removing body panels?

[86FieroGT]

I think I'm finally going to get my car painted. Does anyone have info on how to remove the body panels? My crappy Hayne's manual only covers the front fenders and rear fascia.

Thanks a lot.

[Ragtop_Renegade]

Yea, mine too. I've found it's not too hard to figure out if you are patient with them. They're pretty flexible, if you just take it slow and feel out the screws things come apart pretty easy. One thing to watch out for is the nose cone to core support screws, the holes like to tear out. Mine had been backed into before I bought it and the nose cone doesn't look bad from the outside but when you lift the hood you can see it's all torn up.

[86FieroGT]

Thanks. Does anyone have more info? Maybe a complete guide? And how long will it actually take? Thanks.

[coop8267]

ive taken the whole body off my car. i just took out every fastner that was holding a part on. me and my 13 year old cousin did it in like 4 hours. the only tricky parts are the rocker panels and the roof. the rocker panels have metal rivets. to remove those just use a nail punch to knock the center out them pry them off. and the roof has that black sticky tar crap under it. good luck

[fieronut]

(roof)take seats out, take out the plastic moldings around the headliner, sunroof screws and latch (watch the plastic clips when you pull down the headliner(very fragile) there are bolts with urathane or rubber gromets roof and rear roof
CAREFULL WHEN REMOVING ROOF PANELS they are urathaned on to the top and along the winshield. THEY WILL CRACK. MUST REMOVE WINSHIELD

(rear facia) take out the lamps there are plastic push rivets along the metal support and along the rear bottom use a pair of pliers and dont forget to unbolt the inner fender wells.

recomend painting doors together door skins are a pain in the butt

everything else is pretty simple
hope that helps

[RedFiero]

Originally Posted by fieronut

(roof)take seats out, take out the plastic moldings around the headliner, sunroof screws and latch (watch the plastic clips when you pull down the headliner(very fragile) there are bolts with urathane or rubber gromets roof and rear roof
CAREFULL WHEN REMOVING ROOF PANELS they are urathaned on to the top and along the winshield. THEY WILL CRACK. MUST REMOVE WINSHIELD

(rear facia) take out the lamps there are plastic push rivets along the metal support and along the rear bottom use a pair of pliers and dont forget to unbolt the inner fender wells.

recomend painting doors together door skins are a pain in the butt

everything else is pretty simple
hope that helps

You do not need to remove the windshield in order to remove the roof panel. A good hot hair dryer can make removingvthe panel soooo much easier. I replaced my roof (put in a sunroof) without removing the windshield.