1976 steering wheel question..
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,734
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From: Way too effing close to the city.......NRA Life Member!
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
1976 steering wheel question..
Does or did anyone make a nice looking replacement 1976 steering wheel that would be a direct bolt-on? The Vega steering wheel is OK but I'd rather find one that was a bit more sporty like the 60's Corvettes! Having owned 3 Vega GT's back in the day, this steering wheel doesn't do much for me.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,734
Likes: 299
From: Way too effing close to the city.......NRA Life Member!
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Camaro wheel or Vega wheel......whatever......It doesn't look like a Corvette wheel should IMO and it freaking doesn't mount like other GM wheels so you can't switch it out with ease as I understand it!
Last edited by OLE442; Mar 7, 2021 at 07:04 AM.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 336
Likes: 81
From: Southeastern MASS
From what I understand the 76 (I have one, too) is a one year only wheel. I know I've looked into changing mine and all the suppliers list an expensive adapter kit to put a different wheel on a 76.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 278
From: Olmsted Falls, Ohio
I've always been partial to Grant Steering Wheels and had them in quite a few of my old cars.
Maybe they can help you if you really need an adapter or not.
Might be worth a call.
Maybe they can help you if you really need an adapter or not.
Might be worth a call.
Last edited by KenSny; Mar 3, 2021 at 01:53 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 750
Likes: 180
From: Springfield Missouri
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Corvet...EAAOSwa6JfzmJw
If you want to use a stock style wheel this is the kit you will need. It's what I did to my 76 though I don't remember who the vendor was.
If you want to use a stock style wheel this is the kit you will need. It's what I did to my 76 though I don't remember who the vendor was.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 451
Likes: 520
From: Chicago Burbs
Hello OLE442
Yes the kit to convert the 1976 column to accept a 1977-82 tilt/tele steering wheel is not cheap, as nftday points out in his post. At least there is a kit available. The main problem with your column accepting any other wheel, GM or not, is the unique hub..
I did not have a kit back in the '80s when I converted a '76 tilt column to accept a later steering wheel. The '76 tilt columns where cheap back then because they had to be converted and you had to hunt through the GM parts catalog to collect all of the pieces and parts.necessary.
OLE442 you did not mention if your column is a straight column or a tilt/tele column. The kit shown by nftday is for a tilt/tele column only.
A couple of other fun facts:
Yes the kit to convert the 1976 column to accept a 1977-82 tilt/tele steering wheel is not cheap, as nftday points out in his post. At least there is a kit available. The main problem with your column accepting any other wheel, GM or not, is the unique hub..
I did not have a kit back in the '80s when I converted a '76 tilt column to accept a later steering wheel. The '76 tilt columns where cheap back then because they had to be converted and you had to hunt through the GM parts catalog to collect all of the pieces and parts.necessary.
OLE442 you did not mention if your column is a straight column or a tilt/tele column. The kit shown by nftday is for a tilt/tele column only.
A couple of other fun facts:
- The wheel in your '76 continued use in 1977-79 Corvettes with the standard straight column. The steering wheel used in 1977-79 Corvettes with N37 Tilt an Telescoping column was the 3-spoke leather wrapped wheel.
- Usage of the wheel was discontinued in for Model Year (MY) 1980 when tilt/tele became standard equipment in the Corvette.
- The wheel in your '76 had other GM uses in Camaros and Vegas. as previously mentioned. My 1974 Laguna S3 had the same wheel. There were other uses as well.
-
1976 tilt/tele column converted to accept a 1977 steering wheel for my 1973. Horn button and tele lock lever are from a 1977 as well.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2016
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From: Way too effing close to the city.......NRA Life Member!
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
It is a tilt/tele column. Even with the tilt/tele wheel it's still a bit tight in there for me so if you put an adapter in it, wouldn't that bring the wheel even closer to me??
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Racer
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 451
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From: Chicago Burbs
OLE442 the kit mentioned by nftday is not an adapter. It is a kit with a replacement hub, shroud, tele-lock lever, horn contact, spacers, shroud, and horn button. The column will then accept a GM Corvette wheel (any 69-75 or any 77-82 N37). When installed, the wheel will be no closer to you than any 1969-1975 wheel with an N37 tilt/tele column.
Last edited by '73and'75; Mar 8, 2021 at 09:30 AM.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 451
Likes: 520
From: Chicago Burbs
OLE442 --1977 and later tilt/tele- columns are 2" shorter than earlier columns. Consider one of those columns if your stearing wheel is too close.
Some of our experts on this forum can tell you better than I if the wiring harmonica on the later tilt/tele- columns is compatible with your '76.
Good luck!
Some of our experts on this forum can tell you better than I if the wiring harmonica on the later tilt/tele- columns is compatible with your '76.
Good luck!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,734
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From: Way too effing close to the city.......NRA Life Member!
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
OLE442 the kit mentioned by nftday is not an adapter. It is a kit with a replacement hub, shroud, tele-lock lever, horn contact, spacers, shroud, and horn button. The column will then accept a GM Corvette wheel (any 69-75 or any 77-82 N37). When installed, the wheel will be no closer to you than any 1969-1975 wheel with an N37 tilt/tele column.
I started back at the gym today and will get rid of the 15 to 20 extra pounds I've added sine the holidays/Covid stuff came up and after then it won't be quite so tight a fit. Grandpa is a bit bigger than back in the day when these cars first came out! LOL!
I have a 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 without tilt wheel and bucket seats........the steering wheel is closer to the seat and my thighs just barely fit between so I'm going to look into brackets that Year One sells to move the seat back a couple inches. Adaptation is the key....LOL!
Thanks for the great info,
OLE442
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 41
From: Chehalis, WA
One of the first things I did to my 76 was ditch the steering wheel. If memory serves me, I ordered it from Summit. I got the mahogany, three spoke chrome wheel, and it looks damn nice. The wheel was around $100. and the adapter kit for the 76 was more than the wheel. My column is tilt but not tele. I had a Corvette shop make the swap, as I would have turned that little job into an absolute cluster f***. The job also fixed the horn that would honk every time I made a turn.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
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From: Fernandina Beach FL
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
2020 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
thinking outside the box....
If its the same as a Camaro-/Vega/Nova look at something like this- a lot less expensive w/o the Corvette Tax-
Adapter $25
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Grant...ions,5348.html
Steering wheels- a lot to chose from- just change the horn button- some food for thought-
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Grant...5-In,7595.html
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Grant...ke,240058.html
Or something like this-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-1977-C...0AAOSwPDda9vq1
If its the same as a Camaro-/Vega/Nova look at something like this- a lot less expensive w/o the Corvette Tax-
Adapter $25
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Grant...ions,5348.html
Steering wheels- a lot to chose from- just change the horn button- some food for thought-
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Grant...5-In,7595.html
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Grant...ke,240058.html
Or something like this-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-1977-C...0AAOSwPDda9vq1
