I am getting ready to take my '92 Trans Am Vert in for paint. I want to remove the gfx and take them separately. Can anybody give me precise instructions on removing the gfx on my particular car? I don't want to damage anything in the process and if anyone knows where all the screws/clips/etc. are, that would be a great help.

Also, should I remove my nose and rear bumper, or would they be OK to leave on the car for paint.

And is there a trick to getting the side moldings off a 92 T/A or are they just stuck on there with 2-sided tape? I plan on deleting them.

Finally, is there anything else specific about a convertible that I should do to prep for paint?

Thanks in advance!!

can't help you with the gfx but the door ding strips should be held on by adhesive so fishing line or string will take em off. and I'd leave the bumpers on, I did on my car and don't regret it at all, the only reason to take them off would be to get a fuller paint job.

Great idea on the fishing line!

The guy at the body shop told me to leave the bumpers on, but I just wasn't sure if that was the best way to do it.

You don't need to take ANY body panels off to do a nice paint job. Just do a nice masking job

but you never know there could be rust hiding under them so I think it would be best to remove them just to check

Nah ... no rust in this car ... other than a little surface rust in the battery tray.

Do you really think I should leave even the ground effects on? Wouldn't there be bad masking lines if parts aren't removed? I'm looking for a nice paint job, not a hack job ... but not a "show car" job either.

I would take the ground effects off. You will get a better paint job on both the body and the gfx. Although you may think you have no rust I found that under the ground effects is a great place for rust to begin to form. This is caused by morning dew, rain, etc. from over 15 years. We found plenty of surface rust in this area when I did my paint job. But the panels on my car at the time showed no rust. I say if you have the time and inclination to remove your gfx then do it. What can it hurt?

I'm not sure how the 91's are, but I know the 85-90's benefit from removing the GFX. There is a big part of the GFX that shows when the doors are opened, and many times this area gets really scratched up, especially if the doors sag any.

IIRC, at the local body shop here they always remove plastic bumper covers. I think the owner actually sends them off to another place, I'm assuming to be stripped completely of old paint..

Thanks for the advice. It is much appreciated, and I DO plan on taking off my ground effects but probably leaving on my bumper covers. But back to the other part of my question ...

Can anybody give me any pointers on removing the gfx i.e. tricks of the trade, where the hidden screws/clips are located, etc.

I took my front ground effects Off my 92 and theres really no Tricks or anything. Its just like 20 bolts to take them off. To take the ground effects off the door your going to have to remove the door panels and get in there with a socket wrench on both sides . For the bottom rocker panel Gfx's I think they come off under the car? some one correct me. Connected by the rocker panels. to remove the rear GFX on the back your going to have to remove your spare tire and panel that hides the spare tire. and wrench them off also(thats the right rear gfx.)

Its fairly simple Hope some one else chimes in here.

That's what I was looking for Sonymaster! Thanks! Although you have a Camaro ... I don't know if it will be much different. No big deal about taking the door panels off. I have to take them off anyway to get the door handles off ... and fix one of my window motors while I'm in there (yuck).

I have a vert, so my spare tire compartment is a little different, but I should be able to get to the gfx in a similar manner as what you described.

yeah, Sonymaster20 is right..there are alot of little bolts holding the gfx in place...whats worse is that they are those cheap, stapped-steel nuts and washers (good ol GM)...the bolts might be a little too long for you to use a socket successfully... Atleast they were for me when I replaced my driver side fender on my Trans Am...after about 40mins of trying to get it with pliers and sockets (with no luck) I came to my senses and got my crescent wrenches, those will help ALOT. Good luck!

I just used a 1/4" ratchet with a 11mm. deepwell socket for the big pieces and switched to the 10 or 12 mm. as needed.

You need to make a decision on either taking off the vinyl on the tonneau cover or masking over it. If you are doing a color change you will need to remove it. There is a guy in convertibles who is just about done having new vinyl pieces made and you may want to get hooked up with him. I used a rubber wheel on a die grinder to remove mine. Took a bit of time, but it what I had to do. I have not replaced the vinyl yet and the top is already starting to wear out the paint.

Theres nothing really to it It just takes time. I dont think it should be to much different,from camaro-firebird etc. It took me about 15-20 minutes to get my front gfx off and it will definately take me longer to do everything else. My dad has a wrecked '91 Rs convertble I took the interior out of (25k mile car) and currently am replacing it into my car so I took a look on how to replace the Gfxs on it before I put everything back on.. I'm not totally done yet but I can take a look at how to take the ground effects off on the rear of the vert. Thats the next time I go to the storage place its at. which may be a while.