Hopefully this stumps you, because I can't figure it out and have already asked a few enthusiasts I know, and they thought they were all the same size. Currently running a '90 GTA, has just about every option available. I noticed that the panel that covers the hatch pull down, the orifice seems to be a larger square than the others for whatever reason. Haven't compared it with ones from 91/92 yet, so I am not sure if it has to do with the crossover in style change, but I just can't see why it would be larger when it uses the same pull down assembly from '86 to '90. If anybody knows why, please share as perhaps I am just overlooking this, but I honestly never seen that before. Pic is below, the one that came with my '90 GTA in on the bottom. Damaged, but hopefully fixable through the right source...

- Rob

 

Well, both of those would be from 86-90 cars, because they have the 3rd brake light pad. I assume the difference you're talking about, is the wedge shaped cutout at the top/bottom?
If you look around on the back of the panel, there's probably a date code that can give you an idea which is older/newer. I would imagine the reason for the change was to give more/less clearance and/or prevent the cracks that like to form like the photo shows.

 

Just anecdotal, but I just looked, my 87 has the wider relief, 91 has the narrower. Can't get to the convertible at the moment and the other 91's interior is all mixed into store with about 4 other sets... But anyway....

 

Drew, thanks for looking into it. You know what it was, I must have misplaced the SPID, so I ran one of them online VIN decoders for '90 and up vehicles out of curiosity, and it came back with 66 installed options for the vehicle. So of course I was now curious to see if the wider opening was specific to a particular option, and if it was worth getting fixed. Thanks...

- Rob.

 

IIRC The 91-2 pulldowns are a little smaller and less bulky.

 

My current crop of 91s are all early production cars with the early pulldown. The later pulldown is generally more compact, but the part that actually lifts the hatch might be considered more bulky since it has a coil spring loaded latch to 'pop' the hatch up.

All 91-92 hardtops won't have the contact pad for the third brake light since the third brake light wiring follows the dome light harness across the roof.