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I got the twilights out but how do you get this little bracket they go into off. I need it off to reach behind it to take off the spoiler. Here a couple pictures of what I mean. I took off a bolt but can’t figure out what holds that part on. The spoiler bolts on to the bumper behind where they are attached so I can’t reach the bolts to the spoiler.
IF your rear spoiler has a nut or bolt that is in between where your taillights are..I have had to come up from the bottom to get it with a long extension and I can generally see it. So when i know I can see it...in most cases....I can get to it. . And even though it is a pain in the backside...it can be done.
These taillight retainers are pop riveted to the metal retainer that is attached to your bumper so you can install the sheet metal screws.
Removing these would be a problem.
On some cars I take of the rear bumper while it is still attached to the bumper and then take it off and when I go to put it back on I get the bumper all set then install it.
I honestly do not know how to answer that question do to I run into scenarios like this and the time it takes is just that...the time it takes and having to be really good at problem solving and using common sense...such as using soft putty to hold the washer and nut on your socket when oyu work it back up and try to get it to start on the threaded stud of the rear wing or if you need to install a bolt....figure out how it will work
You just have to figure it out because I cannot see what you have going on ...so I am commenting literally blind here and only able to comment from past experiences and what you say when you type out your concerns. As you are finding out...working on cars is not always as easy as some people may think.
I honestly do not know how to answer that question do to I run into scenarios like this and the time it takes is just that...the time it takes and having to be really good at problem solving and using common sense...such as using soft putty to hold the washer and nut on your socket when oyu work it back up and try to get it to start on the threaded stud of the rear wing or if you need to install a bolt....figure out how it will work
You just have to figure it out because I cannot see what you have going on ...so I am commenting literally blind here and only able to comment from past experiences and what you say when you type out your concerns. As you are finding out...working on cars is not always as easy as some people may think.
DUB
ok, I’ll try to think of something then. I thought you might have done this exact same thing before and knew it or something but you’ve helped enough haha. I’m always asking you questions. I think I’ve asked too many haha.
I finally got the left side of the spoiler off today. I used a lot of extensions and got it from underneath the car. I might cut a slit in that bracket that holds the taillights because I don’t know how I will be able to line up the spoiler bracket and nuts when I go to put it back on. Then I could reach my hand through a hole in that bracket so I could start the nuts before tightening them. I was so glad that the studs on the spoiler didn’t turn. I thought they were at first because there was one locking but which made it a little tight to turn the whole time. I might get the right side tomorrow, too cold today to keep messing with it. I also took the passenger side door molding off the other day. It cracked a little spot in the middle but when it’s back on you won’t be able to tell because it cracked on the back side. I’ll make sure to put some double sided tape right in that spot.
Glad that you got it and YES it sometimes can be a process that takes a bunch of time and a pain in the backside.
IF you cut slit in that plastic bracket you remove all of the integrity of what that bracket is doing in regards to keeping the taillight areas rigid with each other and now they will be independent of each other I know I could NOT do it to your car.
NOT saying that you cannot do it...but I have never cut one due to I would not want to find out what happens and then have to repair out of my own pocket. GM made it like they do for a reason.
And like I would tell the guys who worked for me in the past. " If someone has installed it without cutting it then you should due to they were not super human. So lets figure it out".
Ok, well I guess I won’t cut a slit and see if I can install it without cutting it. I just don’t know if I can hold the bracket up there plus start the threads on the nut. Maybe I will get someone else to help hold the bracket then it will work. I know they installed it but I’m thinking they did it like you said with the bumper off and then installed it.
Getting the bracket on is one ting and holding it there...due to once again....i have no clue on what you are looking at. I am guessing it is an aluminum angle bracket that is attached to long bracket that is bolted to the lower portion of the impact bar. But you can put the nut in a socket and thread it on by hand using your extension. which have had to do many many times before...
I got quite a bit done today. I removed the corner lights and the rear quarter panel front and rear side moldings on it. There was a few nuts that were rusted with the stud but I used an angle grinder and cut them off. There’s one thing that I needed to ask about though. I was about done with the passenger side and noticed that this came loose.
Its where the rear quarter panel bonds with the bumper. Once I put it back together you can move the quarter panel back and forth a little bit then. I didn’t think it looks that hard to fix but wasn’t sure how to do it. I was thinking I could get some body filler and put a layer on there and hold them
together so they bond together again but figured I would ask you if this would work good. If it’s something hard to do then I will just not do anything and ask Maaco to fix it when they paint it.
Well I’ve almost got everything I’m going to take off of it now. Almost all of the body moldings are off, I’ve just got to get to the right front bumper and fender parts. The rest I have to get are the emblems, headlight doors, front license plate filler, and that trim along the targa top. I have the front spoiler almost all off and I still need to get the right side of the rear spoiler. I was thinking I could use this right here to bond that rear quarter panel back into place. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bondo-Gla...saAhTjEALw_wcB
I cannot comment on where and what to use on this area you feel it needs to be bonded due to I cannot see anything in your photo due to lack of proper lighting.
Ok I’ll get some better pictures sometime. I don’t know why I didn’t get a picture from the outside I just noticed that. on the bottom picture that is the passenger rear quarter panel separated from the place the bumper is bolted to. I meant to get a picture from the outside but forgot all about it.
If you are referring to the fiberglass retainer that was bonded on your quarter panel. The stuff you were thinking of using will not work. You need a 2 part product like SEM 39747 to bond that piece back on. CALL SEM directly and they can get you one to use...via through their local rep..
If you are referring to the fiberglass retainer that was bonded on your quarter panel. The stuff you were thinking of using will not work. You need a 2 part product like SEM 39747 to bond that piece back on. CALL SEM directly and they can get you one to use...via through their local rep..
DUB
yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Ok, well I guess if I would have to call and order it and everything I might as well just wait until I drive it to Maaco and ask them to bond it back together since I’m sure they have something like that already there anyway. Thanks again for the help. I’ll probably be putting some pictures on here in a couple of months to show how it turns out.
I got all of the moldings that I’m taking off removed finally. I ordered new hood emblems, bumper emblem, front spoiler, and new window sweeps. I removed all the emblems and the bottom part of the headlights. I still need to get to one nut left on the spoiler then the rest I’m waiting until right before I take it to the paint place to remove so I can drive it around if I want without it looking completely messed up.
finally I got the spoiler off. I ended up taking everything that holds the hole right side of the bumper off so I could pull it out some and then the nut was just straight up from the bottom and a long extension reached it as I pushed the plastic of the taillights back out of the way. Now it’s pretty much ready to go in this next month. Just remove a couple more little things. I also put the license plate back in and taped the taillights so it can be driven now.
I got the metal trim off the targa top today so that’s pretty much all I am doing until the week of taking it there. The person that painted it last left that on and paint rised up and chipped all along the line of it on the targa top. I will be messaging them to set up a time to come there soon. I got to thinking you said you usually remove the door handles but do they need removed always? Because I have to drive it there so if you think they need removed I will just talk to Maaco when I get it there and try to get them to do that, because it would kind of be hard getting in and out without the handles haha.
01-17-2019, 01:59 PM
on the bottom picture that is the passenger rear quarter panel separated from the place the bumper is bolted to. I meant to get a picture from the outside but forgot all about it.
finally I got the spoiler off. I ended up taking everything that holds the hole right side of the bumper off so I could pull it out some and then the nut was just straight up from the bottom and a long extension reached it as I pushed the plastic of the taillights back out of the way. Now it’s pretty much ready to go in this next month. Just remove a couple more little things. I also put the license plate back in and taped the taillights so it can be driven now.
