Morris Minor Owners Club

As I plod on with my restoration, I am refurbishing all the suspension parts front and rear ( or re-placing) as my next intention is to turn the wheel-less shell into a steerable rolling shell.
To this end I have been cleaning up the steering wheel which is in pretty good nick (black banjo-style).I polished the chromed struts and then cleaned the rim with baby wipes ( far too good for babies' bottoms these things.......clean almost anything providing the crud's not oil-based!). Then I gave it a good polish with my favourite plastic/bakelite polish.....Solvol Autosol again a multi-purpose substance)!
The boss ( original black paint) was a bit scratched and showed signs of flaking, so I stripped it with Nitromors, thoroughly cleaned and degreased it, and then masked up the wheel. Two coats of Halford's black gloss and it was looking good, APART from some wee bits that seemed still to be greasy and wouldn't accept the paint. So I let it dry, then using 1000grit W&D I rubbed it down to bare metal. I then degreased again, this time using a petroleum spirit instead of the thinners I used first time. Resprayed, and the same thing happened! [frame][/frame].
Any suggestions? Didn't use a primer, so maybe that's the problem?
Anyway, I was just going to live with it, so I then removed the masking tape. No problem, until the last piece came off, and it seemed to take some of the glossy surface with it! Can't really feel much in the way of roughness or "an edge", but it looks almost as though the thing had been metal and the paint has been removed! Almost a silvery sheen to the damaged bits!![frame][/frame].
When THIS happened, I decided that it was time to seek help! Should I try "sanding" the affected areas up through progressively finer grits and then polishing? Or will I simply make it worse? Any suggestions or advice from someone who has been there would be gratefully accepted. I'm trying to keep the car as original as possible, so I want to keep the wheel if I can.
And, like Deaconbody, as a relative newcomer to this site, I am also amazed and encouraged by the friendliness and helpfulness of many of the members.
Thanks for help, advice and encouragement are already due to GeorgeSmathers,DavidMcCullough,lambrettalad,alexandermclaren,andypointeer,millerman,MarkyB,IaininTenbury,simmitc,bmcecosse,jagnut66 and moray.

A nice lace-on leather wheel-glove will be very 'period' and will hide the damage.......
Anyway - it should be.... Help ma' boab !! etc

Hello Coalmossian,

is the hub aluminium based, if so I suspect an etch primer will be needed first? I don't know about the rim, unless that is also aluminium? Some top coats do not adhere that well to metal, particularly aluminium?

Alec

I think in this case I'd agree with BMC's suggestion of a "period looking" steering wheel cover. As soon as you use the wheel if you have a wedding ring on this could also rub the new paint. Alternatively if you can afford if buy a second hand wheel, either from this site of Fleabay, they crop up regularly and don't cost lot.

Thanks for your suggestions. May still go with the steering wheel glove when the car is back together.
Last night I decided to take the bull by the horns and set to with 600 grit wet and dry paper, then 800, then 1000 and finally 1200, all used dry as I was sitting in the living room watching TV with the good lady opposite me, so I didn't want mucky water sloshing all over the place!
Finished off with a good polish with the old Solvol Autosol, and the nasty marks had disppeared! [frame][/frame]
Yes, I kow the photo is poor. I'll maybe try and take a better one and replace this one!
Happy Bunny! Plastics ( at least hard ones) seem to respond quite well to sanding and polishing.
Some time ago I took the brown bakelite steering wheel boss off the car and saw that a piece had cracked and was close to coming off. I sanded it with fine paper and collected the dust, mixed it with superglue and forced it into the cracks. Hey presto.....an invisible mend! It can't be seen from the outside any more!