Evolution of the Corvette Steering Wheel
When you think of your Corvette, the steering wheel is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. It is, however, the part of your Corvette that gets the most contact when out on the road. It is not uncommon for your steering wheel to see excessive wear, in comparison to the rest of your car, due to frequent use.
This guide identifies the design and features of Corvette steering wheels by year group. Depending on your Corvette generation and style preference, you have several options for bringing your steering wheel back to life. From purchasing a reproduction steering wheel, to getting your steering wheel refurbished and even upgrading to a custom steering wheel, the right steering wheel is out there for every generation.
- 17" In Diameter
- Plastic Spokes
- White In Color
- Chrome Horn Button
- Stainless Steel Spokes
- Three Chrome Spokes
- Spokes Had 3 Holes Per Spoke
- 17” Diameter
- Color Of Wheel Matched Interior Color
- 1956-1957 Venetian Red
- 1956-1957 Shoreline Beige
- 1958 Charcoal
- 1958 Signet Red
- 1958 Blue
- 1959-1960 Turquoise
- 1959-1960 Frost Blue
- 1959-1962 Roman Red
- 1959-1962 Tuxedo Black
- 1961 Jewel Blue
- 1961-1962 Fawn Beige
- Riveted To Hub Making It Difficult To Replace
- Reproduction Steering Wheels Available
- Flat Steering Wheel
- One Year Only Steering Wheel
- 16” In Diameter
- Reproduction Steering Wheels Are Available
- Color Matched Interior
- Saddle
- Red
- Dark Blue
- Blue
- 130 Cars Received The Option For Simulated Wood Grain
- Three Spokes
- Long Slot In Each Spoke
- Flat Hub
- Simulated Walnut Finish
- 6 Philips Head Screws Attach Steering Wheel To Hub
- Reproduction Steering Wheels Available
- Aftermarket Steering Wheels Available
- 1965-1966 Option For Real Teak
- 16” Diameter
- Black With Leather Grain Pattern
- Fit Standard And Telescopic Steering Columns
- Same Steering Wheel As The Chevy Vega
- One Year Only
- Also provided on 1977-1979 Corvettes that did not have the Tilt/Tele steering column option
- Floating Round Horn Button
- 14” In Diameter
- 14.5” Diameter
- Black Leather
- Thinner Wheel Than The Later 1986-1989 Wheel
- All Black Except 1988 Anniversary White
- Used Same Armature As 1984-1985 With Thicker Urethane
- Round Horn Button
- Available As Remanufactured
- 2-Tone Wheels Are Available For An Upgraded Look
- 1990 First Year For Air Bag In Steering Wheel
- Offered As A Restoration Service For Original Steering Wheel
- Leather Steering Wheel
- All Black
- 4 Spoke
- Corvette Script
- Horn Buttons On The Outside Spokes With Plastic Gray Buttons
- 2 Spoke
- C4 Corvette Logo
- Horn Button In The Center
- C5 Corvette Logo In The Center
- Decals Available For Logo To Add Color
- All Black Except The 2003 50th Anniversary And 2004 Le Mans Corvette
- One Year Only Steering Wheel
- 4 Spoke Design
- Ebony
- 9.4” In Diameter
- Steering Wheel Mounted Audio Controls Included With Bose Audio Systems
- Available In Suede Or Leather
- Available With Accessory Controls And Without Accessory Controls
- 2010 Steering Wheel Was The First Year For Bluetooth
- 2011 Steering Wheel Available With Accent Stitch
2005-2011 Corvettes have aftermarket steering wheels available some benefits include:
- Aesthetics - A custom steering wheel can be altered to build your personal preference of the look you need and still having that OEM look after installing
- Ergonomics - Custom steer wheels are shaped in multiple areas of hand position to help with driver fatigue and to help avoid hand cramping.
- New Steering Wheel Design Offers New Chrome Trim Around Controls
- Smallest Steering Wheel Corvette Has Ever Made
- Paddles On Steering Wheel (Manual Transmission) Are On/Off Switches For The Standard Rev-Matching Feature
- Accessory Features Include Audio Volume Controls, Audio Next/Previous Control, Cruise Control Buttons, Advanced Theft Protection, And Bluetooth Controls
- New Flat Bottom “D” Shape Allowed More Leg Room
- Z06 Featured a Carbon Fiber Lower Support Arm and Full Color Emblem
- Featured the Same Standard Accessory Feature Controls as the Stingray Steering Wheel
- Same Flat Bottom “D” Shape as the Z06 & Grand Sport
- Same Standard Accessory Feature Controls as the Stingray Steering Wheel
- Etched ZR1 Emblem Above the Lower Support Arm
- Carbon Fiber Lower Support Arm and Bottom
- Carbon Fiber Upper Grip
- Suede Outer Grips
- New Square Shape for Improved Leg Room and Down Road Vision
- New 2 Spoke Leather Wrapped Design
- Large Opening for Clearer View of Digital Dash Cluster
- Accessory Feature Controls Include Audio Volume, Audio Next/Previous, Cruise Control, Heated Steering Wheel (if Equipped), Bluetooth Control, and Thumb Wheel for Navigating Dash Menus
- Paddle Shifters for Manual Control of Gears
- New Brushed Silver Button to Engage Z Mode
- Leather Centering Strip at Top in Color Matched Accent
- Same Standard Accessory Feature Controls as the Stingray
- New Carbon Fiber Upper and Lower Grips
- New Brushed Nameplate with Etched Z06 Emblem
- Leather Centering Strip at Top in Color Matched Accent
- Features the Same Standard Accessory Feature Controls as the Z06
- Carbon Fiber Upper and Lower Grips
- Same Z06 Style Brushed Nameplate with Etched E-Ray Emblem
- Leather Centering Strip at Top in Color Matched Accent
Mid America Motorworks Restoration Services
Although some steering wheels are sold as brand new reproductions, Mid America Motorworks offers a restoration service for C4 steering wheels. When placing an order for your C4 steering wheel, you will be charged a core fee and will receive a restored steering wheel. During the restoration process, the steering wheel is stripped down to the armature and assessed for damage. Some armatures are in perfect condition, while others are sand blasted and painted to halt the oxidation process and prolong life.
The steering wheel’s urethane is replaced to give your wheel a solid substructure. It is then wrapped with new leather and stitching to give your wheel the finishing touch and a brand new steering wheel look and feel.The steering wheel you send us for restoration will undergo the same process and be passed on to the next customer in need.