I'm a knucklehead gents...
Plugs are the same, but they have a cover that snaps over them and makes them fit and lock in. The re-covered steering wheel was missing the cover on the plug so I managed to get it off of my OE wheel harness without breaking too much plastic, and on to the "new" harness. Works as advertised now.

I did reclock the wheel this afternoon. What I thought were centering pins to get the wheel clocked correctly, are actually part of the clock spring mechanism and don't interfere with the getting the wheel centered correctly.