Restoring for a Classic Car - Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ต.ค. 2023
- Tom Johnson of Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration in Gorham, Maine restores the steering wheel of a glorious 1965 Sunbeam Tiger. Tom has been restoring furniture professionally since 1979. Visit our website at www.thomasjohnsonrestoration.com, or write us at thomasjohnsonrestoration@gmail.com. And for those on the west coast looking for custom framing, be sure to check out Tom's daughter's shop, www.emcollier.com (@emcollierframes on Instagram).
📷 Sunbeam Tiger photo credits: Steve Brown, Herranderssvensson, Erwan velu, Motohide Miwa, Vauxford (commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ca...) - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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My father had one of these Sunbeams! He bought it in 1965 I think. He was a young doctor and he drove it back and forth to his office and the hospital, and he also drove it to make house calls at night. He was very dashing! I remember my mother riding in the passenger seat wearing a chiffon scarf over her hair as we rode with the top down. It was a two seater, but there was a small space behind the seats and my sister and I were so small we would stand or sit behind there. (Oh those long ago days before seatbelts or child car seats!) I remember the feel of the finger grooves on that steering wheel! I will share your video with my dad, now 90 years old! Thank you for sharing your wonderful work with us!
I owned a 1967 MK ll (289 ci) for a while during the mid seventies. It was a wild little car.
Thank you Mindy! That is wonderful! I hope he likes it
Wow! I wish I had one now!
Loved your story. My Uncle had an antique car with a rumble seat in the trunk my bother and I got to ride in it.
Well Tom, you may have opened a whole new world. Car buffs that are good with metals will be knocking on your door to handle the wood found in classic cars. Great job!
When the driver drives the restored car I hope he/she can feel the love you have put into that steering wheel. What a superb job you have done on it.
Thanks! That's so nice - I think they will!
And I hope we get to see it in the car!
And that they wear gloves to keep hand oil and grime off it!
Just beautiful! Every time I see one of your videos come up I instantly click on it. The craftsmanship, patience and attention to detail is wonderful to watch. Such a rare thing these days. Thank you so much because I know these videos take so much time to make and just for our benefit.
Much appreciation from England.
As a UK watcher myself I have to agree 100% with you Sir.
Ditto, from the Big Island of Hawaii ....
Gleichfalls aus Deutschland!
But 🇨🇦 🐻❄️ in 🇩🇪
Und auch aus Magdeburg, ich bin immer wieder fasziniert 👏👌👍
Thank you so much 😀 I appreciate that you watch them!
The factory called and they want that steering wheel for their showroom.
I had never anticipated seeing a steering wheel restored but this one was fun. The owner will be thrilled.
Thanks! I hope they don’t lose points for over-restoration
What a miraculous transformation. I don't know what you charge per hour but with 30 hours in the job I would imagine it will cost the client about the same as the original car did back all those years ago. I hope they appreciate the work you did as much as I did. Just beautiful!
I would hope at least $1,000
Brilliant job! You can’t buy one of these for love or money.
Indeed. I keep asking myself what the rate is. But whatever it is, it’s easy to see why a full auto restoration, done at the level of this steering wheel re-do, is so time and budget intensive. Beautiful work.
Thanks! You could be right! I hadn't thought of that
Keep going!
Max from Get Smart drove a nice red Sunbeam Tiger in the intro sequence to the show.
Thanks! I’ll have to check that out!
I had the privilege of seeing the actual finished job in person! Great job! Thank you for the time spent with me on Friday.
You're welcome Gene! I hope the rest of your trip went well!
What a gorgeous bragging point for the car owner, "restored by the renowned artisan Thomas Johnson." 👍👍👍
Thanks! I hope so!
This brings back memories. I used to test drive for Roots here in the UK in the 1960’s. I have driven many Alpines and Tigers.
Lucky man
very cool
Wow! That’s amazing! Please email me thomasjohnsonrestoration@gmail.com
He is!
Extremely cool!
What a beautiful finish on that wheel Tom. Your dogged determination to get the best possible finish has certainly paid off. Long past the point where most of us would have said " Aye, that'll do" you are still re-sanding with an ever finer grit and applying another coat of varnish. A true professional.
YES!!!
Thanks! I really wanted it to be “factory”
Thanks Janet!
@@johnsonrestorationWe know that's better than factory!🎃🍂🍄🐈⬛🍁🌙
@@johnsonrestoration I doubt it is now factory.
You never cease to amaze me Tom. No matter what they throw at you, seems you always have an answer to the highest of standards.
Thank you, that's very nice!
Now, that's a Pebble Beach steering wheel -- beautiful work!
Thank you! I hope so!
What I love here is that this piece was treated every bit as reverently as any other antique - no shortcuts and precise attention to detail.
Thanks! Yes, that is true...
Wow that’s impressive transformation. 30 hours on such a small and seemingly straightforward object is testament to your skills, the results speak for themselves
Thank you, that's nice!
I drove to college in a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine from 1974 to 1976. I cannot remember the steering wheel. Watching Tom for 43 minutes gave me some implanted steering wheel memories.
That's great! I wonder what those steering wheels were like originally
Hard to believe it is the same steering wheel. Looks like new. Perfection!
Thanks!
Great job - adds a lot of value to this relatively rare car. Here in Switzerland you would pay for a 30h job around 3'000.- $ 😅
Thanks! Yes, same here
Oh my gosh Tom what a beautiful transformation. That must have been exhausting and the level of detail you go to in getting the surface absolutely perfect is astonishing. I know the owner will be so delighted, hope s/he sends a picture of the restored car resplendent with its beautiful steering wheel, im sure i cant be the only one who'd love to see it!
Another one of a kind restoration Tom, you did it again.👍👏
Thank you! So nice! We'll get photos
You didn't say, "It looks pretty good"! My husband thinks you're disappointed in your work. :) Lovely, lovely work as always.
Thanks so much! 😊 I can't believe I forgot to say it!
I enjoy all of your projects, but this one was an interesting and fascinating departure from the usual.
Yes, it was nice! Thanks!
I did a steering wheel for a 1928 Chevy and the rim was just wood, short 6 or 8 inch pieces all finger jointed together, no metal in the rim.
Good job as usual Tom.
Thanks! Wow, 1928! I would like to see that car
Beautiful transformation as usual. A lot of hours for such a small item. Thank you Tomas
Thank you!
Tom after completing a job like this , I myself would go outside and look up at the sky and say, Lord thank you , this one is done.
Exactly what I did. Right before I poured some Laphroaig
I invisioned you under the hood and thought Tom is expanding his restoration. LOL The subtlety of what you did was great as usual.
Thanks! I'd like to be in the driver's seat!
HI Tom. That sure brings back memories I had a Tiger. I got mine in 1965 and it ended sitting up for a year while I was sent to Nam. I do remember my wheel was wood with the black inlay. Just like it was when your finished the wheel
I thought you might be interested in that. Great work
Thanks David! Yes, I'm very glad to hear that. I was wondering the whole time - what would it have looked like originally
Remarkable transformation. That wheel was in the right hands for that job. 😊
Good one! Thanks!
1960s Sunbeams were very cool cars, similar to the British Lotus. Cool restoration, as usual.
Thanks!
Beautiful work. I think the car is just an accessory to display the lovely steering wheel.
Thanks! me too!
Next week: I tackle the gearbox.
😂😂
Or the V8 engine!😀
Oh it could be the chassis of a Morgan sports car. They were, and still are, made of wood, Ash if memory serves me correctly. 😀🇬🇧
😂 is it a squeak from the teak or smoke from the oak 😂
😂😅
Just an outstanding and interesting topic. MANY lessons to be learned here. Many thanks for spreading the deep knowledge of finishing techniques into the Auto world. It will be remembered.
Surprising outcome. Most of us in the Auto world would have disposed of that wheel. There was nothing in my experience that could have been done even to save it, let alone have it turn out even better than I am sure it was as new. Great job !!! Be sure to get MANY photos with good cameras and from MANY angles. There will be MANY people looking to learn from this.
YES!!
Thank you! I just assumed anyone would just refinish it. I appreciate that
Thanks!
@@johnsonrestoration In the automotive world, especially in the post WW2 era, disposal and use of replicas rule. SAVING the actual heritage is not as big a concern there. Your primary goal of preserving and keeping things original is a NEW thought process in much of the Auto world, and MUCH appreciated.
Stunning #classiccar #restoration. Job well done. 👏🏽
Thank you!
Tom, I like cars just as much as furniture. What a fun video!
Me too! Thanks!
Wow, what a difference! Looks amazing mate!
It does! Thanks!
That was a wheel transformation. Just beautiful 😍😍
Thank you! 🤗
That looks simply gorgeous Tom. Now the owner of the Sunbeam can speed in high style!
Oh yeah! Thanks!
Reminded me on how i restored my grandfather's 1964 Nardi steering wheel that was gifted to him by Nardi himself when he visited the factory. When he gave the steering wheel to me it was in rougher shape than that. The wood had split from the joint which was caused by the oxidation of the aluminum rim it took me weeks to get the powdered aluminum off between the wood and months to finish it. But in the end i finished looking good as new. Unfortunately my grandfather passed away before i could show it to him.
Oh that's to bad! Sounds like you did a great job
Looks brand new!!! You really know your business!!!
Thank you!
Wonderful job! Looks great! Would love to see it back in the car.
You and me both! Thanks!
Thomas; I can't remember if I mentioned this before?
When I have a deep crack that goes right through a piece, I sometimes use a vacuum cleaner, with variable speed, to pull glue right through the crack...I used this on a table a while back, but getting enough clamping force was another "challenge"!
4 hours of scraping, plus the time to get the scraper curvature, man, that's dedication to your Craft!
Back to the video
Thanks! I'll have to try that sometime...
That looks stunning and will feel lovely in the hands of the driver. So enjoyable to watch the painstaking attention to detail.
Thank you!
Steering wheel , quite a departure. Stunning results as always 👏👏👍
YES!! STUNNING!!
Yes! Fun for a change! Thanks
Thanks!
The care you take on items is amazing.
Thank you! Must have been the way we were brought up!
Of all the projects I imagined you would work on, not one thought was that it would be a car steering wheel. Once more, a meticulous restoration that looks fantastic. This was extremely interesting.
Thank you!
You surely are a man of many talents. 👏😁🇦🇺
Thanks!
I'm not a car guy, but I found this fascinating. Whatever you charged the client, it was a bargain. Thank you for always showing the products you use. :o)
You;re welcome!
Well done Thomas! Fascinating look at the way such cars are made. I think the wheel you return to them will make the transformation of the car even more brilliant;)
I notice you've gotten some new kicks. As you may remember I spent many years as a nurse, and it used to be they wouldn't let us use anything less than full leather uppers on shoes (because of liquids dropping and seeping through the shoes.) Then in the 60's clogs became popular, but were frowned upon because of the holes. These new shoes being put out today are far better for walking cement floors and they are thick enough on top to protect the feet. I love them, and as a great Auntie I have a selection of cool Sketchers, Adidas and others in tasty colors (my greats especially love the hot pink ones!;)
Thanks! Yes, these new Sketcher "step-ins" are great! It's funny you noticed
WOW! They sure took it to the right place! The wheel looks GREAT!
Thank you!
No sir! You can't get away that easily. It's another artwork. From the master. It looks SPECTACULAR!!
Thank you!
Very interesting change up from your usual subjects Tom. Just a beautiful result!
Many thanks!
Love your work sir. Bravo!
Many thanks!
Talk about painstaking Tom....Its hard to believe the makers of this wheel put as much into it as you have ? Really a very beautiful thing for a half decent car as well. I well remember forty years ago as a student lodging in East London there was a Tiger living further down the road. The noise of it was one of the best things about living there.
Oh yes! You can't beat that sound...
Beautiful job, let's hope the rest of the car lives up to it.
Thanks! I'm sure it will!
as always, nothing but admiration. always surprised by the relatively low grits used in sanding, not going up to say 600 and higher. Is there a reason for that? And then you said why, so ignore my question...
Thanks! A good question, but yes, they want the finish to be able to penetrate the wood!
It's a joy to see a new project from you Tom, and this one so unusual. Beautiful work as always.
Thank you!
If it's wood, you can restore it. One of my favorite youtube channels.
When most people would say that's good enough you go a step further. That's why I like watching your videos.
Thanks Jerry! I appreciate it
Wow, what a transformation! I am so pleased you were commissioned to restore the Tiger steering wheel. Something a little different for you Thomas but most enjoyable, I guess the piece is automobile furniture? So, so good!
Thanks! More like a wooden sculpture when you think about it
Are there no end to your talents ? Another great restoration project of a most unusual item. Very educational as always. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Great job Tom. That looks so nice.
Thank you!
Holy cow! So great to see you going all in on a personal project, applying your own standards instead of those imposed by a client. I bet that wheel feels amazing to the touch.
Thanks! It really does!
MAGNIFICENT JOB, TOM. TRULY BEAUTIFUL OUTCOME. ALWAYS WANTED A SUNBEAM TIGER, IN FACT I HAVE ONE IN MY FANTASY GARAGE!!!. THAT WHEEL WILL FEEL AMAZING IN THE DRIVER'S HANDS EVERY TIME HE OR SHE TAKES IT OUT.
Thanks! It would be great to have any sports car!
Beautiful work!! I really love your work ethic and your attention to detail. You might be the best restorer of wood on this planet. I love your work. Thank you for bringing your videos for us to enjoy.
You're very welcome!
The alloy is closer to stainless steel but is much harder to bend. The inlay is very hard to match as it is a soybean based material. The inlay hides the rivets that are prominent on other stock woody wheels. As funny as this may sound a closer match to original finish would have been two coats of west system epoxy, followed by two coats of polyurethane gloss clear. Seen a nos once they were very glossy new. The shafts not so much on the nos as they rusted.
Thanks! Good information! You obviously know a lot about this! Please email me, I want to know more: thomasjohnsonrestoration@gmail.com
Hi Tom, this is a unique project. Of course it turned out great. When I was a kid, I thought sunbeam cars were electric because of the sunbeam appliances at the time. Thank you for sharing Tom, and take care.
Thanks! Yes, I remember wondering the same thing
Thomas: this was a winner! I love old cars and restoration. I remember these cars as a young girl. Very sporty! Great job. After you were finished with it, I wanted to hang it on the wall as a design element. Haha Carol from California
Thanks Carol! It would look great on the wall! I hadn't thought of that
Od 45 lat jestem mechanikiem samochodowym. Taka kierownica to dzieło sztuki. Piękna i dobra robota mistrza Thomasa. Pozdrawiam.
Translated from Polish: "I have been a car mechanic for 45 years. This steering wheel is a work of art. Beautiful and good work by Master Thomas. Regards."
Dziękuję! Doceniam to, że pochodzi od kolegi-handlowca
Do you know Polish? I'm impressed! Thanks
@@johnsonrestoration No need to be. I barely know English, LOL. Google did a decent job there... Just thought I'd make it easier for you and other viewers to read their comment. :-)
Wonderful video. I was unfamiliar as to Waterlox marine varnishes. I own a 1963 Century mahogany inboard and all the refinishers I have worked with insist on either Epiphanes or Captains varnish for the decks, sides and transom. Is the waterlox less soft than these tradtional finishes? Kind Regards. Craig
Thanks! Epifane has a reputation as the best. I am really liking the Waterlox. None of these will work well unless you let them dry between coats and do a full finish. Epifane uses a catalyst which no doubt helps the drying time tremendously
Fantastic restoration, I bet the steering wheel looks better now than when it came out of the factory
Thanks! I wish I knew! I bet it was pretty good
Thanks for the video Tom. I'd never thought about you refinishing a wood steering wheel. You can refinish them as well as furniture. It really looks good. Like new. Take care and God bless.
You're welcome Ron! Well, as long as its made of wood...
have you ever restored the wooden doors of any old car?
Thanks! Yes, I refinished a 32 Model A Woody
You can get a lot of work from these - guys love spending on their cars.
Thanks! I know! I’ll keep my fingers crossed
Now that's what I call a super perfect restoration.
I've watched some of your super good videos over the last few days.
I've never seen anything like it.
You always do everything so perfectly and precisely.
You take a lot of time for each object.
That's worth admiring.
Many people can take a leaf out of your book.
There are so many people on TH-cam who claim and brag about how great they've renovated something. But in the end, they've broken more than it was before.
It's a lot of fun to watch you with your Hoppy.
Thank you for all your super good videos.
You're welcome! That is very nice!
Tom, you're a natural teacher. Thanks for slowing down and showing us the details of your process. Brilliant!
Thank you!
Awesome job!! I wanted to tell you that I just won high bidder at an auction in PA and took home a period William and Mary gate leg table. Everything original! Even the butterfly wrought iron hinges and pendant drawer pull. The finish is also original but needed some cleaning and polishing. With what I've learned from you, I have brought the finish back to life using wax applied with fine steel wool. It looks fantastic! The Krud Cutter you recommend worked great on the initial cleaning. Just wanted to share my excitement with you.
Have a great weekend!
Stephen
Stephen that is great! Email some photos: thomasjohnsonrestoration@gmail.com
It’s stunning! Looks like solid wood with almost a French polish quality!
Thanks! Yes, it does with that high sheen
Wow. You made that wood look like hard candy. Good enough to eat! Fantastic sheen and color.
I like that! Thanks!
Just beautiful. Bravo, maestro!
Thank you very much!
That's wonderful. Everything is well explained throughout the work. The end result: very good. Thanks.
You're welcome!
You are a miracle worker :) With proper care, this steering wheel should last for at least another 60 years.
I hope so! Thanks!
Hi Thom, you just did two things; you made a stearingweel look perfectly new again, and you had me 42 minutes and 54 seconds pinned to the screen watching a car part and I don't have anything with cars. Very nice job done!
Thanks! that's great!
Beautiful….I bet that is better than when the car was made!
I wonder! Thanks
Wow! What a transformation! Hard to believe that beautiful wood was hiding under that thick finish. I hope the rest of the car looks that nice 😁
Me too! Thanks!
WOW! I already knew how amazing you are with woodwork and restoration, but then you go and do something like this. MIND. BLOWN! Outstanding work, Tom! The client must have been thrilled to see this INCREDIBLE transformation!
You said it all. MIND BLOWN too.
Thanks Wallace! It's fun to do something unusual
Thanks!
I'm not particularly into classic cars or woodworking so I never thought I would say, That is a beautiful steering wheel! LOL. I enjoy watching watching all the neat furniture restorations using "old school" techniques. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome! That's great!
Oh, my goodness - 30 hours! You can tell because it's incredibly beautiful. I would love to have seen the faces of the clients when they saw it finished. Fantastic, as always, Tom.
Thanks Cat! me too!
Tom, being in the classic car hobby, I have attended a lot of concourse car shows. I have seen a lot of classics with wood rimmed steering wheels. And a lot of Tigers. Your work is by far the best that I have seen. Your attention to detail, repair, color matching of the wood and your knowledge of wood elevates you to another level. 30 hours just illustrates what it takes to do a precision restoration. Not inexpensive but priceless to the owner of that Tiger ! Now, you may have a flood of inquiries for steering wheel restoration ! ! I am a novice woodworker (stated late in life) and in my new location, I will be dedicating an area to my new woodshop. I will be scrutinizing your videos for tips and proceedures for restoring some family furniture that needs restoration and attention. Your videos are excellent for teaching and I really enjoy watching you bring dillapidated "relics" back to life.
Incidentally, my occupation is.................Tree Service. At the opposite end of the country (So Cal) we don't have the beautiful hardwoods that are abundant in your neck of the woods. Any hardwood (other than eucalyptus) has to be purchased from the supply houses at a higher cost. Certain varieties of Eucalyptus are beautiful, but unless they are carefully dried, they have a lot of movement. Otherwise we would see a lot more furniture made of eucalyptus.
Thanks! I really appreciate it! And good luck with your furniture restorations! I think you'll find it a lot easier than automobiles!
As usual, a fantastic job by the master. So much nicer than the black paint.
Thanks! Definitely
The epitome of dedication and patience.
YES! PATIENCE!
Thank you!
You are the best!
Never would have guessed what a beautiful wheel was under all that crud! Fantastic work!!
Thank you very much!
Well done. In my opinion you did that wheel proud. The owner will be very happy with the result. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂
You're welcome! I appreciate it
That has to look better than the original. Nice job.
Thanks!
Just beautiful Tom.
Thanks!
The definition of a master craftsman. A craftsman’s craftsman.
Thank you! That's nice
Your welcome.
Makes miss my '65 Buick Special convertible. Excellent video.
Oh man! We all want the cars we used to have!
Hi Tom, well what an interesting and beautiful restoration, I owned one of these cars back in early '80s, and what a car it was! I hand stripped it back to the bare metal, and that was a task! Thank you for a great video, hope you and yours are all well, take care and see you on the next one, keep 'em coming
Thanks! Sounds like it must have been great!
A great piece of work. Always a pleasure to watch a true tradesman at work. Cheers from down under.
Thank you!
30 hours and so much expertise and patience. Beautiful!
Thank you!
Stunning!!! what a difference. Who knew a steering wheel could be so beautiful. I had not been aware cars had wood steering wheels. You gave it the love and attention you do all your projects.
Thanks! Yeah, I guess all cars had wooden steering wheels at first, I wonder when they started making them out of plastic?
That looks really good, Thomas.
Thanks 👍
Well done, Thomas. One of the glories of European sports cars of the period were those elegant, rich, gleaming wooden steering wheels. If you had a more mundane sports car and added a nice Nardi wheel to it, that was supposed to be good for a 5 mph boost at the top end! The Sunbeam Tiger was heralded as a poor man's Cobra due to the Shelby connection. I never drove one but always thought they were cool.
Thanks! I agree! The steering wheel is what you notice immediately
What a difference! The wood is beautiful! Great work!
Thank you!