's Cobra due to the Shelby connection. I never drove one but always thought they were cool.
I drove to college in a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine from 1974 to 1976. I cannot remember the steering wheel. Watching Tom for 43 minutes gave me some implanted steering wheel memories.
Remarkable results. That last buffing compound that was milder looks very close to that which I use. I came with my LMG Polished kit. The sanding clothes range from 1800 grit up to 12,000 grit. I have used it on actual glass as well as scale model clear plastic windows to buff out scratches.
Thanks for the video Tom. I'd never thought about you refinishing a wood steering wheel. You can refinish them as well as furniture. It really looks good. Like new. Take care and God bless.
Holy cow! So great to see you going all in on a personal project, applying your own standards instead of those imposed by a client. I bet that wheel feels amazing to the touch.
Hi tom, great work as always. I love how you treat each thing you restore equally be it a steering wheel or a one of a kind antique furniture. I'm amazed how many types of clamps you have. Was it intentional or did your clamp collection just grow with time?
At first I thought, this won't be very interesting. How wrong I was! Amazing time-consuming project. It would interesting to know how it came your way. Did someone see your videos and think that maybe you could tackle his steering wheel? Anyway, thanks again for sharing your attention to detail and extraordinary range of skill and wisdom when it comes to finishes.
Way to go Tom. Did you sell your MG? I have “restored” three steering wheels but they were all plastic. That work entailed cleaning out cracks and dremmeling them to clean material, recreate contours with JB weld, perfecting shape with bondo, plastic primer, high build primer, 3 coats of paint and four coats of high quality two component clear coat. Best wishes. Larry from Arizona.
Thomas; I can't remember if I mentioned this before? When I have a deep crack that goes right through a piece, I sometimes use a vacuum cleaner, with variable speed, to pull glue right through the crack...I used this on a table a while back, but getting enough clamping force was another "challenge"! 4 hours of scraping, plus the time to get the scraper curvature, man, that's dedication to your Craft! Back to the video
Wondering, I know how you charge for your time but how do you charge for the materials used? Do you ever work to a quoted price for a completed job that is negotiated when the job comes in? Thanks, JIM ❤
Thanks! Normally the material prices are built into my overhead. Unless I have to buy something expensive just for that job. For instance, if I have to buy a piece of special plywood for a job, I will charge for the entire sheet of plywood, even if I don't use the entire sheet.
Factory finish without the factory! It was always interesting when you realized the Alpine was actually a Tiger. (Still made reference to kitchen appliances,)
Yes! It's very interesting. At the time, 1965, I was unaware of the British cars, we only liked American cars. But it wasn't long before I noticed them, my friend got a Midget
Okay, Tom; I think you're ready for me to send you a 1954 Martin acoustic guitar for your magic restoration. Just kidding. This steering wheel is a work of art and I have to wonder what the gearshift knob looks like.
30 hours, most people would have given it 30 minutes and then quit! The sad part is most people would not even give that steeing wheel seconds thoughts on the wood aspect of it. I"ve seen a lot ow wood steeing wheels in my day. (80 yrs here!) and back in the day a lot of things on cars and trucks were wood to include actuall doors and framing. especially on the older Model A's etc. and let us not forget the "Woody's station wagons. works of wood Art really thanks for sharing Tom. ECF
Welcome to the $3,200.00 steering wheel restoration. It is hard to imagine the amount of work that can go into such a small piece. How painstaking of a process, as in all my comments on your channel, you have the patience of Job.
Another great save. Beautiful final results. What went into your decision to go with a marine product? I recall that your go to product for other projects was the Waterlox Tung Oil Varnish.
Bravo Thomas. As always "Magic" was an absolute delight to see sharing you your expertise on wood treatment. Again I learned a lot. Wish you a perfect weekend. Regards from Robert from Germany
Thomas: this was a winner! I love old cars and restoration. I remember these cars as a young girl. Very sporty! Great job. After you were finished with it, I wanted to hang it on the wall as a design element. Haha Carol from California
Absolutely a 100% like it just shows how experience count a lot. Take notes younger generation a true craftsman can do anything and more without a computer. I have been a long time subscriber and I would love to see your shop irl but I live in Sweden so it would be hard to just come over for a chat 😀
It came out great. I’m working on a coffee table. It has a black stain they wanted gone. I tried absolutely everything. The stain wouldn’t even fade. Finally I dampened a cloth with small dabs of bleach and buffed and buffed. It finally went away
MAGNIFICENT JOB, TOM. TRULY BEAUTIFUL OUTCOME. ALWAYS WANTED A SUNBEAM TIGER, IN FACT I HAVE ONE IN MY FANTASY GARAGE!!!. THAT WHEEL WILL FEEL AMAZING IN THE DRIVER'S HANDS EVERY TIME HE OR SHE TAKES IT OUT.
Talk about painstaking Tom....Its hard to believe the makers of this wheel put as much into it as you have ? Really a very beautiful thing for a half decent car as well. I well remember forty years ago as a student lodging in East London there was a Tiger living further down the road. The noise of it was one of the best things about living there.
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My father had one of these Sunbeams! He bought it in 1965 I think. He was a young doctor and he drove it back and forth to his office and the hospital, and he also drove it to make house calls at night. He was very dashing! I remember my mother riding in the passenger seat wearing a chiffon scarf over her hair as we rode with the top down. It was a two seater, but there was a small space behind the seats and my sister and I were so small we would stand or sit behind there. (Oh those long ago days before seatbelts or child car seats!) I remember the feel of the finger grooves on that steering wheel! I will share your video with my dad, now 90 years old! Thank you for sharing your wonderful work with us!
I owned a 1967 MK ll (289 ci) for a while during the mid seventies. It was a wild little car.
Thank you Mindy! That is wonderful! I hope he likes it
Wow! I wish I had one now!
Loved your story. My Uncle had an antique car with a rumble seat in the trunk my bother and I got to ride in it.
Well Tom, you may have opened a whole new world. Car buffs that are good with metals will be knocking on your door to handle the wood found in classic cars. Great job!
Just beautiful! Every time I see one of your videos come up I instantly click on it. The craftsmanship, patience and attention to detail is wonderful to watch. Such a rare thing these days. Thank you so much because I know these videos take so much time to make and just for our benefit.
Much appreciation from England.
As a UK watcher myself I have to agree 100% with you Sir.
Ditto, from the Big Island of Hawaii ....
Gleichfalls aus Deutschland!
But 🇨🇦 🐻❄️ in 🇩🇪
Und auch aus Magdeburg, ich bin immer wieder fasziniert 👏👌👍
Thank you so much 😀 I appreciate that you watch them!
Next week: I tackle the gearbox.
😂😂
Or the V8 engine!😀
Oh it could be the chassis of a Morgan sports car. They were, and still are, made of wood, Ash if memory serves me correctly. 😀🇬🇧
😂 is it a squeak from the teak or smoke from the oak 😂
😂😅
What a miraculous transformation. I don't know what you charge per hour but with 30 hours in the job I would imagine it will cost the client about the same as the original car did back all those years ago. I hope they appreciate the work you did as much as I did. Just beautiful!
I would hope at least $1,000
Brilliant job! You can’t buy one of these for love or money.
Indeed. I keep asking myself what the rate is. But whatever it is, it’s easy to see why a full auto restoration, done at the level of this steering wheel re-do, is so time and budget intensive. Beautiful work.
Thanks! You could be right! I hadn't thought of that
Keep going!
When the driver drives the restored car I hope he/she can feel the love you have put into that steering wheel. What a superb job you have done on it.
Thanks! That's so nice - I think they will!
And I hope we get to see it in the car!
And that they wear gloves to keep hand oil and grime off it!
as always, nothing but admiration. always surprised by the relatively low grits used in sanding, not going up to say 600 and higher. Is there a reason for that? And then you said why, so ignore my question...
Thanks! A good question, but yes, they want the finish to be able to penetrate the wood!
Max from Get Smart drove a nice red Sunbeam Tiger in the intro sequence to the show.
Thanks! I’ll have to check that out!
What a beautiful finish on that wheel Tom. Your dogged determination to get the best possible finish has certainly paid off. Long past the point where most of us would have said " Aye, that'll do" you are still re-sanding with an ever finer grit and applying another coat of varnish. A true professional.
YES!!!
Thanks! I really wanted it to be “factory”
Thanks Janet!
@@johnsonrestorationWe know that's better than factory!🎃🍂🍄🐈⬛🍁🌙
@@johnsonrestoration I doubt it is now factory.
Great job - adds a lot of value to this relatively rare car. Here in Switzerland you would pay for a 30h job around 3'000.- $ 😅
Thanks! Yes, same here
Just an outstanding and interesting topic. MANY lessons to be learned here. Many thanks for spreading the deep knowledge of finishing techniques into the Auto world. It will be remembered.
Surprising outcome. Most of us in the Auto world would have disposed of that wheel. There was nothing in my experience that could have been done even to save it, let alone have it turn out even better than I am sure it was as new. Great job !!! Be sure to get MANY photos with good cameras and from MANY angles. There will be MANY people looking to learn from this.
YES!!
Thank you! I just assumed anyone would just refinish it. I appreciate that
Thanks!
@@johnsonrestoration In the automotive world, especially in the post WW2 era, disposal and use of replicas rule. SAVING the actual heritage is not as big a concern there. Your primary goal of preserving and keeping things original is a NEW thought process in much of the Auto world, and MUCH appreciated.
What a gorgeous bragging point for the car owner, "restored by the renowned artisan Thomas Johnson." 👍👍👍
Thanks! I hope so!
The factory called and they want that steering wheel for their showroom.
I had never anticipated seeing a steering wheel restored but this one was fun. The owner will be thrilled.
Thanks! I hope they don’t lose points for over-restoration
HI Tom. That sure brings back memories I had a Tiger. I got mine in 1965 and it ended sitting up for a year while I was sent to Nam. I do remember my wheel was wood with the black inlay. Just like it was when your finished the wheel
I thought you might be interested in that. Great work
Thanks David! Yes, I'm very glad to hear that. I was wondering the whole time - what would it have looked like originally
Wonderful video. I was unfamiliar as to Waterlox marine varnishes. I own a 1963 Century mahogany inboard and all the refinishers I have worked with insist on either Epiphanes or Captains varnish for the decks, sides and transom. Is the waterlox less soft than these tradtional finishes? Kind Regards. Craig
Thanks! Epifane has a reputation as the best. I am really liking the Waterlox. None of these will work well unless you let them dry between coats and do a full finish. Epifane uses a catalyst which no doubt helps the drying time tremendously
Well done Thomas! Fascinating look at the way such cars are made. I think the wheel you return to them will make the transformation of the car even more brilliant;)
I notice you've gotten some new kicks. As you may remember I spent many years as a nurse, and it used to be they wouldn't let us use anything less than full leather uppers on shoes (because of liquids dropping and seeping through the shoes.) Then in the 60's clogs became popular, but were frowned upon because of the holes. These new shoes being put out today are far better for walking cement floors and they are thick enough on top to protect the feet. I love them, and as a great Auntie I have a selection of cool Sketchers, Adidas and others in tasty colors (my greats especially love the hot pink ones!;)
Thanks! Yes, these new Sketcher "step-ins" are great! It's funny you noticed
You never cease to amaze me Tom. No matter what they throw at you, seems you always have an answer to the highest of standards.
Thank you, that's very nice!
Beautiful transformation as usual. A lot of hours for such a small item. Thank you Tomas
Thank you!
The alloy is closer to stainless steel but is much harder to bend. The inlay is very hard to match as it is a soybean based material. The inlay hides the rivets that are prominent on other stock woody wheels. As funny as this may sound a closer match to original finish would have been two coats of west system epoxy, followed by two coats of polyurethane gloss clear. Seen a nos once they were very glossy new. The shafts not so much on the nos as they rusted.
Thanks! Good information! You obviously know a lot about this! Please email me, I want to know more: thomasjohnsonrestoration@gmail.com
You can get a lot of work from these - guys love spending on their cars.
Thanks! I know! I’ll keep my fingers crossed
Wow that’s impressive transformation. 30 hours on such a small and seemingly straightforward object is testament to your skills, the results speak for themselves
Thank you, that's nice!
Oh my gosh Tom what a beautiful transformation. That must have been exhausting and the level of detail you go to in getting the surface absolutely perfect is astonishing. I know the owner will be so delighted, hope s/he sends a picture of the restored car resplendent with its beautiful steering wheel, im sure i cant be the only one who'd love to see it!
Another one of a kind restoration Tom, you did it again.👍👏
Thank you! So nice! We'll get photos
I had the privilege of seeing the actual finished job in person! Great job! Thank you for the time spent with me on Friday.
You're welcome Gene! I hope the rest of your trip went well!
This brings back memories. I used to test drive for Roots here in the UK in the 1960’s. I have driven many Alpines and Tigers.
Lucky man
very cool
Wow! That’s amazing! Please email me thomasjohnsonrestoration@gmail.com
He is!
Extremely cool!
have you ever restored the wooden doors of any old car?
Thanks! Yes, I refinished a 32 Model A Woody
Wow, what a difference! Looks amazing mate!
It does! Thanks!
Love your work sir. Bravo!
Many thanks!
I did a steering wheel for a 1928 Chevy and the rim was just wood, short 6 or 8 inch pieces all finger jointed together, no metal in the rim.
Good job as usual Tom.
Thanks! Wow, 1928! I would like to see that car
Stunning #classiccar #restoration. Job well done. 👏🏽
Thank you!
Wonderful job! Looks great! Would love to see it back in the car.
You and me both! Thanks!
I enjoy all of your projects, but this one was an interesting and fascinating departure from the usual.
Yes, it was nice! Thanks!
What I love here is that this piece was treated every bit as reverently as any other antique - no shortcuts and precise attention to detail.
Thanks! Yes, that is true...
That was a wheel transformation. Just beautiful 😍😍
Thank you! 🤗
Very interesting change up from your usual subjects Tom. Just a beautiful result!
Many thanks!
Looks brand new!!! You really know your business!!!
Thank you!
Remarkable transformation. That wheel was in the right hands for that job. 😊
Good one! Thanks!
Hi Tom, this is a unique project. Of course it turned out great. When I was a kid, I thought sunbeam cars were electric because of the sunbeam appliances at the time. Thank you for sharing Tom, and take care.
Thanks! Yes, I remember wondering the same thing
Now, that's a Pebble Beach steering wheel -- beautiful work!
Thank you! I hope so!
You didn't say, "It looks pretty good"! My husband thinks you're disappointed in your work. :) Lovely, lovely work as always.
Thanks so much! 😊 I can't believe I forgot to say it!
Are there no end to your talents ? Another great restoration project of a most unusual item. Very educational as always. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Awesome job!! I wanted to tell you that I just won high bidder at an auction in PA and took home a period William and Mary gate leg table. Everything original! Even the butterfly wrought iron hinges and pendant drawer pull. The finish is also original but needed some cleaning and polishing. With what I've learned from you, I have brought the finish back to life using wax applied with fine steel wool. It looks fantastic! The Krud Cutter you recommend worked great on the initial cleaning. Just wanted to share my excitement with you.
Have a great weekend!
Stephen
Stephen that is great! Email some photos: thomasjohnsonrestoration@gmail.com
I'm not a car guy, but I found this fascinating. Whatever you charged the client, it was a bargain. Thank you for always showing the products you use. :o)
You;re welcome!
That looks stunning and will feel lovely in the hands of the driver. So enjoyable to watch the painstaking attention to detail.
Thank you!
Beautiful work!! I really love your work ethic and your attention to detail. You might be the best restorer of wood on this planet. I love your work. Thank you for bringing your videos for us to enjoy.
You're very welcome!
Reminded me on how i restored my grandfather's 1964 Nardi steering wheel that was gifted to him by Nardi himself when he visited the factory. When he gave the steering wheel to me it was in rougher shape than that. The wood had split from the joint which was caused by the oxidation of the aluminum rim it took me weeks to get the powdered aluminum off between the wood and months to finish it. But in the end i finished looking good as new. Unfortunately my grandfather passed away before i could show it to him.
Oh that's to bad! Sounds like you did a great job
Od 45 lat jestem mechanikiem samochodowym. Taka kierownica to dzieło sztuki. Piękna i dobra robota mistrza Thomasa. Pozdrawiam.
Translated from Polish: "I have been a car mechanic for 45 years. This steering wheel is a work of art. Beautiful and good work by Master Thomas. Regards."
Dziękuję! Doceniam to, że pochodzi od kolegi-handlowca
Do you know Polish? I'm impressed! Thanks
@@johnsonrestoration No need to be. I barely know English, LOL. Google did a decent job there... Just thought I'd make it easier for you and other viewers to read their comment. :-)
Hi Tom, The Tiger was the sportier version of the Alpine, it was not replacing the Alpine, it was another model. I used to sell them in the UK.
That's interesting! Makes sense, since the Tigers were for export. Thanks!
Steering wheel , quite a departure. Stunning results as always 👏👏👍
YES!! STUNNING!!
Yes! Fun for a change! Thanks
Thanks!
As always, it was a splendid job. Congratulations!
However, something is missing in your video: you should have shown the owner's face, their surprise, gratitud and satisfaction for your job.
Kind regards.
Thanks! I know, but tough to pull off
It's a joy to see a new project from you Tom, and this one so unusual. Beautiful work as always.
Thank you!
Tom, I like cars just as much as furniture. What a fun video!
Me too! Thanks!
The care you take on items is amazing.
Thank you! Must have been the way we were brought up!
1960s Sunbeams were very cool cars, similar to the British Lotus. Cool restoration, as usual.
Thanks!
Great job Tom. That looks so nice.
Thank you!
Good grief, all the tools used to bring back this steering wheel. I bet it looks better than the original. 👏
Thanks! I hope not! Might lose points if it is!
Hard to believe it is the same steering wheel. Looks like new. Perfection!
Thanks!
Interesting to see your skills applied to "anything wood". Once again Tom, you ARE the man!! Have you ever tried an antique wooden golf club w/hickory shaft?
Thanks! I did a gulf club many years ago, but not the shaft, the head was wood
Hi Tom, well what an interesting and beautiful restoration, I owned one of these cars back in early '80s, and what a car it was! I hand stripped it back to the bare metal, and that was a task! Thank you for a great video, hope you and yours are all well, take care and see you on the next one, keep 'em coming
Thanks! Sounds like it must have been great!
Just beautiful. Bravo, maestro!
Thank you very much!
Now that's what I call a super perfect restoration.
I've watched some of your super good videos over the last few days.
I've never seen anything like it.
You always do everything so perfectly and precisely.
You take a lot of time for each object.
That's worth admiring.
Many people can take a leaf out of your book.
There are so many people on UA-cam who claim and brag about how great they've renovated something. But in the end, they've broken more than it was before.
It's a lot of fun to watch you with your Hoppy.
Thank you for all your super good videos.
You're welcome! That is very nice!
Well done, Thomas. One of the glories of European sports cars of the period were those elegant, rich, gleaming wooden steering wheels. If you had a more mundane sports car and added a nice Nardi wheel to it, that was supposed to be good for a 5 mph boost at the top end! The Sunbeam Tiger was heralded as a poor man's Cobra due to the Shelby connection. I never drove one but always thought they were cool.
Thanks! I agree! The steering wheel is what you notice immediately
That's wonderful. Everything is well explained throughout the work. The end result: very good. Thanks.
You're welcome!
I drove to college in a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine from 1974 to 1976. I cannot remember the steering wheel. Watching Tom for 43 minutes gave me some implanted steering wheel memories.
That's great! I wonder what those steering wheels were like originally
Remarkable results. That last buffing compound that was milder looks very close to that which I use. I came with my LMG Polished kit. The sanding clothes range from 1800 grit up to 12,000 grit. I have used it on actual glass as well as scale model clear plastic windows to buff out scratches.
Thanks! I'll have to check that out
Thanks for the video Tom. I'd never thought about you refinishing a wood steering wheel. You can refinish them as well as furniture. It really looks good. Like new. Take care and God bless.
You're welcome Ron! Well, as long as its made of wood...
You surely are a man of many talents. 👏😁🇦🇺
Thanks!
That looks simply gorgeous Tom. Now the owner of the Sunbeam can speed in high style!
Oh yeah! Thanks!
Holy cow! So great to see you going all in on a personal project, applying your own standards instead of those imposed by a client. I bet that wheel feels amazing to the touch.
Thanks! It really does!
Beautiful job, let's hope the rest of the car lives up to it.
Thanks! I'm sure it will!
Hi tom, great work as always. I love how you treat each thing you restore equally be it a steering wheel or a one of a kind antique furniture. I'm amazed how many types of clamps you have. Was it intentional or did your clamp collection just grow with time?
Thanks! I always had a shop with 3 employees - I have way too many tools including clamps!
I invisioned you under the hood and thought Tom is expanding his restoration. LOL The subtlety of what you did was great as usual.
Thanks! I'd like to be in the driver's seat!
Beautiful work! Better than new! A true American craftsman. Thanks for sharing your talent!
You're welcome!
Tom after completing a job like this , I myself would go outside and look up at the sky and say, Lord thank you , this one is done.
Exactly what I did. Right before I poured some Laphroaig
It’s stunning! Looks like solid wood with almost a French polish quality!
Thanks! Yes, it does with that high sheen
What a difference! The wood is beautiful! Great work!
Thank you!
Excellent video to go with your superb woodworking skills. Much Aloha from Keaau, HI.
Thank you Janet! You've been very active! I love it
As usual, a fantastic job by the master. So much nicer than the black paint.
Thanks! Definitely
Beautiful work. I think the car is just an accessory to display the lovely steering wheel.
Thanks! me too!
No sir! You can't get away that easily. It's another artwork. From the master. It looks SPECTACULAR!!
Thank you!
At first I thought, this won't be very interesting. How wrong I was! Amazing time-consuming project. It would interesting to know how it came your way. Did someone see your videos and think that maybe you could tackle his steering wheel? Anyway, thanks again for sharing your attention to detail and extraordinary range of skill and wisdom when it comes to finishes.
Thanks! I had the same thoughts at first
Way to go Tom. Did you sell your MG? I have “restored” three steering wheels but they were all plastic. That work entailed cleaning out cracks and dremmeling them to clean material, recreate contours with JB weld, perfecting shape with bondo, plastic primer, high build primer, 3 coats of paint and four coats of high quality two component clear coat. Best wishes.
Larry from Arizona.
Wow! The plastic restoration sounds tougher than the wood! I still have my MGB but I need to sell it
Wow! That’s beautiful!!!!
Thank you!
Thomas; I can't remember if I mentioned this before?
When I have a deep crack that goes right through a piece, I sometimes use a vacuum cleaner, with variable speed, to pull glue right through the crack...I used this on a table a while back, but getting enough clamping force was another "challenge"!
4 hours of scraping, plus the time to get the scraper curvature, man, that's dedication to your Craft!
Back to the video
Thanks! I'll have to try that sometime...
Wondering, I know how you charge for your time but how do you charge for the materials used?
Do you ever work to a quoted price for a completed job that is negotiated when the job comes in?
Thanks, JIM ❤
Thanks! Normally the material prices are built into my overhead. Unless I have to buy something expensive just for that job. For instance, if I have to buy a piece of special plywood for a job, I will charge for the entire sheet of plywood, even if I don't use the entire sheet.
Factory finish without the factory! It was always interesting when you realized the Alpine was actually a Tiger. (Still made reference to kitchen appliances,)
Yes! It's very interesting. At the time, 1965, I was unaware of the British cars, we only liked American cars. But it wasn't long before I noticed them, my friend got a Midget
Okay, Tom; I think you're ready for me to send you a 1954 Martin acoustic guitar for your magic restoration. Just kidding. This steering wheel is a work of art and I have to wonder what the gearshift knob looks like.
Oh I'd like to see that guitar! And also could there be other wood? A dash?
One more beautiful job! Reminds me of a fine musical instrument!
Do you ever use OOOO steel wool?
Keep up the good work ❤
JIM🎉
Thank Jim! All the time! I used to buy it by the case. That Liberon is a game changer
Makes miss my '65 Buick Special convertible. Excellent video.
Oh man! We all want the cars we used to have!
30 hours, most people would have given it 30 minutes and then quit! The sad part is most people would not even give that steeing wheel seconds thoughts on the wood aspect of it. I"ve seen a lot ow wood steeing wheels in my day. (80 yrs here!) and back in the day a lot of things on cars and trucks were wood to include actuall doors and framing. especially on the older Model A's etc. and let us not forget the "Woody's station wagons. works of wood Art really thanks for sharing Tom. ECF
Thanks! And yes, I refinished a 32 A Woody once!
Welcome to the $3,200.00 steering wheel restoration. It is hard to imagine the amount of work that can go into such a small piece. How painstaking of a process, as in all my comments on your channel, you have the patience of Job.
Thank you! I appreciate it!
Tom, another truly amazing restoration. The before and after are great. Would love to see this mounted in the car.
Me too! We'll get photos
Another great save. Beautiful final results. What went into your decision to go with a marine product? I recall that your go to product for other projects was the Waterlox Tung Oil Varnish.
Thanks! It's a convertible, so I thought just in case...
Bravo Thomas. As always "Magic" was an absolute delight to see sharing you your expertise on wood treatment. Again I learned a lot. Wish you a perfect weekend. Regards from Robert from Germany
Thanks!
Thomas: this was a winner! I love old cars and restoration. I remember these cars as a young girl. Very sporty! Great job. After you were finished with it, I wanted to hang it on the wall as a design element. Haha Carol from California
Thanks Carol! It would look great on the wall! I hadn't thought of that
This is about as unexpected as when the guy from the channel formerly known as "Andre will do it" restored a real, living horse.
I've got to search for that on YT!
That looks really good, Thomas.
Thanks 👍
Absolutely a 100% like it just shows how experience count a lot. Take notes younger generation a true craftsman can do anything and more without a computer. I have been a long time subscriber and I would love to see your shop irl but I live in Sweden so it would be hard to just come over for a chat 😀
Thanks! Geez, I'd be willing to come to Sweden! We need to settle on our next overseas trip
It came out great. I’m working on a coffee table. It has a black stain they wanted gone. I tried absolutely everything. The stain wouldn’t even fade. Finally I dampened a cloth with small dabs of bleach and buffed and buffed. It finally went away
Oh man! That was lucky. Good job!
MAGNIFICENT JOB, TOM. TRULY BEAUTIFUL OUTCOME. ALWAYS WANTED A SUNBEAM TIGER, IN FACT I HAVE ONE IN MY FANTASY GARAGE!!!. THAT WHEEL WILL FEEL AMAZING IN THE DRIVER'S HANDS EVERY TIME HE OR SHE TAKES IT OUT.
Thanks! It would be great to have any sports car!
Awesome finish.
What about UV protection?
I guess that can be added later.
Thanks! I'm using a marine varnish. No clear finish can provide any meaningful UV protection
Talk about painstaking Tom....Its hard to believe the makers of this wheel put as much into it as you have ? Really a very beautiful thing for a half decent car as well. I well remember forty years ago as a student lodging in East London there was a Tiger living further down the road. The noise of it was one of the best things about living there.
Oh yes! You can't beat that sound...