how would you take that plastic strip offrunning down the middleside of our cars, does it just pop off with a flathead screwdriver?

 

Years 95-96, you canjust "pop them off". I would not suggest using a flathead though, fishing string, old CC card or anything flat like that works. A flathead will just scratch up the paint.
Years 97 & up, after taking off the side mouldings, you will have to weld in the holes because they are held on better than the 95-96 years.