Leather Steering Wheel

[montrealzzz]

Hello from Germany,

Please excuse my English, it's a foreign language for me.
Deutsch kann ich definitiv besser! ;-)

Today I would require some advise from you regarding my steering wheel.
I bought my imported 2011 Camaro V6 from a German car dealer and it seems to be the most simple model with a plastic steering wheel. My car has automatic transmission, so it is equipped with the shifter buttons on the backside of the steering wheel.

I would like to replace this plastic wheel with a nicer one which is leather wrapped. Absolutely no chance on German E - B a y , because Camaros are very rare in our country... it's an exotic car. Checked in USA and found lots of manual steering wheels, auto with shifters seem to be rare, nobody was willing to ship to Germany for a fair price.

Question: Would it be possible to buy a manual one, cut the leather from the backside open and fix the shifting knobs from my plastic wheel? Is that an easy fix? Maybe both moldings for auto and manual are same? Did anybody from this forum tried this conversion and did it work out?

Your advise on this project would be highly appreciated.

Vielen lieben Dank, der Thomas aus Deutschland ;-)

[ChibiBlackSheep]

Do you have a local upholstery shop? It would probably be cheaper and easier to just take it to them to cut and wrap the wheel for you.

[DvKillar]

Originally Posted by ChibiBlackSheep

Do you have a local upholstery shop? It would probably be cheaper and easier to just take it to them to cut and wrap the wheel for you.

Do this. Most practical way considering everything involved!

[Junior]

here are tons of universal leather wraps that you sew on yourself. I've only done that once and it looked factory. Though, I opted for the more difficult stitching and it took me a whole day and like 12 beers.

[kmarshall2121]

Originally Posted by Junior

here are tons of universal leather wraps that you sew on yourself. I've only done that once and it looked factory. Though, I opted for the more difficult stitching and it took me a whole day and like 12 beers.

...but be careful, that's only 3 in German beers! haha

[montrealzzz]

Thanks for your advise, buddies.

Beeing a "not typical German guy" I don't drink beer.
You see... instead of an Audi, Mercedes or BMW I opted for a Camaro.

But I will follow your advise and have my steering wheel wrapped by a car upholstery company here in Germany.

Finding the right OEM part in good condition for a fair price, having it packed and sent to Germany plus customs clearance and customs duty... this is defintely an issue.

Many thanks and take care, Thomas Kerkenpaß

[sherob]

Originally Posted by kmarshall2121

...but be careful, that's only 3 in German beers! haha

[redcoats1976]

no.3>12.i still have the beer stein i got while in germany on reforger.dont remember how i got it,just remember waking up and i was using it for a pillow.couldnt find one of my boots either for a couple of minutes.

[montrealzzz]

What is this issue about "Beer" and "Germany"?
Beer was invented in Pilsen, Czech Republic... you know that, do you?

French fries were invented in Belgium... and they do the best one. ;-)
Pizza might be really from Italy... sort of. ;-)

Greets to overseas, Thomas

[redcoats1976]

there was no issue.i came,i drank,it kicked butt...

[montrealzzz]

Sorry, foreign language, postdramatic stress ;-)

In Deutsch bin ich definitiv stressfreier und eher sozialverträglich unterwegs.
Das liegt bestimmt an der anderen Sprache. Trotzdem trinke ich kein Bier.

Greets, Thomas

[kmarshall2121]

Originally Posted by montrealzzz

What is this issue about "Beer" and "Germany"?
Beer was invented in Pilsen, Czech Republic... you know that, do you?

French fries were invented in Belgium... and they do the best one. ;-)
Pizza might be really from Italy... sort of. ;-)

Greets to overseas, Thomas

Post #4 stated it took him 12 beers to install..
OP is from Germany
Not sure why you think someone questioned where beer was invented...?

[montrealzzz]

Sorry, but what is OP?

[christianchevell]

Actually beer was invented in ancient Egypt BTW and I did reforgers in like 1981....LOL And Once went to a swimbad ; a lake with pool to swim and someone stole my white jacket just a cheap local one for summer and left their leather biker jacket with all the metal and fringe damn that was a good trade...LOL And yes it was nude. OP means original poster, and I would search even on craigs list for US locations close to the east cost or even better a parts locator and just have them do the search there are mnay here in the US who could find and gladly ship the wheel too you. Guten Tag.