How do I remove the body panels ? praticular order ?

[Unameduser]

I have a 2000 Firebird, with minor damage to the front bumper peice, also the right front and back quarter panels. I want to know if there is a order to dissassemble things, I don't want to get involved in a project just to find I'm doing it wrong and have to back track or whatever. Any help would be apreciated links advice whatever. Sorry if I'm posting a question allready addressed elsewhere. Oh and how do you add a picture of your own where the avatars go, couldn't figure that out either... thnx

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: How do I remove the body panels ? praticular order ?

Well unfortunetely, the only way to remove the rear quarter panel is to cut it off and weld a new one in. So you will be left with either some skilled hammering, or body filler. To take the front bumper and fender off, there really isn't a necessary order, but the fender and front bumper are attached at one point. It would probably be easier to take the fender off first, followed by the front bumper. It can be done entirely with a 10mm and 7mm socket and a flat screwdriver or pair of pliers, depending on how stubborn the clips are on the top and bottom of the bumper.


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[Christopherrr]

Re: How do I remove the body panels ? praticular order ?

Actually...

You need to remove the bumper first seeing it's bolted to the fender. Then the fender itself.

The bumper is held on by three retaining clips at the nose, two bolts/screws at the headlamps attaching it to the fender, screws underneath that attach it to the shroud.

The fender is attached by screws underneath the car right behind the wheels. They are usually broken seeing how people think these are jack points...they aren't. You have bolt behind the door hindge and of course the bolts that run the length of the hood.

Forget the rear qt panel if you don't know how to work with body tools.

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: How do I remove the body panels ? praticular order ?

The fender is only attached to the bumper with 3 10mm bolts on a bracket. There is no particular order the panels have to come off, because either way, you have to take that bracket off; for the bumper, or for the fender.

[Unameduser]

Re: How do I remove the body panels ? praticular order ?

Apreciate the help and actualy I was looking at it wrong it would be the back bumper I'd want to remove, to try to fix where dirt or sand has eaten through it a little. Noticed a phillips screw up in there just now, hopefully that's fairly simple too. I'm no expert but I have a freind who used to do fiberglass work for a living, so I'm gonna try to fix this without a body shop. It's a pretty car would look exactly like the one on the top of this page if it were fixxed up. After this Is done I'll be looking for a chip that's been kind of elusive, 115 seems slow after a while. There's a track fairly local I could drag on, and plan on working up to it.... Thnx though now I won't be hunting screws, clips, and brackets.