So I removed the wheel this weekend and got started. My original plan was to make a pattern of the wheel with masking tape but that was a miserable failure. I decided to go all the way and cut off the original leather. I learned that the wheel has a leather cover, with some adhesive-backed foam underneath, maybe 1/8th inch thick. The inside is a rubber core, and the thumb-rests are glued on pieces of rubber. I took some pictures along the way for anybody that might be curious:
The recesses are for the seams in the original cover
My quick and dirty attempt at the factory stitching, not as hard as it looks
I haven't been able to make the pattern from the leather cover yet (3 month old twins in the house) but it's coming. Driving with a rubber steering wheel until I get this done
I'll be putting on some of that same foam and the new cover directly on top, so thickness shouldn't change.
I started wrapping a few of the steering wheel trim pieces. I tried the matte black first, and noticed that a lot of the imperfections on the surface show through. I scrubbed and cleaned the goopy black stuff off a bit and it helped some, a good sanding would be better. I actually tried using the red vinyl next, and it hides the bumps much better. I kind of like the look of it too, I think I may use it. I'm going to do the outer and bottom pieces in red, and the button surrounds in black. Might do the back pieces in black too, I put snapped them together on the table and it looks pretty good. Here's two of the pieces put up on the rubber core:
