OEM rear fillers

[Iownagn-gs]

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

[Iownagn-gs]

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

[SuperSix]

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.

New pics

[Charlief1]

Alost looks like it was wrecked and not repaired right to me.

[Iownagn-gs]

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!

[daveismissing]

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...

[Iownagn-gs]

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!

[SuperSix]

Here's the rear assembly pages...

http://www.ihadav8.com/images/2-068.pdf

http://www.ihadav8.com/images/7-033.pdf

[Charlief1]

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.

[Iownagn-gs]

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.

[SuperSix]

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.

[Iownagn-gs]

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

[SuperSix]

Print out the PDF's I linked, and bring them with you for reference - check off each part.

[Iownagn-gs]

It be done!

[daveismissing]

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