1976 Eldorado steering wheel

[RonG]

Does anyone know what can be done to fix the plastic wood inlay on the 1976 Eldorado steering wheel?

[Jeff Moffo]

How bad is yours?  Most of the inlay popped off when the outer plastic steering wheel cracked through the years unless you were lucky enough that the car hadn't seen much sun over the past 39 years.  I also have been told it simply came loose due to oils in peoples' hands.  There are some steering wheel repair places (online) and some pretty cool youtube videos of how to repair them if you are handy.  Takes some epoxy, some good paint (Maybe try SEM) and a lot of patience.
That cracked wheel with the missing wood really detracts from the car.

If you aren't too concerned about keeping it original, some people simply pull out the broken inlay and wrap the wheel in some leather.  Just doesn't look like a 1970's Cadillac to me that way.

[TJ Hopland]

The later wheels fit too you just have to swap some parts around from your old one.  79- till airbags will work and often times were leather covered from the factory so you don't have to worry about having the same problem.   

[76eldo]

There are companies and individuals that do this repair with an almost correct faux wood inlay and repaint the wheel and they look beautiful but the cost is usually about $600-$700.

A bit high, but you would only have to do it once.

Brian

[RonG]

Actually the wheel has no cracks in it and the wood is still about 80%. Maybe I'm just being anal.

[mgbeda]

No such thing as anal where old Caddies are concerned.
On mine I also found that once the "wood" started peeling the remaining sharp edges would occasionally cut me as I steered, like a paper cut.

-mB

[TJ Hopland]

On mine I also found that once the "wood" started peeling the remaining sharp edges would occasionally cut me as I steered, like a paper cut.

That is how mine was.   That metal wood is pretty sharp as is the bits of the plastic.   Even the empty groove in the wheel has a pretty sharp edge.    Mine took a big chunk out of my finger one time so I ripped it all out while I was at a stop light.  Shortly after that is when I discovered the empty groove was also sharp. 

[76eldo]

My wheel is not too good and I have been looking for a nice red one for years.

I may get mine restored over the winter.

I bought the car 12 years ago and it had a red wrap on the wheel that is comfortable and looks "ok" but...

Brian

[Bill Young]

I wrapped my wheel with thick masking tape to mask the sharp edges and round out the wheel. Before I did that I used the masking tape around the wheel where the chunks were missing and poured in epoxy. I then ordered a dark red leather wheel wrap online and installed it myself the result is very acceptable for a nice driver. Total cost was about $60.00 for the wrap plus tape and epoxy, I just can't afford to have the wheel restored to original as I am over 60 and cannot find employment that affords such luxuries any more.

[Scot Minesinger]

I did what Brian wrote and paid Gary's in PA to restore my steering wheel.  It was done in 2008, and still looks just as if Gary shipped it to me yesterday.  You can tell it is not original, but it looks very close and perfect.

If you do remove the steering wheel there is plastic white piece often referred to as a rose, because it has a flower pedal look to it.  This is what makes your horn work (and it will work even with multi -crack failures) and it was used in many GM vehicles from 1970 thru 1982, widely available on e-bay.  Let me know if you need the part number, that usually brings it up on e-bay.  Anyway this piece is unlikely to survive the steering wheel removal and it is inexpensive ($30?).  I would have it on hand when replacing the steering wheel, and it slips on easily.  You will see when you take the wheel off, pieces will fall on the carpet. 

If you decide to get the steering wheel restored, buy a steering core wheel from e-bay (or whoever) and send that off to Gary's or whoever to be restored.  That way you can drive your car while the core is being restored.  Then when the restored wheel arrives if it meets your approval it can be installed.  The either retain the original wheel or sell it.

[jagbuxx #12944]

I purchased a "slave" wheel from Ebay-a nice black one so that I could have my wheel sent out for refinishing. The grain is not quite the correct "Tamo wood" grain but does look good...the cost with shipping was $525.00.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

In such a long thread I am surprised that no one suggested obtaining an original leather wrapped Cadillac wheel. They were an option for many years. I really like the feel of the inlaid wheel, and luckily both cars are good. The '79 is "thinking about" coming loose in a few places. What is maddening about the situation is that once it starts, you can't seem to keep your fingers away from the edge coming loose.

[mgbeda]

I'd say the medium-cheap way to proceed is to find a later model Caddy wheel.  I used an '85 Seville wheel in my '76 DeVille for years- it was the right color and only Cadillac experts would know it wasn't original.  I did have to change over parts, like the "collar" on the steering column, from the old wheel to the new one.

The only way to fix it right is steering wheel restoration, but since your rim isn't cracked yet maybe they wouldn't charge you so much to do it.

Incidentally, I while ago I saw a Craigslist ad for a fairly worm 80's Brougham.  The leather-wrapped wheel had part of the leather torn off, but underneath, at least in the photo, it looked like the steering wheel had the older style smooth plastic rim, with the woodgrain and everything.  Is anyone able to confirm this?  If that's the way GM made the leather wrapped wheels that could be a great, cheap source of nice, correct steering wheels for 79-mid 80's Caddies.

-mB