Bumper fillers hazy

[MSDGN]

Have an 87 GN...41K miles...original paint...I keep it covered in the garage...when it sits for while the front bumper fillers get this dull haze on them...and it's not easy to get off...I take a wet towel but all it does is smear it...then I take a spray detailer wax and eventually the filler looks new again...just takes a while and a lot of elbow grease...so what causes this haze and is there any easy/quick way to get it off without hurting the paint...

 

[turbojd]

Have an 87 GN...41K miles...original paint...I keep it covered in the garage...when it sits for while the front bumper fillers get this dull haze on them...and it's not easy to get off...I take a wet towel but all it does is smear it...then I take a spray detailer wax and eventually the filler looks new again...just takes a while and a lot of elbow grease...so what causes this haze and is there any easy/quick way to get it off without hurting the paint...

My filler panels are doing the same thing and they just started to hairline crack, yours will probably do the same in time. I'm looking into new ones soon, but I'm undecided between the abs plastic or the fiberglass ones.

 

[turbofish38]

Yep. Same thing happened to mine. Time to buy some new ones.

I wonder how long before the GNX garage queens start complaining about this?

Now's the time to buy the OEM ones as I dont think the rears will be around for to much longer. Plus they aint getting any cheaper.

 

[MSDGN]

So they deteriorate even if kept out of the sun and covered?...I replaced the back ones years ago because they were sagging so no problem with them...Oh well I'll wait until they start to crack then break out the new OEM ones I have and get them painted...

 

[turbofish38]

I think its the humidity that eventually kills them. I've had my 86 GN since 87. The fillers always had the original paint on them. The car was in NE from 86 to 2000. And was always parked in garage since 90. I move down here to FL and kept it covered out of the sun light anyway. I cant control the humidity in my attached garage. Back around 04-05 I started having the same problem as you. As a matter of fact I think the wax or polish I was using accelerated the deteration process. One day I drove it to a car show and on the drive back the front fillers broke into a million pieces. I've got some junkyard ABS ones on it now until I can afford the factory urethene parts.

 

[buzzman]

my pass side front same thing....this car has 30000 miles and always covered, no sun......only been in rain four times, haze wipes off easily but comes back in about two days, fillers appear very pliable and not cracking WTF!

 

[Gary Wells]

Any good glaze will clean off the haze and help keep it from returning. I use autoglaze, but most companies that manufacture car polish and / or car wax also makes a product called a glaze.
Some glazes contain minute amounts of polishing compound in them, and that is what does the trick. Most cleaner/polish waxes will probably do the same thing. Mine look as good as the rest of the car. don't forget to do the sides of the bumper fillers, as glaze will refurbish the sides also. HTH

 

[Rauder]

My GN has 42K miles and is doing the same thing. Both my fillers front and back are hazing over and I am also getting it on the bumpers. It is very easy to come off, maybe I will try some of the Glaze that Wells speaks about. WTF!!!

 

[Gary Wells]

Any good cleaner wax or cleaner polish will do the trick, but a good glaze with a minute amount of polishing compound will do it better & quicker. Swirl remover will also probably work. Calif Car Cover Co makes a good glaze that is listed in their catalogue, and it works well also.

 

[Gary Wells]

This is original paint, btw. Don't forget a good coat of wax or polish after glazing. Glazing has no protective qualities such as wax or polish. HTH


http://www.scandc.com/images/New pics 87 turbo-t after SC&C install 001.jpg

 

[Bent6]

I have this same problem - I've used a polish which gets rid of the haze and makes them look like new but the haze always comes back eventually (3-5days). Seems like its getting worse the more I try to keep the haze off. I have owned this car since new in 1987 and it's never even seen rain!?! The fillers don't sag, aren't cracked or anything so I kind of hate to replace them - just this haze. Do they need to be repainted/clearcoated? ........

 

[turbojd]

I found out that once haze starts on those fillers, wax or polish will work for a short period of time, but the haze will keep coming back and with time will only get worse. My fillers just started cracking after the prolonged hazing and polishing. The material just breaks down with age, time for some new ones soon, I'm probably going with the fiberglass ones right now.

 

[Mera]

Doing some searches on this to see what I can do. Mine is an 87 GN with only 10K on it. One interesting thing I noticed is when I filled it up with gas earlier this summer and it spit back, the filler under the license plate where the gas sat on it for several seconds has stayed shiny looking for more than a few months now. Maybe I should wipe mine with gas?

Thanks
Rodney

 

[626gn]

Hate to break it to you since you have such a low mile car but once it starts to haze, its the beginning of the end. You won't be able to stop the deterioration process and eventually it will start to crumble. Polishes, waxes, etc. will get rid of the haze temporarily but its return is inevitable. Gas? Well, that may work too short term but I would think it will just dry it out faster and possibly accelerate the deterioration process, although I've never tried it myself....

 

[rodruckus]

I have a garaged original including paint 9,800mi 87 GN and my fillers front and back have slowly started turning a different color from the rest of the car. It's just the nature of the marerial they used. Also, the original headlight buckets are beginning to oxidize too. These things are normal, inevitable, and telltale signs of an original car. You'd actually want to see these things on an original 30yo GN. Seriously, try not to touch or clean em, you'll just accelerate the process even more. Eventually, the fillers can and will crumble. If possible keep the originals, nevermind the color. Survivor cars, flaws and all are beginning to be accepted as more superior than full concourse restorations. Remember, it's only original once.

 

[Mera]

Watched the SPOOLFOOL2 video. So I'll get these and get them installed soon. Seems to be the best way to go. As much as I want to keep it all original this can't be left original in the long run. Oh well. I may never have my GN judged so I'm not that worried. Few if any will ever know these parts have been changed.

Thanks
Rodney

 

[626gn]

Watched the SPOOLFOOL2 video. So I'll get these and get them installed soon. Seems to be the best way to go. As much as I want to keep it all original this can't be left original in the long run. Oh well. I may never have my GN judged so I'm not that worried. Few if any will ever know these parts have been changed.

Thanks
Rodney

Good choice. Best fiberglass fillers on the market. Installed those on my GN. The fit was near perfect.

 

[Thumper]

Spoolfools are the best fiberglass on the market. But good marks are the best OEM style available with near perfect fit. Low mile cars that want originality have only 2 options IMHO, gm originals and goodmark.

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

Thanks guys.
IMO, the hazing on originals is most likely due to the outgassing, as things start to breakdown, just before they totally crumble.
I believe that the different color fade is due to the paint being mixed with a flex agent, to keep it from cracking and pealing.
I also agree with statement that Goodmark makes nice fillers. I held a set in my hands for the first time at BG and was quite impressed.

Be warned: Ebay and such, are flooded with many cheap fillers that don't fit. Also, don't buy old used originals. They will crumble.

Happy spooling.
Mike Barnard