steering wheel question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 278
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From: candler nc
steering wheel question
i just pickep up a 77 and i have the "vega" style steering wheel. is this original? i thought the vega wheel was a 76 only steering wheel. am i wrong? also can someone tell me what i need to look for to find out if i have an l 82?
billy
billy
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
From: candler nc
thanks guys. so it was an option and wouldnt be totally incorrect to put a tilt /tele steering column in it. i was a pretty large guy (280) and really liked it in the 81. but i have been losing some weight so it may not be a necessity like it was. i have yet to even get in the 77. the plan is to keep the 77 as original as possible. i may change a couple of small things but nothing that couldnt be fixed back correctly. my 81 was just so gone from original i pretty much i pretty much just kept going that way. im missing the ac compressor under the hood but it looks to be pretty much unmolested. i dont think it was originally a black car but it does carry the color well( very straight ,no waves.) this 77 i do believe will be a good daily driver unlike the 81. i loved the attention th 81 garnered and i will miss her but i see myself axctually driving this car on much more of a regular basis just because its a bit tamer.
thanks for the info guys
billy
thanks for the info guys
billy
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,687
Likes: 3,139
From: Shamong, NJ
As said above, the standard column, came with the "Vega" steering wheel, while the optional tilt/tele column, came with the 3 spoke, leather wrapped wheel. This was also true for 78 and 79.
You can swap a T&T column, into your 77, but you need to make sure that you get another 77 column. 77's are a one year only column, because the wiper switch is part of the turn signal stalk. All other year Corvettes, have the wiper switch, on the dash.
To identify which engine, your 77 originally came with, check the VIN number. The 5th digit will be an "L", if it came with the base L-48, or an "X", if it came with an L-82.
Once you've determined from the VIN, which engine the car came with, you can verify if you still have the original engine from the code stamped on the engine pad. If it is a 77 L-82, the suffix codes will either be a "CLD" (not CDL as posted by John 65) or "CLF". A 77 L-48 will have a suffix code of "CHD", CKD", "CKZ", "CLA", "CLB" OR "CLC"; depending on the trans, and emission system used.
You can swap a T&T column, into your 77, but you need to make sure that you get another 77 column. 77's are a one year only column, because the wiper switch is part of the turn signal stalk. All other year Corvettes, have the wiper switch, on the dash.
To identify which engine, your 77 originally came with, check the VIN number. The 5th digit will be an "L", if it came with the base L-48, or an "X", if it came with an L-82.
Once you've determined from the VIN, which engine the car came with, you can verify if you still have the original engine from the code stamped on the engine pad. If it is a 77 L-82, the suffix codes will either be a "CLD" (not CDL as posted by John 65) or "CLF". A 77 L-48 will have a suffix code of "CHD", CKD", "CKZ", "CLA", "CLB" OR "CLC"; depending on the trans, and emission system used.
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