IHADAV8.com - Turbo Buick Tech, and Nonsense
Tech Area => Paint and Body => Topic started by: Iownagn-gs on July 05 2011, 03:18:44 PM
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The body shop that installed my new GM fillers could NOT get them to fit right. They are way too tight where the fillers go between the taillights. Right now, the fillers are slightly kinked on the ends mostly at the left and right sides of the tail light area. Is it possible to use a heat gun and bend the ends of the tail lights just enough to eliminate the problem? Not sure if this may be part of the problem, the date stamp on the tail lights is 1984 and my GN is an '87.
Thanks,
Walt
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Are they genuine GM fillers? You shouldn't need to do any heating, cutting, etc. First thing that comes to mind is to use more bumper mounts shims. The date stamp doesn't make a difference. Did you take a look at them? Maybe they are making a mistake.
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I'm heading over to BS shortly, I'll take a few shots and post them. I can show the areas I'm talking about. The tops of the fillers sort of fit into the bottom area of the tail lights. These are the areas that are real snug against the fillers. I'm pretty sure there is no room for movement either with the fillers or the tail lights.
To be continued.
Walt
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That would help a lot.
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Got a few pics here. The very tops of the fillers are tucked inside the bottom of the tail light lens framing. There is NO way this can be correct. the Geometry isn't there.
Both parts seem to be equal in length, therefore, one is not going to fit into the other without something bending and this is exactly what is happening to the softer fillers.
If left uncorrected, my 750.00 fillers are going to be trash! I am seriously pissed off!
I can't remember, but, do the tops of the rear fillers butt up against and mate with the bottoms of the tail lights?
Getting desperate,
Walt
Getting an Internal Server Error, won't let me send any pics
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Pics may be too large. Email them to me and I will post. ihadav8@gmail.com, or load them onto Photobucket and link.
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Pics may be too large. Email them to me and I will post. ihadav8@gmail.com, or load them onto Photobucket and link.
I tried to post some pics the other day and got the same error and the pics were smaller than the max listed on the page.
AJ___
Oh that was the reason I posted that link as I figured something was wrong.
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I will look into it. Right now, I am trying to figure out the bumper filler issue.
They seem to be too wide - I would pull the bumper, and and dry fit everything, measure the tops of the fillers vs the bottom of the lights, and generally check all mounting points.
*I* think the body shop has them mounted wrong. And these are genuine GM fillers, NOT aftermarket?
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Yes, they are NOS GM fillers. They also installed NOS GM to the fronts and they look perfect. I thought when the fillers are mounted, that's it, no adjustments, nothing, just perfect looking? $700.00 for the rear fillers and I get this!
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That's assuming the tail light assemblies, brackets and bumper are mounted correctly.
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U first name Mark? Thanks for your time, so, what you're saying is, with more time and patience, this can be corrected? Wonder if anyone else has had this experience?
Now, looks like I need another tail light assembly for passenger side.
It never ends!
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U first name Mark?
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Can you show us a pic at a different angle? (reflections obscuring some of the detail)
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Gimme a minute, I will pull the pics he emailed and link.
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Photobucket Album:
http://s1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/Tail.jpg)
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/Tail2.jpg)
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/Tail3.jpg)
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/Tail4.jpg)
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/Tail5.jpg)
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/Tail6.jpg)
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Guys, my wife will give me her car in hour or so. I'll head over to BS and get better pics if I can.
Thanks,
Walt
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Hopefully, these are better pics. Body shop is of the opinion the NOS GM rear fillers
were not made right, as being too long. What really bothers me is I bought one of the NOS from a Buick Dealership in Alabama, not far from the old Postons Buick. The other side rear was purchased from Old Buick Parts in New Jersey. How in God's name can two fillers, coming from different sources have the same identical major malfunction? Knowing the problem, what, if anything can be done to either the fillers, or the tail lights to make a more professional looking job???
Nuts!!!! same trouble sending photos. I'll e-mail these to ihadav8@gmail.com
Internal error.
Thanks,
Walt
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I don't think it's the fillers - but something is definitely wrong. I would get them off the car before the stress cracks or weakens them. Pull it all apart, and figure out what the issue is before bolting them back up again. And for the love of all that's holy - stop using MSN to host pics. :P
New pics
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/OEM.jpg)
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/OEM2.jpg)
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/OEM3.jpg)
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/OEM4.jpg)
(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z337/Supersix231/87%20Grand%20National/IowaGN/OEM5.jpg)
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Alost looks like it was wrecked and not repaired right to me.
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Hi Charley,
This is a real cliff hanger to me. The fillers are not fitting into the bottom of the tail lights as they should, way too tight. Bumper is bolted on as normal, same with tail lights and the fillers, yet, fit is way too tight causing the fillers to distort. In all the threads I have read on all three sites, I've never heard of something like this being brought up before.
It would seem the fillers were molded wrong, and that's a big if, or the tail lights were molded wrong, and again, that's a big if! So, what in the hell am I supposed to do here? If I remove the bumper, since fillers are bolted in place, still the same problem. I do know one thing is for sure, almost 700.00 for rear fillers and it looks like crap! And as said, the longer they are left in place, the greater the chance of them cracking under the pressure.
A member I know locally who had Weber do an engine for him only to put 30 miles on and it went balistic, is now so disgusted he's selling the car for 14K. Guess I'm next to sell my GN because of crappo rear fillers! Neither of us should be subjected to this BS!
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The fillers top corners look like they are wider that the tail lights by about a half an inch or more?
Gotta go home and look at mine...
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You are correct, and how in the hey can that be???? As I said, I've never heard of this situation from any other member before. I guess, when it has the name GN, anything is possible!
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Here's the rear assembly pages...
http://www.ihadav8.com/images/2-068.pdf
http://www.ihadav8.com/images/7-033.pdf
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Pull the fillers off and take a look/pic of the bolts that hold them on. That may be able to give us a better look at what's going on.
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I thought of that, but, don't think it will change anything. Reason is; at present, the fillers are tight up against both sides of the tail lights. There is NO room for movement left or right. If either side had some breathing room, the fillers could be moved a little to limit some of the distortion. Back to the square one again.
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You will never be able to diagnose/fit it without disassembling them. And the longer they stay on bent like that, the more long term damage may be done.
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Mark,
Thanks, and I appreciate your advice. Car is still in the BShop, but, I plan to borrow my daughters car and first thing Friday morning, I'll be at shop to remove both rear fillers.
Thanks,
Walt
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Print out the PDF's I linked, and bring them with you for reference - check off each part.
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It be done! :D
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Just for reference, my originals:
http://dtekk.com/cars/BUMPERS/FILLERS962.jpg
http://dtekk.com/cars/BUMPERS/FILLERS963.jpg
FWIW-- I measure the outside corners of the tail lights at 25- 3/8
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Good Lord, from the looks of it, you could go dancing between the two! Dave, are your fillers OEM's???
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The ones GM workers put on the car in late '87. :)
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You will never be able to diagnose/fit it without disassembling them. And the longer they stay on bent like that, the more long term damage may be done.
Boy that sounds familular to me. :jerkit;
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Yes Charlie, we learn from our own mistakes! Chriss, I must be a damn Genius! :doh;
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Gordy wrote :
"I went up to Dothan and bought a complete set from Replica Plastics. "
Gordy are these hard or soft? Can you see any weave or fibers on the rear?
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Gordy wrote :
"I went up to Dothan and bought a complete set from Replica Plastics. "
Gordy are these hard or soft? Can you see any weave or fibers on the rear?
They're definitely more flexible than the fiber glass ones from http://www.dankoreproductions.com (http://www.dankoreproductions.com). I take it by weave/fibers you are talking about from the back portion that is not visible once installed...ye s, you can see the fibers just like on the all fiber glass ones. I was told by the folks at the Dothan company that these are a fiber glass plastic resin mix. I can take pics tomorrow if need be.
But honestly, unless a car is perfect 10 that is being showed competitively I wouldn't waste good money on NOS bumper fillers.
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I remembered I had posted a thread on tbs.com about these bumper fillers...you made me login to that godforsaken place to find them:
http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/waiting-room/91170-not-what-you-want-see-plop-down-after-you-detail-your-car.html (http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/waiting-room/91170-not-what-you-want-see-plop-down-after-you-detail-your-car.html)
(http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/11/370244/Buick%20Grand%20National/DSC00254%20(Small).JPG)
(http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/11/370244/Buick%20Grand%20National/DSC00255%20(Small).JPG)
(http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/11/370244/Buick%20Grand%20National/DSC00256%20(Small).JPG)
(http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/11/370244/Buick%20Grand%20National/DSC00257%20(Small).JPG)
There is also a thread there by phillyturbo6 and his experience with the Danko as well:
http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/mid-atlantic-grand-national-association-magna/98484-danko-fiberglass-rear-filler-project-86-a.html (http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/mid-atlantic-grand-national-association-magna/98484-danko-fiberglass-rear-filler-project-86-a.html)
And then someone posted about Carbon Fiber but no further than just doing a test run:
http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/buick-v6-turbo-tech/97084-carbon-fiber-bumper-fillers.html (http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/buick-v6-turbo-tech/97084-carbon-fiber-bumper-fillers.html)
I think most people that really want a high quality product are hanging all their hopes on Richard Clake coming up with something. Personally, I'm kinda surprised there isn't a high quality repro out there given that it's just not our Turbo Regals that need these things but (and I hate to say it) the "donks" and low rider G-bodies that get the outlandish paint jobs and wheel combinations need them too.
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The last three pics are the finished bumper fillers installed on the car (if you need to see the fronts I can post those to). In that third pic it looks like there is a scratch or a crack but it's just a reflection...
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I remembered I had posted a thread on tbs.com about these bumper fillers...you made me login to that godforsaken place to find them:
good lord!
I just went over to tbs.com. I aint been there in forever.
there is still banners up for poston. those goofballs that bought the place must've thrown it in the recycle bin and left it to rot
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It's the red headed bastard child now. Very few ever go there and if Shane ever starts a MAGNA section it will dry up. Have you seen the new sponsors over there yet?
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I was only there for a second. I looked in the waiting room and then split
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CARID and NOPI are now the sponsors so they're trying to make it a ricer joint I guess. LOL