buick portholes

[Kix_N_Grins]

Well....I took your lead JJ, and visited my Buick dealer (parts) after work tonight. The 25740950 part number from Buy-GM-Parts.com is the same as what he listed. Of course, his part diagram had a picture that was about as big as a pencil point (I could tell it was oval shaped, and that's about it). He didn't have one of the portholes in stock, but in talking with him, he said GM takes pride in "genuine" replacement parts. So his feeling was...if the original required holes in the fender, so will the replacement. But since there were no clips or fasteners listed on his parts drawing, he said it wouldn't suprise him that it WAS adhensive-backed, peel and stick part that also required holes in the fender.

LOL ... I'm getting this feeling it's going to cost me at least one porthole to find out if they require holes in my fender.

I asked him for a price and he quoted $24 something. So, from the Buick parts dealer, it would cost $150 for six, versus $112 from Buy-GM-OParts.com (but still, no listing or picture on-line yet).

Kix

[Jed Rule]

The 25740950 portholes are approximately one inch deep and go 3/4 of an inch inside the fender. My 95 Park Ave has the plastic fenders and was easy to cut with a dremmel tool. I took the measurements off a new '03 at the dealer's lot.
I like the idea about the spoiler. Think I'll try that next.

[Kix_N_Grins]

Originally Posted by Jed Rule

The 25740950 portholes are approximately one inch deep and go 3/4 of an inch inside the fender. My 95 Park Ave has the plastic fenders and was easy to cut with a dremmel tool. I took the measurements off a new '03 at the dealer's lot.
I like the idea about the spoiler. Think I'll try that next.

Thanks, Jed.

LOL, I must have the worst timing in the world. The Buy-GM-Parts.com place never got the part listed and I got tired of waiting. So after work tonight, I stopped by a local Buick dealer and ordered one of the portholes. I figured I could do my "pondering" easier with one in hand, and if I go through with it, order the other five.

I checked my fenders with a magnet, and they're steel (or at least non-aluminum metal). Any ideas on how a person would cut through this. I had thought of using a Dremel tool as well. Do you think this would work on metal? A guy at work said he would probably use a "nibbler" if it was him (he thought using a Dremel might get to hot for the paint/polycoat in the near vicinity). I have neither a Dremel or a nibbler, but figured I would buy a Dremel kit, if it would work. Any thoughts? If the Dremel idea wouldn't work, then I have to consider the costs of a body shop to cut the holes (and risk a bad job on the cut and on the paint/finish). So, I'd be much more hesitant about having it done. Would appreciate anyone's input....

Also Jed, while I'm waiting for my porthole in the next week, can you verify that it's held in place with adhesive (peel-n-stick)?

Thanks again.

Kix

PS. I found a couple more spoiler candidates, aside from the Olds Alero. The 2004 Saturn Ion spoiler looks fairly nice, although it wouldn't stretch all the way across the trunk, and I also saw a early 90's Grand Prix spoiler that looks like it would look nice (but I'm having problems finding one with a picture on-line).

[Jed Rule]

Yes it has peel & stick on the back. I had to go slowly with the dremmel because it melted the plastic/paint.
I wouldn't have done it if I had steel fenders.

[Kix_N_Grins]

Hi Jed,

Could you expand on that? Is the reason you wouldn't have done it on steel becuase it would've been harder to cut the holes, fear of rust, or maybe some other reason I'm overlooking?

Just curious...

Kix

[J J]

Why are you cutting if they are peel and stick????

[Kix_N_Grins]

Originally Posted by J J

Why are you cutting if they are peel and stick????

JJ,

I still haven't got the part in my hand yet, but based on what I've read and researched, the part is peel-n-stick, but still requires holes to be cut.

The porthole actually consists of two parts (although handled as a single piece). The parts are not seperable.

There's a chrome oval-shaped trim ring that mounts flush to the outside of the fender. That part has a oval shaped peel-n-stick adhensive that mounts on the outside of the fender. In the middle of the chrome ovel ring, the actual porthole (black mesh) is recessed about 3/4 of an inch beyond the plane that the chrome ovel ring would sit on.

Since the black mesh part in the center is recessed 3/4 inch beyond the depth of the chrome trim ring, a person still needs to cut the holes for the mesh part to sit in (and then the chrome trim will be flush to the fender).

Kix

[J J]

[quote=Kix_N_Grins]JJ,

I still haven't got the part in my hand yet, but based on what I've read and researched, the part is peel-n-stick, but still requires holes to be cut.

The porthole actually consists of two parts (although handled as a single piece). The parts are not seperable.

There's a chrome oval-shaped trim ring that mounts flush to the outside of the fender. That part has a oval shaped peel-n-stick adhensive that mounts on the outside of the fender. In the middle of the chrome ovel ring, the actual porthole (black mesh) is recessed about 3/4 of an inch beyond the plane that the chrome ovel ring would sit on.

Since the black mesh part in the center is recessed 3/4 inch beyond the depth of the chrome trim ring, a person still needs to cut the holes for the mesh part to sit in (and then the chrome trim will be flush to the fender).

Kix[/QUOTE



Kix -

Bfore you go cutting - I would be very sure. I have seen TWO kind that look identical. The ones on the PA which are functional, and there is the other one (you find them on Lesabres) that don't have a screen - those are for the FUNCTIONAL ones. The non-funstional ones are merely painted black in the center. If you saw one you would see what I'm refering to. My email is [email protected]. Drop me a line when you get yours!!

Mike

[Jed Rule]

What year LeSabre? Except for the new PA's
I haven't seen portholes since the 1960's.

[Kix_N_Grins]

Originally Posted by Kix_N_Grins

JJ,

I still haven't got the part in my hand yet, but based on what I've read and researched, the part is peel-n-stick, but still requires holes to be cut.

The porthole actually consists of two parts (although handled as a single piece). The parts are not seperable.

There's a chrome oval-shaped trim ring that mounts flush to the outside of the fender. That part has a oval shaped peel-n-stick adhensive that mounts on the outside of the fender. In the middle of the chrome ovel ring, the actual porthole (black mesh) is recessed about 3/4 of an inch beyond the plane that the chrome ovel ring would sit on.

Since the black mesh part in the center is recessed 3/4 inch beyond the depth of the chrome trim ring, a person still needs to cut the holes for the mesh part to sit in (and then the chrome trim will be flush to the fender).

Kix

Well.....I got Buick Part #25740950 from my Buick dealer last night. The part is basically as described above in message #22. It is affixed to the car adhesively (peel-n-stick), but it also requires holes to be cut to accommodate the recessed center portion of the part. This is a non-functional porthole. I'm sure a functional porthole would also require the holes.

If there is an alternative part that doesn't require holes to be cut, I haven't been able to find it anywhere on-line and the Buick Dealer isn't aware of any either. If anyone can point me to a part that doesn't require the holes to be cut, it would be very appreciated.

I'm not aware of any LeSabres (except maybe the older one's), that have portholes. My LeSabre is a 2000 model. I know that the 1992-1999 or 2000-2004 LeSabres don't have portholes (the 2003/2004 Park Ave Ultra's are the only recent ones that I've seen). But I'm a newbie in Buick-land, so I'm sure there's much I haven't seen....

Next step before I buy the other 5 portholes is to find out how much it's going to cost me to have 3 oval holes cut into each of my fenders. Also, the area of the porthole part that contacts the fender is perfectly flat. My LeSabre fenders are somewhat rounded from top to bottom. I'm going to have to figure out how much gap there will be since the part isn't going to be flush with the fender in the vertical direction. The adhesive strip on the part is made of a thin type of rubber, and looks like it will cause the porthole (chrome ring) to sit about 1/64-1/32 higher then the fender (there would be a small gap between it and the fender, even if the fender were perfectly flat).

Kix

PS. I found a custom spoiler that will fit a newer Park Ave or LeSabre at California Dream or Spoilers4Less.com. The spoiler sits about 2 inches above the trunk lid. They didn't have a picture oof it on a Buick, but showed a picture of it on a 1994 (or so) Monte Carlo. The spoiler has a LED light built into it (my third brake light is at the bottom of my rear window). My concern with the Olds Alero spoiler was that it was 3 inches high, had no LED built in, and would potentially block my rear window brake light.

[J J]

Our local deal had 3 2004 Lesabre limited's with the portholes on them. They appeared to be TOTALLY surface mounted, but will go back out there this weekend and take a closer look. thanks for all the reply's and suggestions!

[Jed Rule]

I can't believe there are 26 posts about portholes.
And I thought I had too much time on MY hands.

[Kix_N_Grins]

Originally Posted by Jed Rule

I can't believe there are 26 posts about portholes.
And I thought I had too much time on MY hands.

I'll trouble you and this board no more, Jed (and try to spend my time in better ways)...

Thanks to those that helped me. It "saved" me a lot of time, and hopefully, the 26 messages of notes above will help someone else in the future...

Kix

[Jed Rule]

Kix, it's your dime so you can say all that you want.
I was impressed with the enthusiasm of all the guys who wrote in about an insignificant car part.
You sound like my kind of people.

[tman]

If this was the honda civic board, would you complain about vynil decals that add nothing to the car? Probly not. Absolutly NO new cars contain portholes, except the new Ultra, so we want a unique way to jazz up out cars. If you have a problem with mods that add no functionality to the car, I invite you to vent in this forum:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...play.php?f=661

If you continue to cause disturbances in the buick forums, all necessary actions WILL be taken.