1988 cougar LS side bump stripes

Topic: 1988 cougar LS side bump stripes (Read 978 times) previous topic - next topic

1988 cougar LS side bump stripes

September 12, 2013, 06:12:02 PM

Has anyone ever removed those funky bump stripes that run down the sides of the Cougars? And if show how did you remove them-that glue they use is super glue or something... I would rather have the bump stripes but the ones on the car are shot, any place where I can buy new ones?????

1988 cougar LS side bump stripes

Reply #1 – September 12, 2013, 09:03:43 PM

The side trim between the front and rear wheels are stuck on with heavy duty 3M tape. The trim in front and behind the wheels are fastened with nuts and can be accessed from the inner fender. I recommend leaving the trim in front and behind the wheels in place, or replace them. The bumper trim sticks out and looks a bit goofy and incomplete without those pieces. The inner trim, pull it, but be prepared to do some cleaning and sticky material removal, and possible repainting under it. No new trim pieces or much of anything specific to these cars is available new unless you can do some uber treasure hunting and score some good used, or NOS parts that show up from time to time.

To remove the three per side middle trim pieces, I've seen people just pull them off carefully, and some use a very strong, fine wire to run behind the trim and cut through the sticky tape on the back.

1988 cougar LS side bump stripes

Reply #2 – September 12, 2013, 09:20:48 PM

tks for info....

1988 cougar LS side bump stripes

Reply #3 – September 13, 2013, 07:08:05 AM

Glad to help.

1988 cougar LS side bump stripes

Reply #4 – September 15, 2013, 09:59:09 AM

the front and rear bumper.. part............

the middle color stripe is "made into the rubber"
We all by default have "silver color".

along the center stripe there is a clear removeable cover
i do not suggest you remove it.

to fix it... buy only ***3m*** electrical tape
buy the color spray paint you want the inner stripe to be
unroll and hang up a section of electrical tape and add a weight on the end of the tape to hold it down
spray the side of the tape that will face out
stick the tape over top of your center color trim
tuck it in alont the top edge with a credit card
use a razor to trim off the excess along the bottom horizontal area and tuck that in as well.
i did gold replenishment to my 20th cougar in my signature below.
there is also a link to some information about trim parts in my diy link below as well.
again,, the bumper stuff is made into the bumpers.

on the sides like vinnie said,, its stuck on so if yours is shot, i cant clearly see what you mean by "shot" without a picuture.
what you do is remove them the best you can.
lay them out in the sun and add weights to them and bend as required to get them flat again.
i recommend you over bend them so they flex back to straight.
sand them where needed to take out scuffs.
paint the black portions with "matt black" rustoleum or perhaps high quality bumper spray paint... that stuff works well~!
treat the inner color stripe like described earlier on the front / rear bumper.
you will notice that the side pieces also have a clear cover over top the color stripes in the center. again i do suggest removal of this.
just do the same trick wtih a high quality vinal electrical tape,, not cheap tape because it does not react well with a wide temperature range.
do not*** do not*** do not*** in any way stretch the electrical tape inner stripe when put on, just lay it down and trim / tuck.

to re-install, repeat what was done during assembly of the car, just buy 3m double stick back tape and be done with it.

1988 cougar LS side bump stripes

Reply #5 – September 15, 2013, 12:52:12 PM

On the bolt on side molding pieces, I removed the chrome strip and discarded it, then ordered new black strip for it once it gets home from paint.