We asked Jeff Allen, Flat 12 Gallery owner and the star of CNBC Prime's new reality show "The Car Chasers," for some inside tips on how to increase the value of your car. One of the easiest and simplest things you can do, he said, is to ensure that your steering wheel fits well with your car; and if not, to change it.
"The first thing, and [your] focal point when you get in a car is the steering wheel," Allen said. "And to me, it's got to fit the right car with the right look."
Restoring a steering wheel back to the factory original finishes off a car and makes it looks as cool on the inside as it does on the outside, Allen said.
Allen enlisted the help of his mechanic, Eric Ables, a former technician at an environmental lab whom Allen calls "the best in the business," to show you how quick and simple it is to change a steering wheel. The entire process took Ables only 15 minutes. If it's your first time, it might take you a little longer, but according to Allen, it's more than worth it.
Allen and Ables demonstrate the change in this video, where they transform a 1969 Camaro by replacing its after-market steering wheel with a "period-correct" rosewood wheel. According to Allen, the change increases the value of the car by $1,000.