To debadge, or not to debadge?

**bbeck** · 12-13-2010

So I've got an 01 special edition. Was looking for some feedback on whether I should debadge it or not. These pictures are old, and break calipers have been painted red since they were taken, but I am thinking about re-painting them black. Some guy was also nice enough to back up into me in a parking lot also and bust up the rear bumper to match the damage on the right rear quarter (there when I bought it). I'm planning to do a bit of modding over the holidays here and would also like some feedback on my plans.

1. new headlights w/clear corners.
2. new tails. right one also got cracked by the nice guy. maybe aftermarket but possibly just replace stock and tint them?
3. probably that lip for the front from pfyc.com (dont remember brand) since I live in the boonies and hit a raccoon cracking the fascia.
4. paint fascia on lip black?
5. Possibly painting the black trim between the doors galaxy silver to match the rest of the car.
6. paint rear fascia black? not sure if thats what its called. possibly painting the pontiac inlay silver.
7. oh yeah and possibly debadging!

**machinegunsquid** · 12-13-2010

I think it'd look great with the SD front lip, makes the car look more aggressive. Im not one to really like the debadge, but I think it'd look good on your car.

The painting the Fascias is up to you (which i guess all the mods are really) but I think it looks just fine the stock color. The rear inlays look great, I've had them on both my cars, its a nice finishing touch.

I dont like the B-Pillars painted. Black is the only way to go IMO.

Finally...Tint the stock tails.

It's a damn good looking car already, I envy the roof rails.
Keep us updated on what all you do to it.

**bbeck** · 12-13-2010

My only reasoning for painting the fascia is becuase for some reason the front and rear seem to be different shades of gray. The B-pillars will need to be repainted even if it is with black cuz they are peeling a bit, so I figured I'd get some feedback on different colors. I probly will stick with stock tails and tint them just because all the aftermarket ones look really ricey. I'll definetly keep you all updated!

**machinegunsquid** · 12-13-2010

Yeah, the aftermarket ones are ricey. I've got a set I got locally for cheap (my tails were tinted and the law didnt like it) and they are def. ricey. Im gonna have Flip tint them, he does amazing work.

I had to paint the B-Pillars on mine, for the same reason, they looked terrible.

And if they dont look the same color, paint away! My front/rear fascia were silver, but once I got my SD lip, I kept it all black, with silver inlays.

**bbeck** · 12-13-2010

Yeah that is the lip I'm planning on getting. Speaking of the law, I live in a really small town (750 people) and there is one cop. This one cop got me for a drinking ticket a couple years ago and has since pulled me over for doing 2 over through town, a tail light out, and because he thought I had my brights on through town, which I didn't. So maybe tinting them would be a bad idea haha. With the fascia tho I might just do a darker silver like it is now but make sure they both match, and I cant do inlay on the front cuz illinois has to have a front plate :/

**machinegunsquid** · 12-13-2010

The lip is awesome, really makes the front look better, its also pretty damn thick. I hit a raccoon doin 70ish, and it tore my bumper to hell, but I think that the SD lip could take it fine.

I live in a small town, with 2 cops (they hate me) and pulled me over daily when my tails were tinted.

As long as you dont have them too dark, and the light output is good, they cant say ****.

**rynoman03** · 12-13-2010

Do it!

**machinegunsquid** · 12-13-2010

Originally Posted by rynoman03

Do it!

What he said.

Also, whatever you do paint, make sure to clear coat it...too many people dont, and it looks like **** a few months later

**bbeck** · 12-13-2010

Originally Posted by rynoman03

Do it!

Are you talking about debadging or the tinting? haha

I definetly figured that an aftermarket would have handled the raccoon better, and I will definetly clear coat. I hate when people do it and it looks spray painted, and yeah I will probably tint them even if it's just a couple coats, I do think if they were like pitch black it would look kinda weird, but if I can get them just a bit darker I'd be happy. There is a ricer guy in town that has tinted a lot of tail lights so I might look into having him do it, all of his work looks nice.

**Odi** · 12-13-2010

debadge, leave the special edition vinyl sticker in the back and 75th anniversary buttons on the doors if u have them.

**bbeck** · 12-13-2010

Yeah I have the buttons. Sadly I believe the vinyl is on the rear bumper not the trunk lid. So the vinyl will be lost since I have to replace the bumper :/

Just realised you have a se also. The vinyl is on the bumper isn't it? I hope I'm not just hallucinating.

**Odi** · 12-13-2010

yes, it is on the bumper. take a picture of it and measure it, PM the details to matt from reflective concepts, he might make u new ones for cheap.

**nawarkk** · 12-13-2010

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1706718_n.jpg

Just to get a picture, That's my old gt. I think it looks good..

**The Guz** · 12-13-2010

Debadge it and add the SD air dam. It does look good. You can have reflective concepts help you out on the special edition badge on the rear.

**matt5112** · 12-13-2010

Things you should do:

Remove "grand prix" from sides and rear.

Remove dealer sticker on trunk.

Remove dealer front filler and get a pontiac front filler plate.

Leave the tails un-tinted or get some FLIP tails.

window tint.

No idea if this has been covered.

Clear corners wouldn't look that much better.

Tinted corners would look better.

**TLSheff** · 12-13-2010

^^ This ^^

**bbeck** · 12-13-2010

Ya i was thinking window tint as well. The dealer front filler has been replaced with my front plate since illinois has to have one. Otherwise I would definetly have a front filler. I do like removing "grand prix" from the rear and sides, just leaving GT and the 75th button. I think it will clean it up quite a bit. I am also pretty much 100% sure about the SD front. I had a question about it tho. It does just fit over the bumper right? I will probably look into a reflective concepts SE vinyl. Maybe in black this time tho.

How is everyone feeling about painting the front and rear fascia black? I think it would mesh nicely with the black trim throughout the rest of the car. and silver inlays for rear fascia?

**Odi** · 12-14-2010

everything u listed has been done. i do say tho, i dont like the GT u want to leave.

**The Guz** · 12-14-2010

Completely remove all of the badges including the GT. To answer your question the SD air dam fits right over the factory bumper. Clear corners will look fine or you can do black headlights and black corners but not tinted.

**bbeck** · 03-16-2011

Well, I know it's been a while. Here is some of the work I got done lately. Sadly, I lost my job a little while back, so I didn't have the funds for some of the more major projects. They are still in the works tho.

Painted fascia. Had to fix it where I hit the raccoon. Turned out decent, but still needs to be buffed. Still planning on SD air damn when I can afford it.

Debadged door. Wheel gap is awful from this angle. Rims and car in general are terribly dirty. Although our whole GP family is kinda visible. Gray '93 SE used to be mine, but is now my dad's daily driver, it has 265k miles. Also my brother's red '95 SE has about 95k miles. I will take a better family portrait once the weather is better and I can get them all cleaned up :P

Debadged trunk. Painted rear fascia. Needs a little touch up still.

Poor man's CAI. Filter duct taped that night because I didn't have a clamp big enough. Did a little engine bay painting, but it's still quite a mess.

I'll post some more pics as soon as I get a chance to clean her up a little better.