1973 ElDorado body fillers

[scott n]

I need to replace cracked body fillers on my 1973 eldo. Is there a preferred material for these replacements? Should I be looking for fiberglass or rubber? Thanks for your help.

[Dave Shepherd]

There are several listings for these fillers in Hemmings News, I saw them made both ways, also abs I believe

[Otto Skorzeny]

Use the search function above and you'll find a thread or two on the subject with suppliers listed and detailed installation instructions with photos.

[76eldo]

Stay away from fiberglass.  You want ABS fillers for sure.

Check out this web page I did on the subject:

Part 1  http://www.sheffieldgarage.com/fillers.htm

Part 2  http://www.sheffieldgarage.com/fillers2.htm

My page shows the later cars, but the info for doing a 73 will be the same.

Good Luck,

Brian

[Otto Skorzeny]

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout, Willis!

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

The NOS "rubber" (actually it's polyurethane) as about impossible to find now.  I redid my
1973 Eldorado about 8 years ago and replaced everything with a mix of polyurethane and
ABS.  Bought my ABS pieces from USA Parts.

As another poster already suggested, buy the ABS type -- most all the people selling
these parts have those.  Some minor fitting may be required but that's easy to do with
a Dremel tool and some patience.  Some are already pre-primed, some not.  If not they will be
black in color.   Just prime (if needed) spray the finish coat on and you're done ( I used acrylic lacquer on my '73 Eldo, since I have the color in inventory.

BTW, the hardest part of this whole procedure is dropping the front and rear bumpers, which you must do to replace the fillers.  The front bumper is very heavy and requires a helper or at least a floor jack positioned under the middle of the bumper before you completely unbolt it.  It's
a heavy beast and comes off in one piece -- same for the rear.


Mike

[76eldo]

Can't tell you anything about the 73's, but on the later cars, you can do the rears without dropping the bumper at all.  The fronts are another story.  Plan on dropping the front bumper.  I did mine with the car on a lift and 2 tall suspension stands holding the bumper while removing the bolts, and two of us lowered it to the ground.

The final position of the bumper will change and fit better once the car is back on the ground.  We were going nuts trying to adjust it on the lift, and got it really close, and then it was perfect when the weight of the car is on the wheels on the ground.  Loosening up the headlight pods was very helpful too.

Fit and finish on these 70's Cadillacs was less than precise when they were new, so with repro parts, it's even harder, but with patience, it can be done.

Brian