My 1982 Trans Am with t-tops has these odd little "plugs" right in the center of the rocker panels, directly next to the "Body By Fisher" stamp on the lower door areas. I figured it must've been one of those weird 82 - 84 things, but .. my 84 S/E does not have it. Neither does my 85 base bird. But both of them are hardtops.. OK so then I figured it must be t-tops only.. but a friend of mine's hardtop 82 Trans Am also has the "plugs". So now I'm pretty confused. If I had a Parts&Illustration manual I'm sure they'd be listed, but I don't have one. ANy ideas? Here's a picture where it shows up as a little dot:

Also I'm curious to know the purpose and function of the little metal tab thing on the inner door jamb found only on t-top cars.
thanks
GT

 

The little metal tabs in the door jam correspond with a plastic tab on the doors. The idea is that the two pieces will make an interference fit when the doors are closed which will prevent the doors from rattling. BUT... Since all thirdgens eventually have trouble with the lower hinges wearing out the doors place too much weight and subsequently wear on the tabs, the plastic piece usually is worn heavily. So, they're basically pointless.

 

My hardtop 82 S/E has those plastic tabs..... My hardtop 83 S/E does not.
It was 82 only.

 

It's possible that the plugs have nothing to do with the car itself. In the 80's, Rusty Jones was popular to dealers for undercoating cars prior to consumer pickup. They drilled holes throughout the car so they could spray their undercoating in the area then covered the hole with a plug. You probably also have them in the lower 1/3 of each door. My cars has them in the doors, but not in the rockers and my car was Rusty Jones'd.

 

My old 83 T-top car also had that plug thingy.

 

Cool.. actually I think rustproofing would actually explain it .. because the location of the plugs on each side is not symmetrical. The one on the driver's side is further back by a couple of inches. I have rustproofing documentation for my car (applied when it had 000008 miles.. wow) and it was called "Dealer's Choice Rust Inhibitor" by "Automobile Dealer's Choice, Inc." So I guess that's not Rusty Jones, I don't know. And I noticed 83firebirdS/E's 82 S/E had TWO on one side! My friend's 82 T/A hardtop I mentioned before has the hole drilled on the vertical part of the rocker panel, not the horizontal part.. basically all the cars so far have different holes, asymmetrical holes, and different-looking plugs.. more proof that it was some post-factory job.. thanks for all the replies.

 

Yes Kizz, those are rustproofing plugs.