This is gonna sound REALLY stoopid, but hey, I'm new and the Haynes manual doesn't say squat. I just got a nice 88 GTA, and noticed that three of my four side markers are out. They make good reflectors, that's all. How in the world do I get at the bulbs? Do I really have to take off trim pieces to get at them?

 

for the ones up front in the fenders, open the hood and look to the sides there should be small opening just enuff for your hand and in those openings will be the backs of the sidemarkers, twist the connector on the back and pull it out andthen buld will be on that connector.

for the back im guessin you'll have to take those back plastic pieces off, like the interior panels and the backs of the rear side maker lights should be in there, im guessin i dont know exzactly on firebirds/ta's for the matter but its a good guess. and the connectors come out just like the fronts

 

D'oh, I was hoping the back wold be some "press here and the whole thing pops out" but that's okay. My wife has thin hands, she should be able to reach in there. Glad she LOVES the car, or i'd be in trouble. "You want how much for an Edlebrok pump? Okay, we'll save up for that..."

 

Actually you should be able to get to the front ones from under the car, then you do the same thing.

 

I crawled under the car already. The body panel blocks a lot under there. I originally thought we'd have to take out the headlight to access it, but I'll try fitting my hand past it.

-the wife

 

The body panel underneath isn't that bad to remove... it's not the easiest way, but it's an option...

 

My wife managed to get her skinny arms through the headlights (half-opened manually) and extract the bad bulbs. One worked fine, the other, the contacts are all junked out. The back one I can't figure out how to get at still works, but the other one (D'oh!) I got to through the spare tire compartment. I could slap myself. Now I'm at two out of four, so it isn't quite as bad.... Thanks for the help anyway.

 

Skinny arms? I wear a size four ring and I just BARELY got my hand through. Not to mention my fingers were screaming at me the next day. The people before us most likely never figured out how to get to them, evidenced by the corrosion. I think I saw some rust with the corrosion on the one that still isn't working - although it did work for a little bit. As far as the back, my husband failed to mention that I was the one who figured out how stupid simple it was. And my guess is, the other one should be accessible through the lock box.

Anybody know how we can replace the rusty connection? Would Checkers or Napa have the part?

-the wife

 

Yeah, lots of auto parts stores carry those connectors, GM used them on almost all their vehicles with side markers.