Topic: 1976 Steering Wheels?
in Forum: C3 Interior
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OK does anyone know what I need to do to get an aftermarket steering wheel for my '76 that will fit? Oh it does have Tilt/Tele column. I wanted an old style Grant but it seems the '76's have the one year steering wheel thing going on. Help?
Aaron 
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Moses Lake, WA - USA
Joined: 4/16/2005
Posts: 2134
Vette(s): 1976 L48 4-spd, Mahogany Metalic exterior, Buckskin interior 350ci/350hp, 3rd owner, fiberglass spring, 255/50-16's Torq-Thrust II
Hi Aaron
I looked into changing my wheel several years ago but had other thing to do on the vette first so never got around to doing it. From what I remember you can change out 4 or 5 parts in the column with parts from either the year before or after, can't remember which. I will need to look back at some notes I had on it and get back to you. After the swap you then use wheels for that year.
Todd, I went to the "contact us" section of the Grant site to ask them about my year Vette and if the Corvette series steering wheels will bolt on with no kit as the site says ('68 to '82).
Glen, I would really be interested to hear what you researched for this steering wheel problem. I was thinking I could just put another steering wheel on without any problem but that does not seem to be the case.
I contacted either Eckler's or Zip and they advised that the direct bolt on steering wheels for '68 to '75 and '77 to '82 will not fit my year and they do not sell even a replacement wheel for '76 (nobody does). Most of the catalogs note that the steering wheels will not fit 1976.
What I really wanted was a smaller sized (13" to 14") steering wheel with a simple classic style with some chrome.
Aaron
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Not probably what you want to hear, but I've heard that some 76 owners have simply changed out the 76 column for an earlier column.
Willis76 2008-07-30 05:13:35
Hey - it's a 76, that's why they're so special!
[QUOTE=Aaron1976]...it seems the '76's have the one year steering wheel thing going on. Help?...[/QUOTE]
...[/QUOTE]
Correct. the 76s and some 77s without Tilt/Tele got the Vega wheel. Nothing will swap for it. Cars with T/T got the 3 spoke wheel. You can keep what you have or swap in a T/T column.
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Mounds View, MN - USA
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Vette(s): 70 LT1 coupe, 69 350 HP coupe, 69 390HP 427 coupe, 71 LS5 convert, 85 coupe, 93 coupe
68-76 T&T steering columns are fairly rare and expensive, but 77 + are more abundant and therefore cheaper. We get $1,500 for a rebuildable early ones, and $700 for late.
Larry
Larry
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
According to the original post, the car DOES have a T/T column. Sooooo...what's the issue? Are we saying the T/T column on the '76 is also different from the other years? I wasn't aware of that. I knew the normal, Vega-wheeled, non T/T columns were red-headed step childern, but I always thought the T/T columns were the same as the earlier years.
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Have I learned something new here today?
Is there no end to the knowledge to be gathered here?
Will that silly wabbit ever get his Trix?
Joel Adams
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The Grant tech sent me a reply. They do not make anything for the '76 Corvette. The colunm was only made one year and was not on any other GM car. They could not afford to make the tooling to produce a wheel for so few vehicles that were made.
Aaron1976 2008-07-30 12:11:59
My '76 is a late model with a tilt/tele colunm, is there a chance it is the same as a '77? The steering wheel on my Vette is 15" and has what I consider to be 4 spokes, 2 coming from the center hub on each side.
(Trix are for kids!)
Aaron
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Yep, that's the same wheel that they used on the Vega.
kstyer 2008-07-30 18:41:17
Not to worry, the heater control is the same as the Chevette.
in Forum: C3 Interior
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