Soarer Central: Interior Conversion & Changing Steering Wheel Questions...

Soarer Central Trim and Interior Interior Conversion & Changing Steering Wheel Questions...

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Michael Larcombe
Tinkerer
TAS
Soarer GT - TT

Posts: 23
Reg: 08-2009

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Friday, October 30, 2009 - 11:46 am, by: Michael Larcombe (Lextcy_tas)

Hey guys, I have recently picked up a black / woodgrain steering wheel from the US for a steal of a price, and it comes with the airbag mechanism. I have been told that these bolt straight on to SC's / Soarers, and have seen numerous pics to suggest so.

The problem is for me is that my Soarer is a 91 model, non-airbag, and if I were to utilise the airbag, is an airbag computer all I need or will I need sensors, etc? Will these fit from a later model Soarer? I guess things will have to be engineered too?

Seems to be more trouble than what its worth, but thought I will put it out there and see if anyone has done a similar conversion.

Basically I am changing my interior from spruce to black (above woodgrain) and tan (below woodgrain) 2-tone, all with the help of VHT vinyl dye and seat retrims. Looks a treat so far.

Seeing these 2 pics, will be just like the first with the steering wheel of the second pic (LS430) and less woodgrain (importscene kit!) The bezel in the black soarer is overkill IMHO. Im trying my best to replicate the SC430 interior. Chrome handles on the way from chrometech too.

Any suggestions or advice re. the airbag fellas? Interior advice for my project would be valued too.

Cheers

George Lu
TryHard
vic
v8

Posts: 323
Reg: 02-2006

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Friday, October 30, 2009 - 01:05 pm, by: George Lu (Lux)

I wouldn't try to fit an air bag to a non-air bag soarer. it's like going through hell and back with the wiring.

Michael Larcombe
Tinkerer
TAS
Soarer GT - TT

Posts: 24
Reg: 08-2009

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Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 12:14 pm, by: Michael Larcombe (Lextcy_tas)

Thats what I thought. I think the wheel pictured had the centre pad but the airbag wasnt hooked up. Well worth it visually but not worth the messing around hey?

Brett Cutts
TryHard
south australia
TT & V8

Posts: 390
Reg: 07-2008

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Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 12:25 pm, by: Brett Cutts (Boof390)

I wrecked a airbag uzz31 you have 2 sensors you are not going to get to without the guards off and a wiring cluster f*&k of mammoth proportions and you have multiple specific wiring looms and plugs in yellow to identify the air bag system. From a mechanics view point trust me you realy don't want to go there

Michael Larcombe
Tinkerer
TAS
Soarer GT - TT

Posts: 25
Reg: 08-2009

Rating: N/A
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Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 08:14 pm, by: Michael Larcombe (Lextcy_tas)

Brett Cutts wrote on Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 12:25 pm:
I wrecked a airbag uzz31 you have 2 sensors you are not going to get to without the guards off and a wiring cluster f*&k of mammoth proportions and you have multiple specific wiring looms and plugs in yellow to identify the air bag system. From a mechanics view point trust me you realy don't want to go there

Thanks Brett, will take your word for it too, the problem is for me is that all wreckers sell the LS wheels separately (i.e. wheel for about US$120 and the airbag AND centre pad for US$400! And im guessing once an airbag is engaged the centre pad is done for? I guess if i want the LS wheel I will just have to fork out the coin for both parts and have a useless airbag there...

And yeah I took the guards off my Soarer today, along with many other bits (panelbeating). Getting them off wasnt a great problem but aligning them back on is the hassle

Brett Cutts
TryHard
south australia
TT & V8

Posts: 391
Reg: 07-2008

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Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 08:41 pm, by: Brett Cutts (Boof390)

believe it or not the couple of soarers I have repaired due to the quality of panel fit and manufacture of the soarer the alignment of panels is a piece of cake. The last soarer took 25 minutes to fit and adjust 2 guards a bonnet and front bar compared to about 3.5 hours on the last falcon and most of the day a box of wheel alignment shims ,flat washers and a die grinder on the first and last commodore I ever bother buying to repair

George Lu
TryHard
vic
v8

Posts: 332
Reg: 02-2006

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Sunday, November 01, 2009 - 09:51 pm, by: George Lu (Lux)

I must say, the two pictured Soarer interior does look very sexy.

Ali Saeed
Goo Roo
WA
V8 Limited

Posts: 1270
Reg: 09-2007

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Monday, November 02, 2009 - 01:00 am, by: Ali Saeed (Ali)

love the first pic, going to be doing that !

Michael Larcombe
Tinkerer
TAS
Soarer GT - TT

Posts: 27
Reg: 08-2009

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Monday, November 02, 2009 - 09:09 am, by: Michael Larcombe (Lextcy_tas)

Ali Saeed wrote on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 01:00 am:
love the first pic, going to be doing that !

My idea also my friend, however the importscene woodgrain kit, and the LS steering wheel are definately on the cards to go with it. Would strike the closest resemblance to the SC430 interior short without doing a complete dash conversion

Ty Mackay
DieHard
WA
Soarer TT 1jz-gte

Posts: 928
Reg: 01-2009

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Monday, November 02, 2009 - 10:26 am, by: Ty Mackay (Duo89)

Wow! i think someone deleted my post...

look at the bottom picture.. in the centre of the dash! look at that awesome set up, are they speakers???

Peter Nitschke
Junk Filterer
South Australia
UZZ30 UZZ31

Posts: 11054
Reg: 11-2004

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Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 02:01 am, by: Peter Nitschke (Pen)

No posts have been deleted from this thread.

Ty Mackay
DieHard
WA
Soarer TT 1jz-gte

Posts: 935
Reg: 01-2009

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Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 11:01 am, by: Ty Mackay (Duo89)

lies all lies... HAHA

i think it was my own fault i thought about posting but didnt actualy do it the first time around

my apologies

Michael Larcombe
Tinkerer
TAS
Soarer GT - TT

Posts: 32
Reg: 08-2009

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 11:34 am, by: Michael Larcombe (Lextcy_tas)

Yeah, as far as I know a dolby 5.1 surround sound amp running a centre channel, pretty cool. Something else I would like to consider for my interior overhaul. I just reconditioned my woodgrain yesterday, a very delicate job and not for the impatient of modders! The number of times I came close to sanding all the way through the veneer!

Michael Larcombe
Tinkerer
TAS
Soarer GT - TT

Posts: 33
Reg: 08-2009

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 12:10 pm, by: Michael Larcombe (Lextcy_tas)

Ty Mackay wrote on Monday, November 02, 2009 - 10:26 am:
look at the bottom picture.. in the centre of the dash! look at that awesome set up, are they speakers

Look at the reflection in the windscreen, looks like two splits, with the woofers assembled on the outside and the tweeters arranged in the middle. Wonder how much it would set me back for such a setup? Custom work would be pretty nasty I'd imagine