What cars in the yards could have a steering wheel like the one on my '87 GN. I see some every so often on eBay..... so I know they are getting them from somewhere..... I saw another post that mentioned a LeSabre.... but what trim package...? What year? ... What other ones?
steering wheel donor cars for '87 GN?
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turbofish38
Le Pétomane
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Some interesting reading on this thread: http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40192&highlight=steering+wheel
The leather sport wheel was used in all models of Buicks. The type in your GN was used 1982 to 1988. The color of gray was only 1985-1987. Just look for ones with the correct length of spokes.
The leather sport wheel was used in all models of Buicks. The type in your GN was used 1982 to 1988. The color of gray was only 1985-1987. Just look for ones with the correct length of spokes.
Matt Golden
Member
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2004
- Messages
- 74
Resident Steering Wheel Expert......
Yeah, I've got about 20 of them sitting here now. There are a few variations.
Most commonly found are in the FWD 88-89 Regals. You won't find one of these wheels in any car after '89 because of the introduction of Airbags.
The books show them used only until '88, but I have personally pulled at least 5 from '89FWD Regals. I also have found the correct style for 86/87GN and T-Type in the FWD Regal GS's(88 and 89).
They stopped using them in the Riv's after 85. When they changed up the body style, they quit using the sport wheel because of the introduction of the steering wheel controls for cruise or stereo or somethin. Have seen two 86 Riv T-Types and neither had the sport wheel.
The 84/85 hotair cars had the polished spokes and genuine leather wrap, but it went further up the spokes. If you want a correct wheel for 86/87 TR, gotta pull it from any 86T-Type model(except Riv) or from 87T models, or later model FWD Regal GS.
If you don't care about having the leather further up the spokes, then any earlier model T-Type wheel will do, but if you ever recover it, you will find that the spokes have holes drilled in them, so you have to recover them the way pre-86 sport wheels are with the leather over halfway up the spoke, unless you just like having holes in the spokes.
As to the regular ol base model FWD Regals....yes, they are plentiful, but they are not leather wrapped, and the spokes are painted/coated dark gray. You can sand em and polish them, but they will have a smooth finish instead of the correct brushed/"fine-line" finish.
Only good thing about them unless you just don't care about having the correct wheel, is that they all use the same trim ring and cap as the TR's. You can get one from a yard sometimes as little as 5bucks or even free and make a killing off it if it is in half decent shape and free of cracks. The emblem in the middle will be a colored Buick sheild emblem(except GS which has GS logo on it...some Skylark/GS guys are using these...sold a couple at the Nats to a guy that said he would use them as he had mounted sport wheels in his old Skylarks), like the monochrome one on the 85/86GN's. They are worthless, but the trim ring is worth it's weight in gold as they are not made in plastic by anyone.
One further note is that in all the FWD Regals, the plastic backing piece that meets the column WILL NOT work with the 78-87 columns. They are square where-as our columns are round.
It is held on with 3 small bolts and very easy to change, but the problem is that the only one that works was only used with the sport wheels. So even if you do find one of the plentiful wheels from a late model FWD Regal, you have to find an early one just to get the piece that goes on the backside so that it mates with the column...otherwise you will have a big nasty gap inbetween the wheel and the column. So you can see why I have about 20 of them sitting around collecting dust....no one wants one without that piece on the back unless they are replacing the one already on their car and can swap out that part of it. If they do have one and need a replacement for their battered ol sport wheel, they want the correct one with the polished spokes and real leather anyway, so that pretty much leaves the later model sport wheels unwanted, unless it's from a GS and has real leather wrap.
Hope this helps anyone that reads this. I had to retype this twice just to get it down to this "short" of length....sorry to ramble
Yeah, I've got about 20 of them sitting here now. There are a few variations.
Most commonly found are in the FWD 88-89 Regals. You won't find one of these wheels in any car after '89 because of the introduction of Airbags.
The books show them used only until '88, but I have personally pulled at least 5 from '89FWD Regals. I also have found the correct style for 86/87GN and T-Type in the FWD Regal GS's(88 and 89).
They stopped using them in the Riv's after 85. When they changed up the body style, they quit using the sport wheel because of the introduction of the steering wheel controls for cruise or stereo or somethin. Have seen two 86 Riv T-Types and neither had the sport wheel.
The 84/85 hotair cars had the polished spokes and genuine leather wrap, but it went further up the spokes. If you want a correct wheel for 86/87 TR, gotta pull it from any 86T-Type model(except Riv) or from 87T models, or later model FWD Regal GS.
If you don't care about having the leather further up the spokes, then any earlier model T-Type wheel will do, but if you ever recover it, you will find that the spokes have holes drilled in them, so you have to recover them the way pre-86 sport wheels are with the leather over halfway up the spoke, unless you just like having holes in the spokes.
As to the regular ol base model FWD Regals....yes, they are plentiful, but they are not leather wrapped, and the spokes are painted/coated dark gray. You can sand em and polish them, but they will have a smooth finish instead of the correct brushed/"fine-line" finish.
Only good thing about them unless you just don't care about having the correct wheel, is that they all use the same trim ring and cap as the TR's. You can get one from a yard sometimes as little as 5bucks or even free and make a killing off it if it is in half decent shape and free of cracks. The emblem in the middle will be a colored Buick sheild emblem(except GS which has GS logo on it...some Skylark/GS guys are using these...sold a couple at the Nats to a guy that said he would use them as he had mounted sport wheels in his old Skylarks), like the monochrome one on the 85/86GN's. They are worthless, but the trim ring is worth it's weight in gold as they are not made in plastic by anyone.
One further note is that in all the FWD Regals, the plastic backing piece that meets the column WILL NOT work with the 78-87 columns. They are square where-as our columns are round.
It is held on with 3 small bolts and very easy to change, but the problem is that the only one that works was only used with the sport wheels. So even if you do find one of the plentiful wheels from a late model FWD Regal, you have to find an early one just to get the piece that goes on the backside so that it mates with the column...otherwise you will have a big nasty gap inbetween the wheel and the column. So you can see why I have about 20 of them sitting around collecting dust....no one wants one without that piece on the back unless they are replacing the one already on their car and can swap out that part of it. If they do have one and need a replacement for their battered ol sport wheel, they want the correct one with the polished spokes and real leather anyway, so that pretty much leaves the later model sport wheels unwanted, unless it's from a GS and has real leather wrap.
Hope this helps anyone that reads this. I had to retype this twice just to get it down to this "short" of length....sorry to ramble
Matt Golden said:Hope this helps anyone that reads this. I had to retype this twice just to get it down to this "short" of length....sorry to ramble
WOW..... Thanks......I'm sure it will help out alot of others.
I need a replacement for my '87 GN. I have the original wheel... but the leather is torn around the top.... and looks like poop. I have commited to buy one of the board... but the leather is "faded" Any chance I will be able to re-die to a close match? It doesn't have to be perfect... my car is a theft recovery car... 144k miles... and it is currently daily driven.... definately not a 100 point show car.... far from it..... this one gets driven... and romped on daily. Dusted a early 90's vette the other night on a 75 mph roll.....
:biggrin: It was my first real street scuffle..... :biggrin: Gotta love 24 psi on the street.....
I bought one off eBay that was advertised as a GN steering wheel. Turns out it was smaller in diameter than my stock one. By that, I mean the diameter of the actual part that you grip when you hold a steering wheel. It feels smaller in your hands when you drive it. I got used to it and it looks exactly the same, but my stock one was "fatter", if you know what I mean.
my85grandnation
85 Triple Threat
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2004
- Messages
- 1,501
This statemnet is not true about the hotairs having the leather coming up farther on the spokes. I have three 85's two GN's and one T-Type, two being all original cars and the two GN wheels are identical to th ones in the 86 and 87's. The T-Type is also the same just that the color is maroon instead of grey. I have gone to the junkyard and pulled leather wheels off 85 centurys that have the the same exact styling as the later GN's as well. Ive even pulled off vinal wheels from 86 N/A Regals that have the same exact GM part# as the leather wheels and the spokes are brushed aluminum and not painted.Matt Golden said:
