Cadillac & LaSalle Club Discussion Forum

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: gkhashem on July 19, 2018, 07:56:26 PM

Title: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: gkhashem on July 19, 2018, 07:56:26 PM
At the CLC GN last year I discovered I had original fillers on my Mulberry Metallic Coupe Deville.

Is there anything other than staying in the shade or being in a dark garage that I can apply to the fillers to keep them supple and delay the decay that happens to these?

Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: Mike Josephic CLC #3877 on July 19, 2018, 08:48:37 PM
Unfortunately, even if you keep the car in a garage
and out of direct sunlight, they will slowly deteriorate.

These originals were a polyurethane compound and
will start to get brittle and crack no mater what you
do.  They lose their flexibility due to time, temperature
and as you know, exposure to sunlight.

The replacements are made of ABS plastic that is more
durable.

Mike
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: gkhashem on July 19, 2018, 10:01:32 PM
Well I store the car in a heated garage, and keep it out of the sunlight as much as possible.

So I guess 40 years they still look new, except a very very small trace of discolor near the top. Maybe they will start to loose it quick?

Well they are doomed I guess at some point.
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: 64\/54Cadillacking on July 19, 2018, 10:51:58 PM
There’s this stuff called Sil-Glide at Napa auto parts, it’s a Silicon grease that’s safe for all rubber and plastics. It leaves a film coating on the surface and keeps it moist.

When something dries out, it’s bound to crack, fade and fall apart, especially plastic and or rubber based materials, that stuff will help keep it protected.
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: STS05lg on July 19, 2018, 10:52:44 PM
George, as Mike said they all eventually crack and fall away, sometimes with little or no warning. However, if you are at a car show and the fillers start to "sweat" they are done... had that happen at a show several years ago and my perfect original fillers fell apart by the time I had driven home. However, one thing I have found to prolong their life is to occasionally apply a very liberal amount of Meguiar's #7 Mirror Glaze with a terry cloth to the extensions and let it sit overnight to allow the oils in the #7 to soak into the fillers. Once #7 drys it is really hard to get off so you will have to take the same moist terry cloth and rub a light amount on the filler to get the dried off. This will not save fillers forever but it will replace some of the oils in the polyurethane. Also, a much wiser member once told me to take the fillers off and clean the inside of the filler and cover it with black duck tape. He said this will reduce the lose of flexibility in filler, but I have never tried that. You have a great looking car glad you made it to McLean.
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: 76eldo on July 20, 2018, 09:16:24 AM
George
You will do more harm than good by messing with them.
Once they start to have a milky or chalky appearance they are done.

You can get replacements and even though the fit may not be just like factory, if you work at aligning them you can get a nice result of you get  them painted at a body shop.

They can scan the paint on your car and get an exact match.

Original fillers will fail and fall apart. It's a good thing that they are being made in ABS plastic. Those will never fail once installed.
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621 on July 20, 2018, 09:35:57 AM
Limit sun exposure as much as possible and be extremely careful of what products you use on them, which should also be done as sparingly as possible. Many polishes/waxes contain solvents of some sort of another and these can accelerate decomposition!

Heat/sun are the enemies of these parts and fillers on your car are in amazing shape thanks to the cool climate of the car's original location. Maintaining those conditions will go a long way to helping to preserve them, but as others have said it's only a matter of time.
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: gkhashem on July 20, 2018, 10:18:58 AM
They are not milky or anything. I was just thinking is there anything I can do other than avoid sun and extreme temperatures.

I was shocked to learn they were original since they looked like new. When I found out in McLean VA, I covered them up with towels in the show field.

I just replaced some trim on my 1984 Olds 88 that was melting in the sun with NOS molding trim. Yes they turned milky and started to crack but I bought the "last" NOS in 2012. I paid $75 each for 2 trim pieces one on each side of the vinyl roof belt line.  I replace them for the Oldsmobile Nationals that is coming up this August. I plan on keeping them out of the sun while parked in the show field by covering them with a cover I made.

Well it's only a matter of time for everything.
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621 on July 20, 2018, 11:33:55 AM
Simply maintain your routine- limit sun exposure as much as possible ie: drape with towels when parked outside on sunny days and stay away from any petro-based polishes.
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: 76eldo on July 20, 2018, 02:05:03 PM
Physically pressing on them to remove applied wax may cause them to crack.

They are very fragile. 

Brian
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: gkhashem on July 20, 2018, 05:49:11 PM
Believe it or not mine are still supple and like new. Not sure for how long.

Alan Haas, Past President who worked for Cadillac confirmed they were real originals. Or at least NOS ones, but I bought the car at 26,000 miles so most likely original since the pin striping was correct also.
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: BJM on July 20, 2018, 07:24:22 PM
It seems with all the consternation and hand wringing, I would just replace them in the off season and be done with it. Rather than cow tow to the sun and shade, just get it done , properly apply a wax after curd and park and go wherever you want!
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: gkhashem on July 20, 2018, 09:35:26 PM
No worries just looking for suggestions. No replacing until needed. No Cow tow, just being aware of the harm that can occur in the sun.

Cars like this you protect so you have something to document authenticity. It is a 40 year old car now.

Pretty simple, but why not try to keep them real for as long as you can?
Title: Re: 1978 Cadillac bumper fillers
Post by: 64\/54Cadillacking on July 21, 2018, 05:52:33 PM
Quote from: gkhashem on July 20, 2018, 09:35:26 PM
No worries just looking for suggestions. No replacing until needed. No Cow tow, just being aware of the harm that can occur in the sun.

Cars like this you protect so you have something to document authenticity. It is a 40 year old car now.

Pretty simple, but why not try to keep them real for as long as you can?


Right!? I agree, it’s only original once. It’s my belief that certain things are perfectly fine being replaced or redone, such as paint, since paint doesn’t last forever unless the car has been garaged it’s entire life, but for some of us that don’t have that option, car covers and or car ports are our only way to keep them protected.

So getting a new paint job and fixing rust and dents or body damage wouldn’t make me feel any different about the car.

On the other hand, the interior would though. If someone was able to save an original interior by getting say the leather seats refreshed and the cracks filled, that would be the way to go.

Seeing a completely restored interior just doesn’t have the same appeal as the original. Especially on certain vintage Cadillacs were the seat upholstery design and fabrics were very unique and high quality to a specific year.

Unless you can find a shop that can make or find the materials to look as close as possible to the original materials designs and quality, then it probably wouldn’t matter too much.

In your case however, replacing those fillers aren’t a big deal as it was a common problem for its owners with those year Caddy’s.