I have looked high and low on here to no avail on finding help with removing the ground effects from my Trans-Am on my own, so I suppose this is my last option: giving in and posting a thread about it. I saw maybe four or five other threads that were either GTA specific, were for sale, or just didn't have what I was looking for. All of the help and information that is posted on this message board is overwhelming, however extremely useful, but I am still at a loss.

I should begin by saying that I'm pretty new to attempting to work on a car on my own, but I am willing. I have a lot of work that I want to do to my car, and it's going to take a lot of time and money, but I still want it.

With that said, I guess I'll get to what I was originally talking about. I would like to remove the ground effects from my 1984 Trans-Am to make the car look as "original" or as "stock" as I can on the exterior.

These are current pictures of the car:





...and these are current pictures of the back right rocker / valance that I have begun working on little by little (I'm such a newbie that I don't even know exactly part what it is !!!)







Now that I have described everything that I could in the best detail possible, I would LOVE to know how to take these ground effects pieces off. I have pretty much only looked at the back right valance / whatever and if you take a close look, I have taken out a couple of the screws holding it in. However, my biggest problem lays within the plastic snap discs that hold the ground effect piece on. I have absolutely no idea how to take them off, and I don't want to go off and just rip the ground effect off (because I suspect there is a lot more to it than just that).

I would like to get my car looking as much as possible (S I M P L E) like this (despite the color, wheels, etc):





Any and all help is appreciated, and I am thankful in advance not only for any specific help coming my way, but for this wonderful message board with the wealth of knowledgeable people into the same kind of car I am into.

 

Most of the effects have 10mm (IIRC) speed nuts on the back side of the body panel. The rockers are different. Screws at the door sill, and I believe more of the nuts on the inside of the cabin. One gotcha is that their is a huge brace all the way down the rockers to support things. It's spot welded in.

If you do get the effects off without damage, I'm in Montgomery and may be interested in coming up and taking them off your hands. Mine were shot when I got my 86. I know that they are a little different between years, but a complete matching set would be great for me.

 

First off I would like to thank you for being the first person to respond to this even though its been posted for days now.

Secondly, I am very willing to sell them to you, but in the case that you were planning on grabbing them and going then maybe we could work something out to where you take them off and then take them with you, despite the incredibly long drive and what not. This is not definite, especially since I am surprised to see someone on here also from Alabama and someone that desires the ground effects.

Third, thank you very much for the useful information. It still may be a while before I attempt to work on this by myself (unless you are willing to come up and help, which I welcome), so just keep in contact with me.

 

I just bought a 1989 Trans Am, and I'd also like to remove the ground effects. Was your attempt successful? I'm wondering if the body looks normal without them, does it look like a Formula? Thanks.

 

i think if you remove them all you will find a bunch of holes that need to be filled....it won't look good without them......I removed mine for painting years ago and it took a while. Pretty much have to remove most interior panels if i remember right.....to get at the little nuts on the backside.....you should try to get your hands on a factory repair manual- it will show you where they all are......good luck!

 

I realize you already decided to remove them but I thought I would post some pics to show you another 84 without them so you can be sure it is what you want

 

I still havent taken my ground effects / whatever off yet, but yes I am still absolutely certain that I do want to take them off. I just hate the way they look, especially on my car.

 

I'm pretty sure that '84 was the first year for the ground effects on the TA except for the Daytona 500 model in 83. I hope you're not thinking of removing them because they aren't original, because they probably are!

 

I'm positive I want to remove them, maybe sell them to pay for the missing rear wing on my car. So basically what you're saying is once removed, internal panels and all, there will be holes and that's it? And the holes, once filled, can be painted over and it will look like the red one posted?

 

You got it. Enjoy the look and have fun with the bird. I would personally keep the two tone but thats me I felt all red was a little to much red.

 

yup allot of holes.....should be Welded over with a mig....you can filll over them with body filler, but it will shrink and crack....also the side ground effects ( under the doors) has a metal LIP that runs the lenght of them. It's spot welded to the inside of the door sills.....this will also need to be removed.

 

Turns out I love my Trans Am how it is, I changed my mind completely(:

 

Sorry about bringing such an old thread back, but I'm now starting to get back into rebuilding the one my son and I are working on, and wanted to see what your decision was. Glad you decided to keep the ground effects on. Looking at mine, it will be a major PITA to take mine off...plus the rockers are pretty dinged up.

 

Well since that post I got my car painted and took off the GFX anyway lol. It wasn't that much of a paint after all, just getting inside fender walls to reach certain bolts. I would have been content with the gfx on now, but am not unhappy I took them off. I guess I just love my car the way it is, no matter what (;

 

Well, if you've still got the parts and want to get rid of them, let me know.

 

I'll be taking mine off in a couple of weeks if you're interested in them.

 

I sold my set already, sorry! (they look awesome on the guys car now though!)