Advice ......steering wheel refurb

mgmidget

Forum User
i've got a 240z steering wheel to replace the standard 260 wheel,are they wood or plastic made to look like wood ?

Has anyone used a company to get it refurbished to as new standard,i don't wish to try as jobs like that never quite end up right if i do them!

The other bit of advice can someone please tell me how i get the original "red" coloured gear knob off it just twists round and i can't see any grub screws holding it to the shaft.
 

samuri-240

Well-Known Forum User
240Z steering wheel is plastic, I never knew that when I restored the one on my first 240, just sanded it down give it a couple of coats of yacht varnish came up a treat. The gear knob the threaded part has probably come away so just pull it off & go from there.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
240Z steering wheel is plastic..........

Not true.

The '240Z' ( actually, Fairlady Z, Fairlady Z-L, Fairlady 240Z, Fairlady 240Z-L, Fairlady 240ZG, Fairlady Z432 & Fairlady Z432-R steering wheel as well as all the different market models that the '240Z' name was stuck onto ) steering wheels were made by a Japanese company called 'Izumi', in the late Sixties utilising a new process that combined REAL WOOD with a resin, which was forced into a mould under extremely high pressure. The design team behind the S30-series Z, and in particular its Chief Designer Mr Yoshihiko Matsuo, pioneered this process with Izumi, only to find that it would become the victim of ever-tightening safety legislation.

They are wood - so careful sanding ( with a fine grit of wet & dry ) then restaining with a Rosewood tint, and a polyurethane varnish without too much gloss should do the trick.
 

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
Not true.

The '240Z' ( actually, Fairlady Z, Fairlady Z-L, Fairlady 240Z, Fairlady 240Z-L, Fairlady 240ZG, Fairlady Z432 & Fairlady Z432-R steering wheel as well as all the different market models that the '240Z' name was stuck onto ) steering wheels were made by a Japanese company called 'Izumi', in the late Sixties utilising a new process that combined REAL WOOD with a resin, which was forced into a mould under extremely high pressure. The design team behind the S30-series Z, and in particular its Chief Designer Mr Yoshihiko Matsuo, pioneered this process with Izumi, only to find that it would become the victim of ever-tightening safety legislation.

They are wood - so careful sanding ( with a fine grit of wet & dry ) then restaining with a Rosewood tint, and a polyurethane varnish without too much gloss should do the trick.

Alan - was the same production process applied to other Datsun (particularly export) models please ?
 

Woody928

Events Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Not true.

The '240Z' ( actually, Fairlady Z, Fairlady Z-L, Fairlady 240Z, Fairlady 240Z-L, Fairlady 240ZG, Fairlady Z432 & Fairlady Z432-R steering wheel as well as all the different market models that the '240Z' name was stuck onto ) steering wheels were made by a Japanese company called 'Izumi', in the late Sixties utilising a new process that combined REAL WOOD with a resin, which was forced into a mould under extremely high pressure. The design team behind the S30-series Z, and in particular its Chief Designer Mr Yoshihiko Matsuo, pioneered this process with Izumi, only to find that it would become the victim of ever-tightening safety legislation.

They are wood - so careful sanding ( with a fine grit of wet & dry ) then restaining with a Rosewood tint, and a polyurethane varnish without too much gloss should do the trick.

I'm never ceased to be amazed by the knowledge your have of this marque :bow:

Really interesting to read thank you.
 

Paul_S

Club Member
I have another question about refurbing the steering wheel - I think I'm right in saying the metal spokes should be black, but what finish should they be? Matt, satin, or gloss? Also, should it be a smooth finish or textured in some way?

I'm tempted to go satin & smooth unless I'm advised differently.

Thanks :)
 
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