Gidday members.
Apologies if this question has been asked before.

I recently upgraded my 1996 "Headunit" to a Kenwood DMX9021S. There was nothing wrong with the old Bose unit or the 4 amps & speakers....I simply wanted to move with the times.
I removed all of the bits from the old system and run new wires for all the new add-ons (Headunit, amp, speakers, front & reverse cameras). I didn't touch any of the old wiring harnesses & I'll be retaining the old stereo system for originality purposes, should that path be ever crossed again.

So as I'm a 'Do it yourself, hands-on" kinda guy, I'm tinkering with the idea of installing a steering wheel that has "Controls". You know. Volume, answer phone, up & down switches....as this new Headunit comes with a wiring harness to intergrade such a thought.

My question is -
Does a later model Corvette Steering Wheel "Boss", for example, a C6 steering wheel centre fit a 1996 C4 steering wheel shaft...or can it be adapted onto it?
The reason I'm using the C6 as an example is that I want to retain the Corvette steering wheel centre & adapt it to an aftermarket carbon fibre steering wheel....and as the C6 came out with all these buttons standard on the steering wheel, it seems like an obvious choice, to begin with.
I will be re-fitting the Airbag, but the question(s) above need answering before that discussion is crossed.

Thanks in advance for your time & any help you all can provide.

PS. Yes, this 96 is a right-hand-drive (Australian).

 

Here’s just thinking of how to possibly do this. The newer model steering wheels have a ribbon of wires wrapped up in a spool connected to a low power switch, input designed specifically to network into the entertainment system.

I could think of a couple of ways to do what you’re suggesting. One is to 3D print a wireless remote control mount to fit some steering wheel.

The other one is to use an aftermarket steering wheel with generic switches, and the usual coiled wires externally (kind of like on an old phone) Then you need a head unit with momentary and latched switch inputs.

The wireless remote control would be the simplest of course.

Me, I only use the cruise control buttons on the SW hardly ever use the switches for the sound system, for that I reach over and use the dials and buttons.

 

Thx for the reply AZSP33D. Are you related to C3PO? haha.

I do have a remote that came with the Head Unit and yes, it is an option as you've suggested.......but I just wanted to suss out the steer wheel path first. I would rather have something that's more permanent and user-friendly.

I've done a little research on the different model Corvette Steer Wheels that do adapt to a C4 and I believe a C5 will fit (but they don't accommodate buttons), and the C6 & up have different centre shaft patterns. Does anybody know the answer?

I'm in Australia and trying to find someone here to talk to about my question is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. That's why I asked here because it's a Corvette Forum.

Cheers.

 

As mentioned, the late model steering wheels carry the signals for the controls as well as the airbag through the clock spring (as almost all cars do). Our cars have a clock spring for just the air bag wires, of course. Unfortunately, the later model vettes have a completely different steering column design, making it difficult or impossible to adapt their clock spring. Now I'm not sure about this next idea, but our steering column design was used by many GM products through the '90s air bag era, and maybe one of those vehicles (pontiac had many cars with steering wheel controls) used the same column design and a clock spring that carried additional wires that you could use.

BTW, could you please post more pics of your RHD conversion? I've always been fascinated with how those are done!
Scott

 

Thanks for your input, Max. Next time I get the girl out I'll take some more pictures that are worth publishing, to completely satisfy your hunger for RHD conversions of these impressive vehicles. Cheers ;-)

 

I just took the girl out to get some go-go juice, to get ready for this week's run with the club.......so I took some pictures for you Max.

Front view

Left hand side view

Left had side view

Right hand side view

Close-up right side

RHD




Trick paint and custom console with mobile & charger port. (Deleted useless cup-holders)

New headunit with trick painted dash surround.

Sunday seaside cruise session.


This is (IMO) probably a prime example of a RHD, 1996 LT4 convertible, now that I've fully gone over her with a fine toothcomb.
The interior is pretty close to being identical but in reverse and with a few updates & tweaks by myself like -
I replaced the whole stereo system with all new up-to-date stuff with 3 cameras.
Tweeters in the dash that look like they belong there. Can you spot them?
As I'm an automotive painter, most of the dash surrounds like the headunit, all the vents and both inside door handles have been painted in the same Polo Met Green paint as the car, but I've tricked them up so they look black to the eye but change when the sun shines on them. I reckon it looks pretty cool.
The console is also painted & I custom it by deleting those useless cup-holders & making it into a more usable space that now holds my mobile phone and it even has its own rechargeable port.
I also chopped out the old coin holder (under the console lid) & custom it into another USB-port.

Anyway, enough of my dribble. Here are the pictures ;-)

 

Thanks for indulging my curiosity in the RHD conversions. Yours looks very well done and the personal touches you've done are very tasteful. It's a beautiful car. It's mind blowing to me the amount of work that must have been done to do all that. Was this conversion done a long time ago when the car was fairly new, or more recently?

Btw, have you made any progress on the steering wheel controls?
Scott

 

Thanks for those compliments, Max.
You never know what people think of my improvements so it's always good to hear.

The girl was imported over to Australia in 2000 and got its new plate in 2001, so yes.....it was pretty newish when converted.
Yes, you wonder how they made all those dash vents & bits when there was no such thing as "Plastic Printing" back in the day.
I can only think that GM must have been importing some 1996's to Japan etc and other countries that have RHD, so made them. Got me.

The steering wheel control idea will be one I won't tempt until I'm certain I have all the facts to proceed 99%.
It could be an idea with a 5-year work in progress sign, but one day I'll say "YES" & have a go.
Either way, if I attempt it I'll upload pictures here.

 

Beautiful Corvette!!!! I too, am intrigued with the RHD, very cool to see! Appreciate the pictures! As far as your steering wheel conversion, you wouldn't get the "Corvette" logo, but on most you would get the chevrolet "bow-tie" (besides if it were a C5 or later wheel, the logo wouldn't be right for a late C4), if you went with something from a 4th generation Camaro (see picture), they're were several styles and they came in black, my guess is you could likely get one to work! Also think outside the box, as in Monte Carlos, Luminas, Cavaliers, etc....Basically anything from the mid 90s to early 2000s with airbag and chevrolet logo/Bowtie! Just an idea for you! Good luck

One example of a 4th generation Camaro, you could do some research on the changes and find the one you like the best!
👍

 

That conversion it pretty cool. And I thought the number 6,8 spark plugs were a pain before, ouch.

 

Yes, Yonker.
This is my first Vet after owning Aussie classic cars most of my life & I've quickly found that if you need to take something apart on these C4s, you need to take 2 other things off before you can achieve that objective.
The joys of owning such a beautiful sports car.....but it's worth it.
That's why I brought a hoist when I replaced the clutch early last year. Since no interest was shown by mechanical shops in my coastal town of Australia, I figured the labour costs to complete such a change-over would pay for half of the hoist, so why not eh. Best thing I ever did too.
And now I have another parking space for when my Corvette friends come to visit ;-)


How cool ;-)

 

Regarding the Steer Wheel controls, I sent a detailed email to a company called "Azaautowheel" which seems to specialize in this area....asking them for their help on what other steer wheel hubs may fit C4s. I gave them some possible examples of other Chevy car models that may suit (thx to 78CorvetteSA). The following was their reply.

"Thanks for reaching out and you have a very cool project! Unfortunately, we can’t boast with expertise in the c4 area especially when it comes to buttons! We hope you will find your answer!"

Bugger :-(

 

It just so happened I had a 99 Pontiac Bonneville come into the shop today that appears to use our steering column design. I took some pictures. Like I suggested earlier, use the clock spring out of a car like this and its steering wheel, and all you'd need to do is run the additional wires up the column to the new clock spring. I see someone already posted a Camaro wheel. That's an excellent option too as I think they use the same column design. Of course neither of these cars are common place where you live, but maybe Holden used the same column in some of their cars of the era.

 

Thanks Max. Those pictures will be handy for future reference and yes, that steering column does look similar. The wheel also looks similar to the 91-93 C4s.

I thought about the Steering Wheels on the GM Holden's in Australia. That's where this idea came from.
The earliest Steering Wheel that had buttons on it was the 2006 VE Commodore.
I have the last of that model sitting in my garage, which I brought new back in 2013, so you never know. But if it did happen to fit, the airbag would need further investigation.
I'll post a picture of the 2006 wheel followed by my 2013. They both look the same in design bar the colours.


2007 VE Commodore

2013 VE Commodore

My GM Holden Commodore sports wagon SV6

 

Yeah, that Holden is using GMs later column design making it much less likely there'd be any compatibility.