Remove the vent grill and you'll see the heads of 3 bolts. Use a 10mm socket to remove them.
At the trailing edge of the panel is a little square button, next to the trunk weather seal. Don't try to pry it out just yet. Remove the screw on the top surface with a phillips screwdriver and pull that plug out. It has a long split shank on the backside that the screw goes through to hold the panel at the rear.
Some models, and I believe it's the 88 only, have a screw at the top front of the panel. I've removed the panels from 86's and 87's and didn't find a screw. Remove it if yours has one. It's in a recessed hole. There may even be a button covering the hole.
Using a 1 or 2 inch wide putty knife, slide it along the underside of the panel in the area where the grill covers the screws. This is to separate the double side tape from the panel.
Once this is done, you can start at the front top and pull down with a little effort and start to work the filler panel out from under the lip of the body. You may have to roll the side of the trunk weather strip over in the area where the square button retainer was, just for clearance top get the rear end out.
You will probably encounter some of the black butyl rubber gunk at the front upper end. Prepare for cleaning it off your hands and maybe parts of the car.
On an '86 GT that I've had apart for the past year, I had taken the passenger side inner quarter window trim off because it was sitting too low.
I, ummm... can't find the trim piece at the moment ... but what actually is supposed to hold it in position up tight against the underside of the back of the roof?
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 09-02-2015).]
Patrick, I think that doubleside foam tape at the bottom edge helps to support it. Also, the points where the 3 bolts hold the panel in should be relative to the buttress flange. They go into a solid base when they have their threaded metal clips in place on the body flanges.
Edited to add that the upper front edge is where I've always found the butyl rubber adhesive. The trim tucks up under and the adhesive holds it in place. A couple of pictures coming in a moment.
[This message has been edited by fierofool (edited 09-03-2015).]
This is the lower edge where the double side tape has to be separated from the trim piece. It also acts as a noise suppressor and support for the trim piece.
This is where the strip of butyl adhesive is located.
fierofool what year model is that? Interesting... I have an 88gt, looks like they changed up the design a bit on the 88. No double sided tape on the bottem, and at the top No butyle sealant, they used a 1/4" hole with a Christmas tree / barb fastener holding it up. added... Mine also has 2 blk plastic bumper pieces, screwed into each side of rear clip along the underside of the "C" pillar to help prevent rattling. Do other year model use these?
[This message has been edited by Orig88GT-NC (edited 09-03-2015).]
This particular one is from an 86 but my 87 is the same. I had read that the 88 had a fastener of some kind at the top front, but I've never encountered an 88. Apparently it was a Christmas Tree fastener as you indicate rather than the screw that I thought was used. The lack of tape at the bottom might be as a result of the change in the strut mount location, but I would suspect the area would still be the same since the rear clip and all other trim is interchangeable from year to year. The other years have the little rubber bumpers in them, too. Similar to the bumpers in the hood that keep the headlight doors from rattling when closed. If you really look close in my first picture you can see them. I think that might be to keep the grill from rattling? since the heads are on the top surface.
This is from my 87. You can see the foam tape between the body and the bottom of the filler panel. The harness goes underneath the foam rubber strip.
[This message has been edited by fierofool (edited 09-03-2015).]
Patrick, I think that doubleside foam tape at the bottom edge helps to support it. Also, the points where the 3 bolts hold the panel in should be relative to the buttress flange. They go into a solid base when they have their threaded metal clips in place on the body flanges.
Edited to add that the upper front edge is where I've always found the butyl rubber adhesive. The trim tucks up under and the adhesive holds it in place. A couple of pictures coming in a moment.
Charlie, thanks for the info and images. It's been so long since I took this trim piece off (this is an "extra" Fiero I haven't been driving) that I've sort of forgotten how it was originally sitting.
I recall when I disassembled this thinking that I'd try putting some washers on the bolts below the trim piece to push the side panel up a bit. Do you think that'll help hold it in place at the top, or is there something I'm missing that would prevent this from occurring?
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 09-03-2015).]
Originally posted by fierofool: ....... The lack of tape at the bottom might be as a result of the change in the strut mount location, but I would suspect the area would still be the same since the rear clip and all other trim is interchangeable from year to year. The other years have the little rubber bumpers in them, too. Similar to the bumpers in the hood that keep the headlight doors from rattling when closed. If you really look close in my first picture you can see them. I think that might be to keep the grill from rattling? since the heads are on the top surface. This is from my 87. You can see the foam tape between the body and the bottom of the filler panel. The harness goes underneath the foam rubber strip.
Yes mine has the same rubber bumpers at the bottom( to support the grill(s) ) heres a pic of the bumper pieces I was referring.
**The thick Foam seal under the trim panel and over the wiring harness is only single sided taped to the chassis frame on my 88Gt....
quote
Originally posted by Patrick: ............. I recall when I disassembled this thinking that I'd try putting some washers on the bolts below the trim piece to push the side panel up a bit. Do you think that'll help hold it in place at the top, or is there something I'm missing that would prevent this from occurring?
Could per 88 models be modded to use a Christmas tree/barb fastener at the top? If the rear SMC clip is the same, this should be a simple mod and should hold better than butyl sealant.
I recall when I disassembled this thinking that I'd try putting some washers on the bolts below the trim piece to push the side panel up a bit. Do you think that'll help hold it in place at the top, or is there something I'm missing that would prevent this from occurring?
The metal clips that the bolt goes through actually has the threaded nut combined in it. They fit tightly under a metal body flange and over the top of the trim piece. You might be able to spring them open a bit to get a spacer or washer in there.
@ orig88gt, if my 87 or the two 86's had that rubber piece, I didn't notice it. There isn't enough in your picture that I can determine where those pieces are mounted. If they're on the trim filler, they definitely aren't on the 86's and 87's.
I thought the foam was double side adhesive because they were stuck to the bottoms of the trim pieces. Maybe just due to having been in contact for 20 odd years.
OK, I backed away from the screen a little and I can see that the rubber pieces are mounted to the top of the rear clip. I didn't notice them on mine. Not to say they were or weren't there, though.
[This message has been edited by fierofool (edited 09-03-2015).]
Could per 88 models be modded to use a Christmas tree/barb fastener at the top? If the rear SMC clip is the same, this should be a simple mod and should hold better than butyl sealant.
quote
Originally posted by fierofool:
The metal clips that the bolt goes through actually has the threaded nut combined in it. They fit tightly under a metal body flange and over the top of the trim piece. You might be able to spring them open a bit to get a spacer or washer in there.
Thanks guys. I'll have a closer look if it ever stops raining here.
I recall when I disassembled this thinking that I'd try putting some washers on the bolts below the trim piece to push the side panel up a bit. Do you think that'll help hold it in place at the top, or is there something I'm missing that would prevent this from occurring?
quote
Originally posted by fierofool:
The metal clips that the bolt goes through actually has the threaded nut combined in it. They fit tightly under a metal body flange and over the top of the trim piece. You might be able to spring them open a bit to get a spacer or washer in there.
Thought I should report back now that I finally got this back together. Turned out that putting a couple of washers under the metal nut-clip thing located closest to the rear window worked perfectly. It raised the assembly an eighth inch or so, just enough for the top of the assembly to stay tightly wedged behind the lip along the edge of the fastback roof-line buttress. I've added an arrow to Charlie's image to show where the washer(s) went.
I didn't see any place to put an '88 style clip at the top, but as it turned out, it wasn't necessary. I didn't even need to re-use any of the original goop, as it was a very snug fit. I'm a happy camper as I don't think this has ever fit properly before.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 09-22-2015).]
... but what actually is supposed to hold it in position up tight against the underside of the back of the roof?.JPG)
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If the rear SMC clip is the same, this should be a simple mod and should hold better than butyl sealant.
