Here are a few pictures of some recent projects. First up is a GT wheel and auto shift knob recovered in Mr Mikes light grey leather with black stitching. This leather is very similar in color to my Indy leather, but is heavier in weight with a slightly smoother texture.
GT wheel and automatic shift knob recovered in my Indy leather using my new thread that I have been using for my other wheels. This new thread is heavier than what I had previously been using, and is closer to what was originally used by GM.
Would be interested in 4 Spoke one, Beechwood in color
I'm not currently recovering the 4 spoke wheels, although it is something I'm interested in getting into. I have a spare 4 spoke wheel to tinker with and use for a template, but with school and my current customer's wheels, I simply don't have the time to tinker with them. Come May, I'll have the time to sit down and figure out the best way to go about recovering these wheels.
would you be able to re-cover this steering wheel?
Unfortunately not. With the GT and Indy wheels, I already have a template created for cutting out my leather for a perfect fit, and have had over 30 wheels worth of trial and error to get my technique right. It is for this reason that I'm able to recover my customer's wheels so quickly, and for such a low price. While I could probably recover other styles of wheels, it would require quite a bit more time to get right, which isn't practical with my already busy schedule.
Alex, got my wheel back today and it is superb! The leather has a nice luxurious feel and the red stitching provides a smart sporty look. The workmanship is superior and presents as a high level factory product. It will be a nice upgrade for my interior. Worth every penny! Many thanks Alex!
I understand and respect your reasons. Perhaps I'll just have to search for a good three spoke core to send to you :-)
If you do decide to track one down, I suggest starting here on the forum or your local pull-a-part yard. The listings on ebay are outrageous (easily $75 for a rusty wheel with twisted leather). The GT leather three spoke wheel with the thumb notches was used on the Fiero, as well as some firebirds and Grand Ams.
PSA: I currently have enough beechwood leather for 3 more wheels and perhaps 2-3 shift knobs. I've been looking online for more leather of a matching color, but have yet to find anything so far. I have enough Indy leather for perhaps 6 more wheels, and still have enough black leather to keep doing wheels indefinitely.
Midnight #9 leather from Mr Mike with gunmetal stitching. Alex also refurbished the hub and spokes for me as well. Really nice work. Just have to install it now!
------------------ Anything I might say is probably worth what you paid for it, so treat it accordingly!
Just want to post up again; those on the fence, DO NOT HESITATE to have Alex do your wheel, his work is top notch!!! Both wheels I've had done by him are holding up perfectly; it's been about a year now and they still look as good as new!
------------------ "Discord" Red 1988 GT under restoration!
Hi, I would like to get my 86 GT wheel recovered with black leather including the extra $20 service for the spokes. New to the forum - how does it work to order/ pay? Thank you
Hi, I would like to get my 86 GT wheel recovered with black leather including the extra $20 service for the spokes. New to the forum - how does it work to order/ pay? Thank you
I always like to post pictures anytime I complete a wheel in a new/different style or color combination. This GT wheel was done custom in Mr. Mikes midnight leather with gunmetal grey stitching.
[This message has been edited by Irrationable (edited 03-27-2016).]
In addition to posting pictures of my finished work, I wanted to upload these pictures so that my customers could see a before and after comparison. In these pictures you can see how poorly of a condition this Indy wheel was in when I received it from a customer. The leather was completely shot and appeared to have been chewed on by either a rat or mouse, the plastic trim was faded, and the spokes and hub were completely covered in rust.
And here is what the wheel looked like once it was finished. In addition to new leather, the spokes and hub got an acid bath, while the trim and spokes were repainted with a textured finish that matches OEM
For those of you who may be interested, I have a SMALL supply of the red leather used on this steering wheel. Due to quality issues, Mr. Mikes no longer carries red leather, and it is not a popular enough option for me to order an entire hide of it from my supplier. This leather was special ordered by the customer, who was gracious enough to let me keep what was left over. While I do not have enough to complete an entire wheel, I do have enough to duplicate this kind of color scheme (red upper section, and the lower done in black/midnight), as well as a shift knob or two. This leather is available on a first come, first serve basis.
So, for the first of my two major announcements... Those of you familiar with the Indy steering wheels may have noticed this one. Not only was this steering wheel recovered, but extra padding was added to the wheel to thicken it and modernize the feel. While the Indy wheels are slightly thicker than a stock GT wheel, you can see below how much of a difference the extra padding made to the overall thickness.
Although I have the process of adding extra padding figured out for the Indy wheels I'm still working on this process for the GT wheels, as the two styles have slightly different dimensions that have to be accounted for when altering my leather template. I am currently recovering one of my own wheels with thicker padding as a test run, and will be offering this option to my customers once I have it perfected.
My private messages appear to have been acting up over the past few days... I have sent replies to all potential customers. If you haven't gotten a reply, feel free to send me another message or simply post here on my sale thread. Thanks! -Alex
Automatic shift knob done in my light beechwood leather. I have enough of this leather for one more GT wheel and possibly another shift knob (automatic or manual).
Now for the second of my big announcements. After being asked by several member over the last year, I have finally moved forward with sorting out the recovery process for the leather-wrapped four spoke wheels. After quite a bit of trial and error, I've finally got it figured out. As with the GT and Indy wheels, the cost of recovery will be $150 + shipping.
If desired, you can also opt to have the center spokes and hub restored for an additional $20. You can opt to have your wheel center done in either dark grey or black. The wheel pictured below had its spokes and center button refinished in black before being recovered in my black pebble leather.
And now for the moment that many of you have been waiting for. The wheel below was done with double the padding thickness of what I usually use. The end result is a wheel that is thicker than the original Fiero wheel, giving it a more modern and more comfortable feel. As you can see, the thumb notches remain sharply defined despite the extra padding. Also shown is a comparison of a normal GT wheel (left) and a wheel with extra padding (right)
I will be charging $25 for this extra padding option, which will be available for both GT and Indy wheels.
[This message has been edited by Irrationable (edited 04-30-2016).]
You do an awesome job on these. A+++++ for you. How long is the turn around time? I feel myself getting back into Fieros soon and will use your sevice depending on what the wheel looks like on what I get.
Just wanted to post a quick update. I have been hard at work trying to finish restoration on my 88 GT in time for the summer Pontiac show here in NC while simultaneously staying on top of my current customer's orders. I'll be uploading pictures of my new dark beechwood leather within the next few days, as well as a very unique wheel design that should turn some heads. More to come. -Alex
[This message has been edited by Irrationable (edited 05-25-2016).]
Originally posted by Irrationable: And now for the moment that many of you have been waiting for. The wheel below was done with double the padding thickness of what I usually use. The end result is a wheel that is thicker than the original Fiero wheel, giving it a more modern and more comfortable feel.
I will be charging $25 for this extra padding option, which will be available for both GT and Indy wheels.
Ahhh! Got my 2 wheels done too soon! They feel "skinny" compared to stock.
[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 06-07-2016).]
I have been wanting to put up pictures of my interior, now that it's done (minus the door panels). Irrationable's re upholstered steering wheel and shifter knob is still flawless a year later. Again, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND LETTING HIM DO YOUR WHEEL. Quality is a step above perfect!
------------------ "Discord" Red 1988 GT under restoration!
Received my 88 3 Spoke GT and 4 Spoke Steering Wheel and shift knobs. The workmanship and attention are awemsome. Would highly recommend you contact Alex if you need his services.
Due to recent events, I would like to take a moment to speak to my customers, both past and future.
On occasion, I have been known to swap wheel cores in order to decrease turn around time on my customer's wheels. At any given time, I usually keep 2-3 spare wheel cores in my possession to tinker with in my spare time between orders. If I suddenly find myself with multiple orders, or if my class schedule is particularly hectic, I will use my own cores for my customer's order as these are already stripped, padded, and ready to be recovered.
All of the cores that I keep on hand have been sanded, acid etched, and repainted to match OEM standards. I also take the plastic trim from the customer's wheel and transfer it over to the refurbished core. This ensures that the wheel my customer receives is of the same or better quality than the wheel that they initially sent out. I have not, nor will I ever sacrifice the quality of my work to save time or money. I take great pride in my work, and am happy to be able to offer my services to support my fellow Fiero owners.
------------------ "The Twins" '87 GT 3.4 pushrod daily driver '88 GT 3.4 DOHC swap in progress
