Someone please explain that to me...'52 Chevy DeLuxe wheel, well worn with age, smells like human throwup (the good kind, after a binge night of drinking) after it "warms up". Is that an aged characteristic of Bakelite (or whatever the hell it's made of)? Don't much care for it...
This reminds me of one drawer in a toolbox at my work. Smelled just like puke, I couldn't ever figure it out. Then someone said it's the plastic handles on the nut drivers (or 'spin tights')curing, the nasty smell was some of the chemicals used in making it finding their way out. Very likely the same with your old steering wheel. Still curing after all these years, it probably won't stop stinking 'til long after we're all dead.
Same thing here..., I've soaked and washed the nut drivers in many different concoctions but the "Barf" smell hasn't left those old nut drivers...!!!!!!
i know what your saying.i bought a steeringwheel a couple weeks ago.when i open the box it stunk.bad!i had to throw the box away ,right then.the steeringwheel has just a slight smell to it now. another thing about that vintage plastic.it will get a fungus.and it will spred to other plastics....weird
The first new car I bought was a black '88 S-10 Blazer, my wife made me sell it after we got so sick drinking that we both got alcohol poisioning and the next day I barfed on the steering wheel (it was still new!). I sold the car and have never been drunk since. Edit: I just realized I was only 21 when this experience happened- my drinking days didn't last long.
I think that there is some truth to this answer because no fungus would survive the chemical baths I gave my nut drivers!!!
ha, i thought i was the only one that noticed nut driver's reeking like that. my grandpa has a set, left em in the rain ONCE and since that day we refer to them as puke wrenches! interesting to see that it is widespread!
A lot of times the plastic had a component in it called casein, which is milk based and indeed it does smell wretched. The boat steering wheel in my '34 smells really horrible too. If you want to smell something truly horrific come to my house and take a sniff of my television set. It's a '59 Philco Predcta tandem with a 21" screen. The plastic covers are made from casein, but ony the 21"ers, the 17s smell just fine. http://www.suzy.co.nz/suzysworld/Factpage.asp?FactSheet=114
After reading this post I had to go out and smell the steering wheel in my 1960 El Camino. However, it did not smell anything... But yours was a 1952 so perhaps in 8 years or so??
This post cracks me up! Yes, its the decomposition causing the smell. I had some plastics at work do the same thing. Makes me gag everytime I have to use them. The only thing I know to do would be to re seal it with some kind of hard epoxy based shit.
I bought a Bates seat for my scooter once that smelled like crap. I got it off a dude that for some reason didn't want to be a biker anymore. I used to wipe all my old '50s cars down with vinegar first thing when I got 'em. That seemed to help. They say amonia works well also. The used car dealers used to use it to give 'em back that new car smell.
Thanks for posting this. Now I can explain to my dad why we call the vintage set of screwdrivers he has, his POOdrivers. (smell like baby shit to me)
Nads,and Suzy are right. It's the casien based plastics. Sour milk barfaroni. If anyone has a mid '70 Camaro,that smells like beer barf,I did barf in the floorpan in a couple of them,after a warm 40oz.'lunch' at the Van Nuys factory. Sparky
The wheel on my '56 Victoria was barfy. I mixed Simple Green and water half-and-half and let the wheel sit in it for a few hours. Was cool for a couple summer months...but the barfiness returned. Mount a Christmas tree freshner on the horn button or learn to live w/ the stench.
Hey RF, I posted the same question a while back: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7339 I haven't got around to trying any of these remedies yet but they do sound like they'll work. Ultimately I think sealing that evil stench with a clear coat could be the solution. Good luck!
This sounds like the infamous grease can found in the heater box of a 73-87 Chevy truck fromt the Flint plant. In the can, a note was found that said "If you are reading this, it is August '77, the king is dead and I haven't been laid in months."
I'm sure we are all aware of the risks that nut drivers take with risky behavior. A chemical bath alone is not enough to prevent the spread of fungus from your nut driver to others. A condom, or even better, abstinence, is your only protection from the smell, as well as the spreading of the fungus.
Linda Blair gave me an idea. Maybe a good priest may be able to excorcise the devil out. On second thought, I kinda doubt it, it's IN the plastic. Get an "Our Lady of Guadalupe" air freshener, it'll be like smashing your finger with a hammer to forget about the sliver in your toe.
You know I had an X-lite tool case on the sub and it smelled so bad that someone finally did puke in it once. Deepsixed it minus the funky tools, but they got bagged and squrreled away. The electricians never found thier kit after that day, sucks to be them.
Sorry, I don't have an answer about your steering wheel, but can anyone tell me why my vintage aircraft bucket seats smell like ass?