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Comfort grip steering wheel

10K views 36 replies 12 participants last post by  DjD 
#1 ·
Help please!!
What would be the earliest date that you could use a comfort grip steering wheel on a 1969 Camaro?? I don't think I've ever seen on an a pace car, could you use one?
 
#9 ·
Guys, let's not jump on William too much. I know exactly how he feels. I mean, let's face it, most of the questions asked on WEB sites like this have been answered before. A lot have been answered MANY, MANY times before! No one likes rehashing over the same information, and it does get monotonous repeating the same old data over and over again.

No offense AutomanZ, but you would have answered your own question if you would have done a search, one of the things I HIGHLY recommend doing first, when researching a particular subject. For instance, I did a search on "Comfort Grip" and "Cushion Rim" and came up with 83 hits (80 hits for the "Comfort Grip" alone). A little reading done before posting, can make a thread go from "tired old news" to something more interesting that we may not have thought of.

And of course, (and this goes for everyone), if after doing the initial search, if you have further questions, by all means post them. While we do tire of rehasing the same data over and over again, we NEVER tire of discussing something new or just discovered.

I hope you take this in the spirit it was offered and don't think I'm singling you out, because I'm not. I submit this to all users of this board.

Ed
 
#25 ·
... No reason to be rude.
And this isn't :confused:

too much coffee William???? Jeeez...
:sad:

... But you know what, if the question bothers you don't answer it. It's that simple...
You know what, a lot of times many of us don't - because they know the answer is already available on the site, if you really wanted it. Besides, usually when you try to correct some of the info you get flamed ...
Then the poster is the 'loser', because he doesn't really get the full or correct information he needed.
A quick search of your subject would be considered normal prior to starting a thread to most of us, see what's been posted before and then post a follow-up question as needed.

I really don't read William's reply was anywhere near as rude as yours and all he was trying to do was give the correct information for the future - isn't that why we're here?

Oh, by the way - "Comfortilt" is one word :D

Flame away;
John
 
#11 · (Edited)
No - I was talking about the padded wheel that looks like the woodgrain SS wheel,
but is soft, and has the Chevrolet script.

I have always called the 69 Corvette wheel a "comfort-grip"
I just looked throught all my books and can not find it listed as anything but that.
Where is this documented with that name?
Don't want to start a fight, would just like to clear up this misconception.
Most ALL of the supply houses, call it a comfortgrip in their product catalogs.

I have some wheels on my garage wall. (yes, I am a packrat)
The bottom one is what I thought was the cushion grip wheel (72-75).
Next up from the bottom is the 69 Corvette wheel.

The 69 NCRS judging manual just calls it a "vinyl coated hard plastic wheel"

Sorry if this has been discussed before, sometimes I can offer a new perspective,
because of my long history involved with the Corvettes.

Thanks, I am interested in learning the truth.
According to my wife - Sometimes I am wrong. :)

I actually see where Ed pulled some paperwork in the past refering that error,
because of the comfort-tilt,
but man, the wheel used a few years later sure is a cushioned one ???

I have some friends looking through the Corvette stuff to se what St.Louis called it?
 
#12 ·
Jeff,

The 69 Corvette "standard" steeing wheel was the black vinyl grained wheel, which was used through the 72 model year. As far as I know, it didn't have a real name since it was the standard wheel. Starting in 1973, Chevrolet released a different "standard" wheel for the Vette, available in different colors to match the interior. This one was more cushioned than the previous and that may be where the "Comfort Grip" name came from. JohnZ can probably clearify this better though. I'm not an expert on Vette's...

However, in April, 1969 Chevrolet sent out a press release stating the the Corvette wheel would be available as an option on the Camaro. The press release is where the "Cushion Rim" name originated.

Ed
 
#13 ·
A press release is one thing, what was it called in the sales literature?

The Corvete guys have been calling it Comfort-grip as long as I can remember.
But we all still call those "Rocker arm covers" - "Valve covers" in error too.
We need to hear from John Z. he will know for sure. :thumbsup:
 
#14 ·
Okay, first, let's get the name correct... ;)

In the press release to dealers, and in the April, 1969 Camaro ordering information packet, the NK1 wheel is referred to as "Cushioned-Rim." It was never called "Comfort-Grip." The "Comfot-Grip" name may have been incorrectly skewed from the tilt steering column option which was available at the time "Comfort-Tilt".

Anyway... The NK1 option information was released around April, 1969. Ordering information shows that it's the same black 15" wheel used for the 1969 Corvette. Since the information was released in April, the earliest build date for a car ordered with one would probably be May, possibly later.

Now the problem... When Chevrolet released option production number totals for the 1969 Camaro, the NK1 option was shown as "0". While there are tons of '69s around with this wheel, no documented paperwork that I know of (window stickers, shipper copies, invoices, etc...) shows the NK1. Therefore there aren't any "factory" installations known to exist. However, as this wheel was in production for the Corvette and other GM Models at the time (Buick Skylark for one), it's VERY feasable that these wheels would be "dealer" installed. Anything to make a sale, right?

So most First Generation Camaro "experts" believe that the NK1 Cushion-Rim steering wheel never actually saw the light of day in a "factory" configuration.

Let the debate begin...

:D

Ed
Here's the deal, it does get old seeing the same questions asked over and over and the search is a great tool for those who wish to use it. Even though we have thousands of answers at our finger tips this is a forum board and it's designed for folks to communicate. That said we really have to show patience and restraint even if it means not answering if we are going to do so with attitude. My personal rule of thumb is to point it out when I see the same question has been asked within a day or so. Other than that I answer the question or reply and link to the answer in another thread.

Effectively we could turn off the posting and 90% of the answers could be found by searches. Where would that leave the site though?
 
#17 ·
I'm with Dennis on the "heard that question before" response. Yes, a search is a wise way to find many of the answers. And yes, many of us have seen most of the questions before. If you don't want to answer, cuz it's been answered before, just move on to the next post. No need to get pi$$y.
 
#18 ·
So, today I have talked to a bunch of Corvette friends.
Everone that I talked to, has Always called this 1969 wheel a "comfort-grip"

I suppose Camaro production could have called it the Cushion rim, or even the bean bag steering wheel.
But if none were ever sold, or installed, then who cares what those guys called it?

On the Corvette I still believe it was called the Comfort-grip.
The cushion rim, (I believe) came out a few years later.

Jeff's disclamer:
This is just what a bunch of old Corvette guys have agreed on for now.
I am still very interested in finding out the actual name.

Go ahead - prove me wrong. but for now I'm not ready to change my records.

How have you decided what it was called, based on only one guys memo?
We need to find out what this wheel was called in the sales literature.
Or on the production order / Purchase contract.
What it was called where you could actually get one.
Anyone have one on a window sticker? What did Buick call it?

:beers:
 
#19 ·
Kind of insulting and arrogant there Jeff... You say "my records" like you are the utmost authority or something... As well you blow off the press releases and ordering packet mentioned as not being valid...

From what I hear TC is about the last Camaro site you are still welcome at, you might want to play nice...
 
#23 ·
Ed... The 73 Vette wheel should look just like the 69 there could be some minor differences but looks the same this wheel was from 69 -75. In 76 The Vette got the 4 spoke Style wheel color keyed with tilt tele or non. 77 vette goes to color key 3 spoke leather wrap. In 77 there were 3 horn buttons the first one brushed with allen screws, 2nd desin was brushed 3rd design was color key. I believe there was some type of glare recall and the shiny ones were replaced with painted. 78 79 cars were leather wrap with tilt tele and the non tilit cars had the 4 spoke 76 style wheel which was wierd. the 63 vette had ainterior color keyed 3 spoke wheel. 64 wood grain walnut plastic. 65-66 walnut wod grain plastic with teak option. 67 wood grain walnut plastic 68 wood grain walnut plastic. Hope this helps Tom
 
#27 ·
In the April 1, 1969 revision of 1969 Camaro ordering information NK1 is listed as "Steering wheel, cushioned-rim, Corvette style" same as the press release issued in one of the Spring 1969 Communication Kits.

Is that good enough for you or are your "old Corvette guys" still a better source of mis-information?
 
#29 · (Edited)
Maybe we were all wrong.
I think this wheel was to be called "Soft Grip"
Got this announcement from one of our friends here. :)

Either way, there was no reason for the moderators to jump all over
any of these posters, for not accepting someones theory without proof.

No one should EVER be afraid to ask a sincer question,
or offer a carefully thought out opinion about Camaros here on this site.
(I think that is the case???)

Maybe, some people need to chill out a bit, some slang words like "my records"
which is widely used in judging circles, need to be understood before people go
personally insulting TC members in a public forum for being arogant.
If you are not sure what someone means, you can always ask by PM.

Since the wheel was never installed in a Camaro....
The real question we should be asking is:
What was this "Soft Grip Cushion Rim of Black Vinyl" Steering Wheel
officially called by Chevrolet when it was available for purchase to the general public.
I want to know: "What did Corvette call it?"

:beers:
 
#30 ·
You know Jeff you don't want to be biting off more than you can chew... You are your own worst enemy as I have said before. You are the only one scoffing at the information others have provided, we have PM'd and now you seem to want to just keep twisting the knife as you push it deeper on this one...

I appreciate you providing a doc with the words "Cushion Rim" although not conclusive it uses the name you seem to object to and doesn't mention "Comfort Grip" at all.
 
#32 ·
So what do you want to call it Dennis?
Should we just let you decide, and that will be the final answer?
I thought we were all here to learn???

Seems like a very productive discussion, except for the personal insults.
And I never bite off more then I can chew.

William is going to share with me what he has - I will share with him what I have,
maybe we will learn something, maybe not.

Looks to me like it was going to be called "Soft Grip Cushioned Rim" of Black Vinyl.
So if it makes you feel better - I guess you were always right?

If you want we can stop discussing everything, because we already know it all.
I certainly don't feel that way, do you?

What is wrong with trying to clarify something you have heard for 25 years?
As you yourself pointed out early in this thread:
It keeps coming up, we still have 30,000 people who need to be convinced.

I did a search, and saw what was verbalized, but never saw any supporting documentation.
I know from experience that there are still many unproved myths.

I don't know why you keep taking this stuff the wrong way.
I just want to learn what is right.

A friend is looking through all his Corvette production stuff right now.
He will try to see what the initial design name was.
Someone designed this wheel, lets find out more.

I don't want anyone to take this stuff personally.

:beers:
 
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