I've been thinking of installing these vents on my Formula. I have some questions, how do they stay on? Is there clips behind the fender, double sided tape, or what?

 

IIRC, when Flyinlow92 had his installed, he had them welded in, but that doesn't mean they weren't originally attached by some other means.

If nobody on this board knows, try this site: http://www.transamcountry.com/home/

They have a message board, and they cover 2nd gens.

Mathius

 

The vents are metal then, I take it. I had an '88 and an '85 T/A and always assumed they were plastic. I'm thinking of putting them on my 4th gen, but they have poly-plastic fenders. Easier to cut.

 

They are plastic. One end has a couple tabs that slide under the fender and the other end has metal clips that hold it in. The hole in the fenders are recessed a little so the thickness of the vent is smooth with the surface of the fender. For the 85 up, the ground effects also cover the bottom, so the vent hole sits more at the top of the fender hole. The earlier ones had a larger vent hole that was closer to the size of the hole in the fender.

 

Thanks man. So the 82-84 vents are bigger? Sweet. I'll look for those then.

 

I don't have an early one to compare but because the 85 gfx came up higher on the fender they kept the same size hole in the fender and made the vent hole smaller and offset to the top.

 

also, the vents sit into a recessed lip in the fender so that they sit flush, they are not just clipped into a hole. Cutting the hole and adding this lip to an existing set of fenders is practically impossible without warping the panel. Your best bet is to just swap the entire fender. The other option is to cut that section out of the doner fender and try to patch it into yours, which is the end will most likely cost more that just swapping the fenders and re-painting them.

 

I lied I do have an early one to compare. And a pic of the back that shows the tabs and clips.

 

Holy ****, I've owned 4 3rd gens and never knew the vents were different. I love learning new firebird stuff.

As for me, I'm still wanting to do this. I bet with some plastic weld and patience I can do it. Cutting is the easy part. I'll have to remove the fenders for sure.

1piece, you don't have any of those 82-84 vents laying around do you?

 

I just have the one early one. I think moulding tape would hold them on just fine and if you smooth out the back they wouldn't stick out much from the fender. It would be pretty easy I think.

 

do you still have the early set im looking for a set for my 83

 

I just have the one, a left side I think.

 

what would you want to part with it?

 

$50. There are 2 sets on ebay right now @$125... get em while you can.