ptberg9

Hi, i have a 1990 trans am gta and i didnt like the factory steering wheel with the airbag in it and i wanted to try and use the factory wheel off of the 1987 trans ams with the bird in the center. Will it fit properly? my aftermarket grant wheel just feels like crap, like its almost about to come off and i like the bird in the center alot.

TransAmSteve

iTrader: (1)

yeah it'll fit in without a problem I have one on my '91 Trans Am and if your lucky you might be able to find one that actually has the GTA logo for that style wheel too.

ptberg9

Hey, thanks alot! do you have any ideas on where to look for one in pretty good shape besides ebay?

stahrman0612

Yes it will fit. I have one like that......and yes, much better looking than the GTA wheel!!

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

There was also the 87 only? (I think) GTA wheel which is pretty cool.
I def like the three spoke wheels better than the airbag or radio button wheels.
heres some pics:
first is the 87 GTA wheel, then an 88-89 reg firebird wheel.

jahblah

yesssss!!!!!!!! this is the one i like. the airbag one hides my speedo at certain points and is just...well..ugly IMO but can never find the 3 spoke ones in standing condition. the junkyard ones are all sun-sat so there in bad shape. but i will have one soon. may get lucky and find a classified parts car

stahrman0612

jahblah....here is one on ebay that looks to be in decent shape!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/82-92-Trans-...item45fe00d570

ptberg9

Wow!!! i didn't even realize they had an actual GTA one. thats the one that i want really bad. ill keep looking

ptberg9

and stahrman0612, where did you get the cover for that wheel?

stahrman0612

About 6 years ago I put on one of those vinyl wrap steering wheel covers. Was going to take it off a couple years ago, but decided to slap on a cover that I bought from autozone that I was using on my late Z24. The steering wheel has a fat feel to it now. I'm thinking about taking everything off and cleaning the wheel up really good.

eseibel67

The 3 spoke wheel in post #5 above was only available on 1987 GTA. It's leather wrapped, and it's just lovely. But difficult to find a nice one for a reasonable price.

If your not bent on that one, the regular Trans Am 3 spoke wheels such as the Ebay one that stahrman linked above are very available and cheap.

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

Yes, it was very plush, but I decided I liked the simpler TA wheel better. I sold that one for quite a bit of cash
As said above, there are quite a few cheap ones available w/ normal wear and I see some NOS ones occasionally.

ptberg9

Thanks for everything, guys! I can't really find that gta one for very cheap so ill just go with the regular one. And i LOVE how it looks leather wrapped, stahrman0612. I'm going to do the exact same thing when i get mine. Thanks guys!

stahrman0612

Well, good luck ptberg9! Hopefully you'll get a 3-spoke T/A wheel fairly cheap.....you'll definately like it!!!

carlos64030

iTrader: (1)

I have a '91 Trans Am GTA, and I plan on replacing the airbag steering wheel with one from a '88-'89 GTA with the steering wheel controls since you can get it to work with most aftermarket stereo head units.

80schild

iTrader: (5)

Are you talking about the center horn cap, or the "bumps" on the side spokes? I've seen that wheel style used in regular TA's in '86 & '87, usually with the upgraded interior options though.

jahblah

thanks man! i had found one at the junkyard in decent shape though. wish i checked back at this thread first cause that ones MUCH nicer looking. but i only paid $30 so its all good.

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

Uhh, say that again? Where is this adapter? Cause I would LOVE to make my wheel work with an aftermarket head unit. That would rock.

carlos64030

iTrader: (1)

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...AC-SWI-PS.html

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

Sweet, much thanks.

Now to make sure it'll work correctly with the radio I want, (don't need no CD player, just iPod control would be awesome).

$50 wouldn't be bad for that.

carlos64030

iTrader: (1)

I don't use CDs anymore either. I plan on installing a double din stereo that has an SD card slot since I now store all of my music on SD cards.

ptberg9

Hey guys just wanted to let you know that i bought my steering wheel from the ebay link that stahrman0612 gave me and it came in the mail today! it installed in seconds and it looks great! thanks for everything guys! now im just looking for that vinyl steering wheel cover...

blackfrontier

iTrader: (1)

That's a nice wheel, far better than the awful GTA wheel with stereo controls in it. The 87 GTA wheel is different then that one though and seems to be the same one used in the Fiero GT. In fact the horn button in the Fiero GT's have the recessed "shield" shape for the Fiero GT emblem. I'm sure Pontiac saved money using that horn button for 87 GTA's and designed a very similar emblem that say's GTA Trans Am on it. Luckily I have a mint 87 GTA wheel with that rare center cap! I think they could stand to re-pop at the very least the emblem. The Fiero GT horn buttons aren't to rare on ebay and swithing out an emblem would be easy enough.

overide

Ahh but will they interchange is the question. Seems the backs might be slightly different. The fiero ahs a plunger style horn switch. the firebird has a metal tab on the hurn and wire hooks to it. I'm mid battle with this dilemma. I have a fiero and want to see if the GTA horn button with the badge with work.

My thread with detailed pics...
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...look-same.html

DrkHwk

I'm bumping this one up. The early ta wheel pictured above is a leather simulated foam type wheel. I was hoping someone would have some info as far as getting it wrapped in real leather.

overide

There are many aftermarket vendors that will replace the worn leather with new. I have even seen the vinyl version with the rubber removed and leather in its place. However you will be paying around $300.00 each. I have 3 I need done but cant justify the $.

I'm working on another avenue. If it works out I will post back. There is a vendor that may make a template off mine and offer the leather precut in the pattern with the proper foam insert. .. but you will have to install it yourself or have an upholstery shop do it.

So I'm saving the cash to go this route instead.

87350gtanj

As others have mentioned the 87 GTA steering wheel was a one year only deal its basically a regular trans am wheel with GTA horn button the other wheel that seems to have been shown in this topic a lot is a BASE model firebird wheel not a trans-am wheel as some state. And to answer your question yes it will work if you can deal with the airbag light on which in some states will make it so your vehicle will not pass inspection.

85f-bird

Something interesting, my 85 Firebird 2.8L came from the factory with a leather wrapped wheel in the Trans Am style...I've come across numerous base model birds that are equipped with a 3 spoke "rubber" or vinyl wheel from the factory. I wish mine had held up better though, the car was rained in numerous times when I was in highschool, and the weather wore out rather fast as a result I've never liked the later model wheels, as I thought they lost so much "character" that the older cars had...and the way your thumbs drop into the 3-9 o'clock positions on the leather wheels is EXCELLENT!

DrkHwk

The one I had was a TA wheel. I wasn't having any luck finding someone to recover with leather. Since it wasn't in the condition that was advertised I ended up sending it back to the seller and getting an aftermarket one with firebird horn button.

okfoz

IIRC the Bonneville also used the same steering wheel as the 88-89 GTA with controls. The Grand Prix was different 88 or 89+ (when they went to FWD)

John