Can a Vega steering wheel on a 77 with a non tilt column be replaced with the the leather wrapped wheel that comes with a tilt tele column. Are major mods required to make this switch?

Thanks

 

You need the wheel, a hub, and a few other parts. Do anb advanced search, I believe Jim Shea has answered this in the last 6 mo or so.

 

I saw some of Jim Shea's write up but I thought he was talking about a 76 and it was unique. I didn't see anything specific about the leather wheel on a 77. Is it the same as a year earlier than 77?

 

I think his paper assumed that a tilt tele column was used. I want to use my standard column. Does anyone know what needs to be added to a standard column to accept a leather wrapped wheel on a 77?

 

The 1976 standard (non-adjustable) steering column is the same as the 1969 through 1975 steering columns. Therefore the steering wheels and standard column mounting hardware that were used from 1969 through 1975 will also fit on the 1976 column.

Jim

 

I appreciate the response but it does not answer my question. I have the 77 standard column which is different from previous years. I don't have any need to change the column. I want to replace the vega style wheel with the leather wrapped type that came with a 77 that had tilt tele. Can a leather wrapped wheel for a 77 be made to fit a standard 77 column?

 

It should be a simple change since you are staying within the same model year but Jim would know for sure. I changed a 76 wheel to a 75 for about $100 in components and lots of help from the forum and Jim Shea. I think if it's possible to change a 76 to a 75 then a same year change would be possible.
Good luck

 

The reason I keep asking is that I contacted the standard vendors (zip,ecklers, corvette central, etc...) and non of them even sell a wheel for a 77 non tilt / tele column. Every 77 steering wheel offered is only for tilt. Based on this I wonder if a wheel for years prior to 77 would fit on a 77 non tilt column.

What does someone with a 77 vega style steering wheel do if they need a replacement?

 

I have a non tilt column with the fugly Vega style steering wheel in my 79. Five years ago, I purchased a used leather wrapped wheel from a corvette salvage yard that I have not installed yet. I haven't attempted to put it on. I'm not sure what year corvette my steering wheel came from but I do know it was from a 77-82. I posted a thread with this question several years ago. I'm sure it is in the archives. My quess is that you will need all the parts to include the horn pad, metal collar, and the cover that allows the wheel to be attached to the column. If this does not work, you can purchase an aftermarket wheel from Grant or others.

 

My response after all of this is "I guess I have a vega wheel so the hell with the rest of you there is no cure" I will clean it up and together with my 8 track radio it will be a novelty.

 

Sorry I got mixed up on the question.
I am sure of the following.

I am quite sure that the Vega steering wheel used on 1976 standard steering columns is the same steering wheel that is used on 1977 through 1979 Vette standard columns.

Since the 1969 through 1975 Vette columns are the same as the 1976 the following is true.

Steering wheels and attaching hardware that was used on 1969 through 1975 Vettes with standard steering columns will adapt to your 1977 standard steering column.

1969-1975 Steering Wheel
All of the needed parts are available from Zip Products and most other major suppliers.
You will need hub GM #3937896 (Zip SC-414), a 1969 through 1975 steering wheel, a set of six screws to attach the wheel to the hub (Zip ZSC-351), upper horn contact 3937897 (Zip SC-46), horn contact screws (Zip ZSC-346), horn cap, emblem, and retainer (completely assembled Zip SC-300).

1977-1982 Steering Wheel
Now the real question is whether or not a leather wrapped 1977-82 steering wheel from a T&T column will bolt up to the SC-414 hub. I think that it might. Otherwise, I would think that with a little modification of the hub and/or the later steering wheel, the parts should adapt.

One last concern: The upper horn contact is not the same from the early 70s standard column to the 1977+ T&T. (The contact not only blows your horn, it also holds the decorative horn button.) But I would think that either the earlier contact or the later T&T contact could be adapted.

Early 70s horn contact SC-46 and horn button SC-300

1977+ horn contact SC-45, and horn button complete SC-752.

Good luck,
Jim

 

Jim, thanks for all the info. So I guess my choices are:

install the recommended parts and hope I can modify the 77 leather wrapped wheel to make it fit

install a wheel from a prior year

remove the standard column and install tilt / tele


If this is true then I guess my next question is how difficult is it to install tilt tele? I don't want to buy the leather wrapped wheel for over $200 and then hope I can modify it.

 

I did the '76 to '75 change. These pics may come in handy:

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...oval/?start=20

 

The steering wheels with 6 screws fit all kinds of GM cars (C3 Corvette, Buick GS, Olds 442, even early Monza I believe, etc.) with Sport Wheel option with and without tilt or tilt-n-tele. I think you just need a pre-76 Corvette hub and all related parts for a non-tele column.

 

I have a 78 with the non tilt wheel and replaced the "vega" wheel in the early 90's from one of the major vendors with a leather 3 spoke wheel that duplicates the leather wheel from the tilt columns, Mid America or Ecklers, I can't remember. I know the wheel was special for the non tilt 78 vette so I don't think that you can just put a tilt leather wheel on a non tilt column. Mine just bolted right on but apparently the vendors don't offer that optional wheel any longer. Hope that helps.

 

Does anyone know if this option still exists from any supplier? It would solve my problem.

 

If for instance you belong to a Corvette Club you could get someone with a 1969-75 Vette with a standard column and someone with a 1977-82 Vette with a T&T to try a fit up experiment.

All you need is a ratchet wrench, small screwdriver, a puller, and a phillips screwdriver. Just take the steering wheel off of the 1977+ column. Take the Vega wheel off of your column with the puller. Take the steering wheel and the hub off of the 1969+ car.

Try the hub on your column. Tighten it down and check to see if the diameter and the fit to your column housing is acceptable. You don't want it rubbing and the fit should be the same diameter as your lock housing.

Try the steering wheel from the 1977+ Vette on that hub. Try to mix and match the horn contacts and horn cap from the cars to see if they will connect correctly.

The supply houses just don't realize that the steering columns are quite close in design and just want to treat the 1976 Vettes and the Vega steering wheels as some sort of b*stard child.

I think that you will find a combination that works. And let us know the results.

Jim

 

The 77-82 steering wheel will fit just fine on a 69-75 Column tilt or non tilt the steering wheels were the same. The reason they do not fit a 76 is because of the hub assmembly is part of the steering wheel on a 76. The column itself on a 76 is the same as a 69-75 column. In my days I have parted out well over 500 Corvettes maybe more, but I don't recall ever coming across a 76 straight column. However tilt or no tilt you will need to replace the hub and horn button and use what ever steering wheel you like from 69-82. If you have a tilt just a couple of more parts, you will need the hub/spring assm. horn button, and the upper column cover plus what ever steering wheel you like. This really is a simple conversion and I have done many of them. If you need the parts I have everything you will need, just give me a call.
Justin Abbott
Zip Products

 

But will it fit on a 77 non-tilt column? The original question was "what is required to make a 77 non Vega wheel fit on a 77 standard column"?

 

Justin,
I have a fairly recent Zip catalogue. It lists a SC-414 69-75 Hub at $49.50. But when I go to the Zip store online, I click on 69-82 Standard Steering Column. Then I click on steering wheel & hub. There is no hub listed or shown.

Is one still available?
Jim