Hey guys.. I just picked up a mint 1989 hatch for my Trans Am... Without the 3rd brake light....

I'm just wondering... Should I just drop the spoiler and go without it? I like the look.. But I'm not sure, I need some opinions, I'm also looking for the GTA Tail lights, too..

I do have a pic with, and without the spoiler..

 

Looks better with the spoiler. Would look even better with the wrap around or aero though.

 

I like it too... But I have a set of factory 1985 Camaro louvers, I wonder how it would look with the spoiler...

 

Why do you say it's a trans-am wannabe? I have the same 305 TPI auto drivetrain that you have, and I'd like to think mine is a real T/A. Granted mine is a GTA also, but never the less; same exact drivetrain.

Also, looks better with the wing IMHO.

 

If your interested, I have 2 sets of the lights themselves, just no center sections, only 1 set in this pic. Zero delamination of the grid, zero cracks, zero chips.

Asking $160/pair +shipping And no, I will not sell in anything but pairs.

 

I like the spoiler on better too.

 

I vote no to that spoiler. I say with your car, get a 4th gen WS6 spoiler... it will look SICK, trust me...look up FYRECHKN's (sp?) bird, he has the late 90's gfx and WS6 spoiler...me and Stephen do aswell but our cars are late 80's gfx...

 

His is a from a LT1 car, mine is from a LS1 car. Get the LT1 wing, or you'll be disappointed afterwards. The LS1 wing won't sit flat.
http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o...202001%20wing/

Both wings need the center 2 posts extended, but that is simple.

 

Get a Fiero GT wing. That's what I'm running and it looks epic.

 

Thats a good one too but its still very "80's"

 

If it's a choice between that wing and no wing I say go wingless. IMO those have to be the ugliest/cheapest/crappiest wings that GM could have ever put on the 91-92's. It does not fit or flow with the rest of the car at all. The first thing I did when I drove my car home was pull that thing off and toss it behind the barn.

Get yourself a real 4th gen wing. A real one costs a small fraction of what the smaller one that is made for our cars does. Check out Craigslist, Ebay, junkyards, etc....They're out there.



Here's my thread on it:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...-gen-wing.html

 

I do like the 4th gen wing.. But I don't wanna pay 399 USD on hawksthirdgen...

Although, the 1991 Z28 spoiler is neat too... And I agree, I can't stand the 1991 spoiler, it just doesn't fit in.

 

That's why I said don't buy one of the fake ones like Hawks makes. Get a real one. I paid $100 for mine and there's another member in my local club that got his for $35 at the local junk yard. Ours are REAL OEM pieces off of 4th gen Trans Ams.

 

I put an ad on Kijiji looking for one, hopefully I get some calls. I'm selling my louvers to pay for this experience..

 

yeah, I got mine for $35 off ebay. I had to pick it up from about 2hrs away. The best part is that I was able to stuff the whole spoiler INSIDE my thirdgen... that was fun!

 

1.5 drive, 1 way, for me too. Put the rear seats down, slid it in the back, shut the hatch. Easy as pie, really. Nothing hard about it.

 

I don't like the Z wheels on a firebird. They look cool on a camero but on a firebird I think they look ugly and lose that mystique 'you belong to the night/knight rider' type of vibe theyve always had. So I think that's why the spoiler doesn't look right, it's not that it's the car, it's that it doesn't go with the wheels.

It's your car though so if you like the Z wheels, then I'd say probably go without the spoiler for the reason above in that they don't seem compatable. Then again, I think a spoiler is better than no spoiler. My vote is to keep it. I actually like the wing.

I tried to fit an older 86 Trans Am spoiler on my 91 TA but the body shop said they couldn't do it because the mounting was different. So how were you able to put a 4th gen on, FyrChckn? Is there a way to fit an older (86-89) TA/Formula spoiler on like that? I think the 4th gen is too big/too high.

I actually like the firebird spoilers better than the 90-92 Trans AM spoilers because they are too low and too flat. My favorites are the mid to late 80s Trans Am spoilers because they curve upward and have a great dynamic angle.

 

Same way he put mine on my car for me. Drilled 2 new holes, welded the old ones shut. You could do the same, to put the 86 on your 91.

Trans Ams are just an upper level of Firebirds. Like a Z28 is a Camaro. Just a trim level. I think you meant.....You like the pre-90 wings, over the 90+ wings.

 

Yes I know. I'm just saying that I like the all regular firebird wings (as shown that he has) over the 90-92 Trans Am (wrap around) wings/spoilers, but I like the pre-90s Trans Am (wrap around) spoilers/wings best of all because unlike the 90s+, they have a higher angle and curve upward from the edges. The 90s Trans Am spoilers (not the plain firebird wing) do not. 90-92s have a strait flat wrap around on a strait level non-angle and looks rather dull.

Hope there's no confusion...

 

I had a passenger

 

I had the aerowing (the wrap around with the "up curve") on my 87 Trans Am but dumped it for the 2002 WS6 Spoiler because 1). It was too plain (small and square) for me, and 2). Its solid rubber and weighs about a ton. I think the 4th gens look great for modified 3rd gens. If you're car is completely stock inside and out and have a 4th gen wing, it is going to look out of place... unless its a 92 with the above ground effects...

 

@OP: And I ask again, why is your 'bird a T/A wannabe?


I personally think the 4th gen wing looks too modern for a 3rd gen. And it looks like it's sitting too high for me. Fiero GT wing FTMFW!!!

 

It's got some stickers and a 3.42 POSI rear end, it's just a firebird with Ground FX.

 

It's probably just as fast as a T/A with a 305.

 

Or you can do what I did and swap the deck lid and hatch glass trim. I think I paid like $15 at the junkyard for those 2 items.

The only angle I like the 4th gen wing is when the car is coming at you. Other than that they sit way too high, and they're too round for the cars more square body.

 

Wrap Around or 4th Gen Style.

 

I found one locally, $80, from a 1994 Trans Am LT1.

 

I say you look around for 3rd gens with 4th gen wings before you buy it. But I highly recommend it if you want to stand out from the regular boring 3rd gens...

 

That's actually a pretty good idea. The previous owner had some ugly looking gangsta crap window overhand/cover wraped around the top of the hatch window and because of it, when I pulled it off I saw that the trim had rusted up a little. Only way to fix it would be with a new hatch anyway so that's a great idea. I doubt I would be able to find anything in decent shape for that price around here though. You're lucky to even find a decent shaped F-body around much anymore.

Is there a way to keep the brake light and power hatch lock with the switch?

 

I've seen a bunch of pictures with the 4th gen hatch and I love it, Is it a direct fit, or do I have to modify the spoiler?

 

Got a pic of that Fiero wing on a 3rd gen? Please post it.

 

there are some modifications that need to be done. Nothing difficult. It can easily be installed in an afternoon (I installed mine in the middle of an apartment complex). The bolt holes don't line up, so you would have to drill out new bolt holes. You should atleast try to cover up the other stock holes. You might have to cut additional bolt pegs on the 4th gen wing since the only ones you really use are the ones on the decklid and not on the "horns/spikes". The center posts would have to be extended. There are many ways to do this. What I did is get some rubber foam stuff from Lowes (like the stuff you find on playgrounds and McDonald's playplace) and just cut out the shape of the posts and used about 2 of those until it touched the decklid. If you want to get complicated, you can get fiberglass it down and such. Just paint over your homemade posts... A few people around here run the middle posts on modified and short...

 

Which brake light are you referring to? The 91' what mounts on the inside of the hatch, or the aero wing brake light? If your talking about the factory light, you won't be swapping the glass so it'll still be there. As far as the power hatch lock and switch goes, you shouldn't have to worry about that at all.

 

Other than the pedistal spoiler, they are not boring. You just want something that didn't come factory.

 

Anything to be different... I dig it!

 

EDITED.

 

Your entitled to your opinion on 4th gen wings on 3rd gens. But that DOESN'T mean to need to post it like that.

Amazing how brave people are saying that kinda thing, on the internet. Bet you never say that to someone in person.....My 91/91 buddies know how I feel about the ground fx on those cars. Ugly!

I think MY 4th gen wing looks better than the factory style fiberglass one did.


They are nearly as stupid as the Ram Air II hood on a 3rd gen. Its missing half the openings (the 2 in the front bumper cover) that make the hoods look good on the 4th gens!

 

I don't completely understand where you're coming from, but to each their own, I guess.

 

Perhaps I did exagerrate on what I think is stupid. Pardon me. It's not stupid, just like I said before, "ODD" shaped for the 3rd gen. Better than some. But as to what I say on the internet....I never say anything on the internet I wouldn't say in person, there is no threat there...just opinion. I think it doesn't look right.

 

I found a Fiero GT Spoiler for $60... The one I looked at was on a Trans Am Convertible... Not the same..

 

IMO the 4th gen is the BEST option for the 91-92 birds (if modified and installed properly). It flows perfectly with the lines of the car and actually looks stock. The angle of the wing is at the exact same angle as the GFX on the door....I know, I checked it with my angle finder. As to all the stuff I read about how thirdgens are boxy or squared off or whatever, that is true for all of the Camaros and the 82-90 birds but the 91/92 birds are anything but squared off.

If you had only seen my car in person while you were still in TX I'm positive you would be a believer.

Here's you a sexy rear shot:




Here's a few more angles for your viewing pleasure:

 

Like it was meant to be...

 

I have seen one on a 91-92 bird before, I think he had the pre-91 front bumper cover but kept the ground effects from the rockers back. I see what your saying about the angle it has compared to the door ground effects. The shot from the rear is what i'm referring to though. The back end is squared off on the 91-92's, the ground effects on the rear bumper somewhat help to make it look better rather than the pre-91's having flat gfx all around.

 

Well, here it is... I brazed the holes shut.. I know, I know, but, I don't have a mig welder, fiberglass is too hacky, and theres no way in hell I'll just bondo it over.. So, here it is, so far... It's bare metal, the holes are filled, and the next step is the new holes, filler, and urethane prime.

 

Here's an update.. Almost ready for paint...