Thread: shaving the trunk lock

I know some of you have done this, but I
want to see some pics, and see if there
was any complications. My neighbor is going to
do it for me since he is a custom body man.

He is also playing with the idea of shaving the
side mouldings in the middle of the doors, and shavin
the handles as well.

Done it a few times myself. Its pretty easy to do really.

Click me:
Farnsworth's Flame

Is a link to my car when I did it.

Notice how I had the whole car stripped, but went back with the side trim on the doors and body. Yes...I could of welded shut the holed they leave behind, but realized the facts...many people out there are a-holes and do not watch their doors. One door into the side of my car would be all she wrote. Door dings stick out as bad as somebody taking a sledge hammer to the side of your car IMO. I knew it would be cool...but in the real world not worth the risk.

Glad I went with my decision to reinstall them.

And did another lid up for a local cause he was getting a different spoiler and couldn't locate a SE lid or a willing owner to trade with.



I only took care of the welding and filling and prep work. He had his paint guy paint it to match.


You just have to take special care to prep the metal before during, and after you weld and also take care not to let it heat up too much or it will distort the metal baaaad because this is thin gaged metal these cars use today...not like the thick stuff they used to use back then. But since your having a professional do this...he will already know how to do all this anyways and know what to do and watch for.

~F~

Hey Jason!!!

Could you still use the factory
FOB lock pop with it shaved?

OR did you have to put in a new actuator/popper?

Also What did you use to do the front and rear bumpers
to smooth them out? Have you had any problems with
flexing or cracking? I am looking at shaving the whole
front bumper including the pontiac license plate frame
and all.

Yeah the guy that is doing it is my neighbor, and in
1 weekend, he shaved his handles, locks, bumper, tail lights,
welded in a custom roll pan, antenna, mouldings and did ZR1
tail lights and had it on its first stages of sanding and filling.

I would say the guy is very good and efficient at what he does.

Do it, I have plans to shave my trunk lock, handles and side mouldings some day. I want to see pics of a car done!

Well mine is not done yet
But this is what it would look like if
it was done and i really like the look very smooth.

Looks good in red!

Originally Posted by TNTSS

Hey Jason!!!

Could you still use the factory
FOB lock pop with it shaved?

OR did you have to put in a new actuator/popper?

Also What did you use to do the front and rear bumpers
to smooth them out? Have you had any problems with
flexing or cracking? I am looking at shaving the whole
front bumper including the pontiac license plate frame
and all.

Yes you can with out a problem. The keyless entry, as well as the button in the glove box is your only access now. My car is a 1997, and I upgraded the latch to the new style, which I believe was from a 2001 that has the glow in the dark "T" handle, so worse case if the cars electrical system is dead, and I need into the trunk for what ever reason, I can still open the trunk with that handle through the rear seat fold down. I'm just planning ahead on that, just in case you know.

For the front and rear bumpers I have posted that hundreds of times on "the other forum" of what was used to fill the grooves, yet, remain flexible. I cannot remember for the life of me right now what the stuff we used is called, sorry.

No...no cracks, or breaks as of today. I did it right the first time.

I had considered filling in the front license plate as well because in Kansas we are not required to run a front plate, but that doesn't mean I might move later in life to a state that does, and didn't what to have to add a bracket, so I left it functionable, again...planning ahead.

~F~

Originally Posted by David99GTP

Looks good in red!

and in white.

~F~

Ya, just like that.

Nice prep. and paint on that lid, looks fantastic!

~F~

Originally Posted by GR8racingfool

and in white.

~F~

It does, I am just partial to red. 6 of my last 7 cars were red including my current GTP, and Cobalt LOL
I have owned 2 white cars though.

Thanks for posting the white one since my car is white.

So I got the trunk off and it is now on the stands for the Brazillian treatment.

I am molding the SD wing into it as well.

Also got the SD hood going into the booth for paint as well.

Your going to mold the wing into it?

Ya, would look cool for sure...but damn...if you ever want to, or need to remove it...

Here is a few more ass shots I found for you:





Cant wait to see yours when its all done, sounds like its going to come out great!

~F~

Hey Farns...

Your's looks pretty good man!

I am gonna mold in the wing, but the only down fall to that
is that I might have a water puddle problem. You know the "BIRD BATH"
theory...

I need to get the write up on the materials that you used to smooth your
bumpers... I got my hands on a front and rear bumper, and so it is now off
to the garage to start gettin it done.

But what if the battery dies and you really really have to get into the trunk before anything else... I love the shaved trunk locks. I haven't had one since 1999 and surprisingly I've never ran across a time I really needed it. I have the fold down rear seats now with the GXP swap, but my amp would still be in the way.

Farns' GP always looks purty!! I was hoping to de-rib this year (and shave the side molding like my first GTP), but not looking like it will happen now. Always thought those ribs were an eyesore since I saw the SoLo GP at GPG2000.

Not sure I would mold the spoiler to the trunk. What if you needed to remove it for whatever reason or it got damaged? Or like me you changed your mind and had to own every spoiler ever made for the GPs (almost)?

Here's mine:

I just thought of something why you should NOT mold the spoiler into the trunk lid. Learn from others mistakes.

You have to take into account the expansion rate of the two different materials. One being steel, and one being fiberglass. Heat, cold, humidity, direct sun light, sudden temperature change such as washing your car on a hot day, or a hot summer day rain shower. Or even a cold morning coming after a nice hot day.

The steel and fiberglass have two different expansion rates meaning one will expand slower than the other and one will shrink slower than the other according to temperature. What you would be doing would be like putting a seat belt on the spoiler where it could not move, but when it does move, your molding work will crack and break guaranteed.

The only way around this is if your car spends 98% of its life in a climate controlled area.

I say good idea...but not a good one long term. Sucks, cause it would look cool.

The "bird bath" is not a theory...its an event and molding the spoiler into the trunk lid will no effect on the lake effect.


~F~

Very true Farns. I have pics of an SD or F1 spoiler blown up like a bag of popcorn as well because the owner sealed the holes on the bottom of the spoiler. Too many practical issues not to do it.