Product Review—

The Filler Detective

Here is a gadget guaranteed to get you tossed off of the local used car lot and closely watched by everyone at the local show and shine. The Filler Detective from AAC (Acclaimed Acme Contraptions) will let you know in an instant just how much body filler is really on that ride you are considering.

Pocket-sized and easy to carry or hide, all you need to do is hold the Filler Detective perpendicular to the surface in question, listen for the beep, then check the LED light on the face of the unit. A green light tells you no body filler is present. A blue light indicates 1/16- inch of filler. A yellow light indicates 1/8-inch of filler. An orange light indicates 3/16-inch of filler, and a red light indicates a 1/4-inch or more of filler. Also, the deeper the filler, the faster the tempo of the beeps, something like a Geiger counter reacting to the proximity of radioactive materials.

The tool is activated by pressing one button and you can use it to spot check a vehicle’s body or slide it over a panel on its microfiber-covered nose without scratching the finish. (Before you start rubbing panels, however, you might want to let the vehicle’s owner check out the microfiber nose to avoid any potential misunderstandings.)

It runs on a 9-volt battery (a Duracell isincluded), has a low battery indicator, carries a 1-year limited warranty and includes a stainless steel belt clip, a lanyard for ready handheld access, and a screwdriver for the battery cover. It also comes with as mall “verification plate” that will show you the device is working properly. Hold the metal side to the tool’s nose and you should get a “green” reading. Flip it over to the plastic side and the Detective should start to beep and display a yellow light.

The company says the Detective works on “all nationally used auto body fillers, combinations of these and more” including aluminized fillers.

Furthermore, AAC says the Detective’s sound “is detectable even in noisy environments such as auctions, car shows or large crowds” and “the lights are visible in bright sunshine and exceptionally brilliant in any lesser lit areas.”

“If the seller doesn’t know, or is hiding knowledge of an accident, if the repair was done poorly using more body filler than was prudently necessary, or if a repaint (or several of them) is hiding body filler—you need to be able to find out where it is on the vehicle or parts, and how deep it is,” the company said. AAC also pointed out that “body fillers are excellent for body repairs and can be measured for proper thickness and application using The Filler Detective.” In other words, spare amounts of filler can be a good thing; heavy usage isn’t.

So, you may not make any friends carrying this tool around, but it could just save you from future headaches when searching for that next ride.

The Filler Detective is available fromAAC, 1536 W. 25th St. #229, San Pedro, CA 90731; fillerdetective.com. The price is about $90.

And for a dramatization of The Detective in action, visit their Website.

—Larry Lyles

Editor’s note: Larry Lyles is a restoration pro and a veteran contributor of how-to articles for Auto Restorer. His other articles in this issue are on page 9 (door hinge rebuilding) and page 14 (the proper use of various paint products).