My '85 GP looks to have come with a factory option I believe of a bump strip molding down the sides. Pretty ugly if you ask me. It's a 1/2" wide black/grey stick-on plastic deal. I've been online looking to see if it was aftermarket or a factory option and I've seen quite a few GP's with them and quite a few without it. So I'm betting it was an option from the factory or dealer put it on. Looks like it's just stuck on with double side tape. Is the consensus that this grandma bump strip on the sides needs to go? I'm looking to keep the GP LE badges though, I can live them.
Removing Side molding aka Bump strip
- Thread starter FL85GrandPrix
- Start date
- Status
I intentionally ordered that option in 1982 since I was worried (at the time) of getting dents on my doors. However, after a few years, I took those moldings off because they did not look particularly attractive. If I needed to go to a mall, I made it a point to always parked way in the back -- so far, no dents... 
Here are a few pictures of my GP over the years: 1) 1982 - As purchased; 2) 1984 - After some mods; 3) 2005 - More mods; 4) 2012 - Guard strips and lower chrome moldings removed.
kiko- I noticed you removed the door and hood chrome also. The bump strip and the grand prix LE logos on the side need to go. I'm on the fence about the lower chrome panels and the hood and door chrome strips.... How do you remove the lower chrome pieces w/out damaging them? How are they attached, will they leave holes that need plugged?
The lower chrome moldings are held in place by plastic tabs. These tabs slide onto small posts, which are tacked to the body. After unscrewing a few screws (which are visible), you just push up on the molding and it slips off the posts. I was repainting the car, so the posts were grounded off. Below is a picture right after I removed the molding -- all that accumulated dirt hidden under it...
so cars that came from the factory with lower chrome skirts have "studs" on the body panels which essentially would need ground off and painted over. Not something you can just remove the chrome and buff out. I'm betting the plastic pieces on mine are wore out and that's why the chrome panels are not "tight". The more I think about the lower chrome.... the more it has to go!
Kiko- I see you got rid of the center hood crown molding. Interested to see what the nose section looks like with all that removed...
Kiko- I see you got rid of the center hood crown molding. Interested to see what the nose section looks like with all that removed...
The 1983 GP model did not have the center hood molding, nor the hood ornament -- see previous pictures that I posted, especially the original 1982 -- you can kind of make it out that there was nothing on top of the hood. I was happy about that when I ordered my GP, since I was going to request a "delete option" on those two items. Same as with the "radio delete" because I did not want an antenna poking out of the front right fender .
Here's how the hood looks now (pins removed):
.Here's how the hood looks now (pins removed):
My T-type had factory Side mouldings:
I wanted to keep them after the repaint, but my dad talked me out of them. I think it looks better without. Dad was right.
I wanted to keep them after the repaint, but my dad talked me out of them. I think it looks better without. Dad was right.
- Status
