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Thread: How To Re-Do Your e36 3 Spoke Steering Wheel Leather

  1. #101
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    Quote Originally Posted by rustysrustyduc View Post
    So I bought the pig suede.

    We'll see how long it lasts.

    Now all I have to do is find some light blue polyester thread in #69. Anyone else have any luck?

    - - - Updated - - -

    OH, and which Scarlet red did you guys buy? There are TWO. Scarlet (A&E 37594) and Scarlet (Eddington 2003)
    So how did this turn out? Pictures? Did you find the thread?

  2. #102
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    Bump... because I found this today while searching how to do this, and it is great information.

  3. #103
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    Aug 2016
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    New Orleans, LA USA
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    95 e34 525i, 03 e53 X5 3
    Thank you! this is great.
    Do you have any tips or suggestions when it is time to hand-sew onto the wheel?
    Should I place evenly spaced black dots with a sharpie to keep all the spacing even? ... or I suppose the pre-sewn flat leather will already have the thread sewn ... just thread/sew into the existing holes.
    Should you sew a 4 to 6 point temporary, to hold in place?
    Where do you recommend starting? (top, bottom, sides?)
    Any tips on sewing a portion, then sewing the three spokes or when do you tackle the spokes?
    Do you recommend soaking the completed leather pattern for a few hours before sewing to the wheel, so it will dry tighter to the wheel?
    Do you recommend sewing twice in opposite directions to end up with an X pattern?
    THANKS!

  4. #104
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    Aug 2014
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    1999 BMW M3
    So, through GAHH you have to buy a minimum of a half hide at a time - 25 SQ FT, has anyone made their own shift boots or E Brake boots? If I'm gonna spend the money on the leather, may as well use it instead of forking over $300 for the 2 from BMW. Curious as to what the best way is to remove the leather from the old ring, and then to adhere the new leather to the ring again? Thanks

  5. #105
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    I used an fine blade X-Acto to take the boot off the frame. I was doing a different project though, so I never had to glue a new one on as I ditched the frame altogether. Anything wrong with your current boot? Color? Maybe you should just keep it intact and swap for my naked frame.

    20210430_123757_resized.jpg
    Nathan in Denver

    1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
    1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42

  6. #106
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pianomanlja View Post
    So, through GAHH you have to buy a minimum of a half hide at a time - 25 SQ FT, has anyone made their own shift boots or E Brake boots? If I'm gonna spend the money on the leather, may as well use it instead of forking over $300 for the 2 from BMW. Curious as to what the best way is to remove the leather from the old ring, and then to adhere the new leather to the ring again? Thanks
    I made my own shifter and e-brake boots. My wife did the actual sewing as she has more experience with a sewing machine but not tons. It's actually not that difficult. I made a pattern using the original boots as a template. I used rubber cement (aka contact cement, not the water based stuff) to adhere it to the frame. I used some high quality faux snake skin but the principals are the same. I also found some good YouTube tutorials. If I recall, they were by a Mexican guy, 'very skilled.

    Interior August 2021 1080 X 720.jpg

    It sounds like you are going to have more than enough for the wheel and boots. Why not make matching side door panels as well. I'm hoping to do that with the last of my "snake skin" this winter.
    Here it is propped up to get an idea of what it will look like.

    Snake skin 2 - August 2021 1080 X 720.jpg
    Last edited by Hoyt Clagwell; 10-11-2021 at 04:51 PM.

  7. #107
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    Quote Originally Posted by s8ilver View Post
    I used an fine blade X-Acto to take the boot off the frame. I was doing a different project though, so I never had to glue a new one on as I ditched the frame altogether. Anything wrong with your current boot? Color? Maybe you should just keep it intact and swap for my naked frame.

    20210430_123757_resized.jpg
    Nothing is wrong with it except that it's survived 225,000 miles and 20+ years in the Arizona desert lol
    It's just old, the color isn't what it used to be, its dry and in okay condition. It's plenty good enough for a driver's car, but I'm going through the car and doing what I guess would qualify as a minor restoration? I mean its in absolutely fantastic mechanical shape for its age, no expense spared mechanically during any of its owners. It's becoming the weekend car, getting dry ice cleaned, and reupholstered soon, a friend of mine will be doing all the paint corrections.

    For that reason, combined with the fact that I know I'm going to have extra material, I just figured why not? The entire center console is out of the car for an extensive deep clean, so what's an extra couple hours at this point? I spent 6 yesterday just on cleaning the center portion and I'm not done yet lmao and this will give me something to do so progress can be made on the car even when I'm out of daylight.

    I just wanna keep it OEM/Original, and I'll have the leftover material anyway since I'll have 25 square feet of the stuff, so I'll probably just reuse the frame I have. Thank you for the offer though.
    Last edited by Pianomanlja; 10-11-2021 at 05:16 PM.

  8. #108
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    My frame is OEM (the plastic bit, not pictured). I was just offering an OEM frame to save a Z3 boot from getting chopped up. You'll probably need it as a template though.

    Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
    Nathan in Denver

    1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
    1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42

  9. #109
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    1999 BMW M3
    Oh, my bad, I thought you meant one like in the picture. I'll buy it off you though if it'll fit? I'm sure it'll come in handy to have an extra. I know we're in the Z3 forum but mine is an M3. I haven't been in the driver's seat of a Z3, and I would imagine it would fit, but I pulled up the new one online and under fitment it does not include the Z3. Do you know if they are interchangable?

  10. #110
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    Ah, I see. Z3 boot only appears to fit Z3. The Z3 boot frame doesn't even fit the M Roadster/Coupe, so doubt it fits an M3.

    Z3:
    https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=25_0265

    M Roadster/Coupe:
    https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=25_0265

    M3:
    https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=25_0578
    Nathan in Denver

    1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
    1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42

  11. #111
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    You could probably sell some of the leather if you have a lot left over.

  12. #112
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pianomanlja View Post
    So, through GAHH you have to buy a minimum of a half hide at a time - 25 SQ FT, has anyone made their own shift boots or E Brake boots? If I'm gonna spend the money on the leather, may as well use it instead of forking over $300 for the 2 from BMW. Curious as to what the best way is to remove the leather from the old ring, and then to adhere the new leather to the ring again? Thanks
    As others have said, an exacto knife, and contact cement. I used Weldwood HHR for my projects of this time. Best there is IMO.

  13. #113
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    Sounds manageable. Thank you guys, I've never done any fabrication or that kind of restoration before, and I have no sewing or leatherworking experience so I'm sure they're noob questions but the advice is very helpful. I'll post pics of them when I get them done? Wish me luck lmao

  14. #114
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    This guy has a bunch of great videos on making shift boots.


  15. #115
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    I can't get the video to play, it keeps saying an error occurred. Do you know what the video title is or the channel that posted it? I can look it up manually

  16. #116
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pianomanlja View Post
    I can't get the video to play, it keeps saying an error occurred. Do you know what the video title is or the channel that posted it? I can look it up manually

    How to Make a Shift Boot in Leather (Part One)-Car upholstery

    And there is a ‘Part Two’


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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