Hello guys I just wanted to say how informative this forum is and how helpful everyone is (If you ask the right question and SEARCH !)

My car is a 89 Maxima (screenname)
I've fixed many things on my car and It's actually in the shop right now Getting a 3 step paint job using the factory Beige / pewter Color. I'ts completely stock Except the intake I have. I'll be "Shaving" The middle tail light section as well.

The car has the infamous exhaust stud problem (That's gonna be fun ) I bought the car for 1000.00 Tax Title + Registration from my work (Moss Bros. Toyota, Moreno Valley, CA) And the car had a trans problem (Auto) and I fixed that and she runs like a top !!

Well I'll post pics (Before and after) when I get it back from the shop.
The thing that attracted me to this car is that I always wanted a maxima and I use to work for nissan (6 years under my belt) They are just bullett proof !!

Thanks once again guys !! I'll be donating soon !

Troy.

 

Welcome to the Org.

 

Welcome....

jbr8k...The av is niiiiicccee

 

welcome to the .org, best 'darn' community on the web, if you ask me. just dont get smart with the big dogs (as they actually DO know what they are talking about...most of the time.....) and you'll be fine. donate and you will reap the benefits of ultimate maxima knowledge!

and read the stickies!!!!

Again, welcome to the .org. Your chariot awaits.

 

yeah i was the same i always loved 3rd gen Max's. welcome the world of the best unappreciated import. IMO

 

Welcome to the org from a past 3rd gen owner. Looking forward to some pics of the new paint. I think you'll find there is a wealth of knowledge shared here. From your post it sounds like you're on the right track!

 

welcome.....just curious what does a that paint job cost?

 

please dont shave the trunk trim jus update to full set of 3.5 gen se tails

 

probably more than the car's worth but it'll look sweet! -- did the same thing with my Trans Am

 

Yea I paid 1000.00 For the car and now I'm spending 1200.00 on the paint job. Mind you the body isn't in the greatest shape, the previous owner didn't really take care of the body but they did take care of the engine
I decided to shave the center because I love the way it looks and I can always change it back when I upgrade to the 94 tail light assy.
I'll also be puting 97-99 maxima decals on the back of the max to add a nice little touch.
The Interior of my car, believe it or not is immaculate. Again the previous
owner didn't really care about the outside of the car for some reason
I plan on getting a y pipe and full exhaust soon, When I bought the car it BARELY passed smog (Needs a cat) I've already got alot of fuel and vac lines so when I take off my intake manifold I can replace all of that as well as fix the exhaust stud problem which BTW, has a GREAT write-up !!

Thanks for all your comments guys !!! and I'll post some pictures as soon as it comes back.

Troy.

 

You arent really shaving the center piece if you can change it later. If you mean paint it body color then you are not "shaving" it...your just painting it. If you truly shave it then I suggest you buy another trunk and let the painter paint both (one shaved and the other not) of them at the same time if you are thinking of changing back in the future...especially since it sounds like you have a pearl white car going by your description and the fact you are getting a 3 step paint job (most would just be two...base and clear...pearl white is 3...base....mid (pearl)...clear). Pearl white has got to be the hardest to match.

good luck with it and post up some pics so we can take a look at it.

 

this guy has to be the smartest newbie on the org! (that's not sarcasm) i swear, this guy has a brain, unlike most of the no0bs on here. should fit in just fine.... Look out MrGone, he might just replace you someday.

again, 894DSC, good luck and enjoy the org ....dont let anyone being an a$$ or getting smart get you all riled up, they do it all the time, and its better to just brush it off, or you might get

pimpin. since been pimpin. since been p-i-m-p-i-n, knee-grow.

 

There is no replacement for teh Goneman...

 

Sorry I didn't clarify what color.... it's pewter/gold color a full 3 step is base, base/clear, and then a final coat(s) of clear. At least that's how the bodyshop explained it to me. And I guess i'm not "Shaving" the trunk, I'm just epoxying the top piece (Gap between the tail light and trunk) in and then having them paint it, which makes it reversable in terms of me grinding the epoxy off when I want to upgrade to the 94 tails.

Thank you guys for all the kind words, the maxima is now in Primer/body filler stage and it's coming along nicely

More to come later !!


Troy.

 

w-w-w-word.

 

from one newbie to another, welcome

 

Hrmm... reservist. I can't wait till I'm a reservist.

Welcome to the ORG!

 

Well I would advise against this. If you use epoxy it really isnt reversable without ruining the paint (like you said grinding it out). If you plan on upgrading to the 94 SE tails then I would not epoxy the center section now.

If you actually like the look then ignore the other people saying not to do it because of looks (its your car do what you want to do) but dont justify it by saying you can go back to normal lights later on easily because it will be costly if you epoxy it.

Seriously if you are planing on putting other tails on then do not epoxy the trunk OR buy an extra trunk and let the painter do both of them at the same time. It will be cheaper in the long run and the paint will match perfect that way.

I have heard of painters using a special base/clear (you mix base in with your first coat of clear) coat as a first coat of clear but usually thats on solid colors and not metalics. It makes the paint look deeper and should be very nice. that is one of the main reasons I would paint an extra trunk now so it matches perfectly. If you go to get it done at another date after taking the epoxied secton off some other painter may do the job and not be able to match the mixture this guy puts in his first coat of clear.

Looking forward to pics it sounds like it will be nice either way.

OH and btw $1200 is CHEAP for a good paint job with any body work at all.

 

Well The body Shop informed me today that they won't do the epoxy thing on the rear tail lights and from what everybody's saying about doing it I decided not to do it, I'll just upgrade the lights to 94's and be done with it.

Does any one notice how crappy the wiring is on the tail lights ??? I get the smell of burning plastic if I have the brakes on to long (Bulbs burning the plastic backing) I'm going to re design some LED pannels for my lights so I won't have to worry about it.

And I'll post a How to on it as well with a parts list

Thanks again for the comments and suggestions guys !! I looked at my car today and it looks like it's been to south central L.A. for 10 minutes unattended......

Troy.

 

yeah that will be be a cool write up. I notice that one of the 2 bulbs on the passenger side works most of the time but every now and than it will stop. checked the wires it looked like it melted a little at some point. Oh well works most of the time

 

< army national guard-ist.

 

We'll give you half-credit for that. I'm in the middle of the Atlantic as we speak. Gotta love satellite internet.

 

lol half-credit???! i spent my first two years on active duty! the one weekend a month, two weeks a year thing went in a negative sense....thats 75 days in two years when youre actually ON duty......i spent 76 at HOME in two years. so you cant knock me son! i did my time.

and reservists / national guard = same thing. basically. my girlfriend is a reservist that was over there with us, she knows.

woot woot.

 

Wow, you car has no rims, doors, trunk or interior and a slight hint of urine and stale beer!

 

^^^^ *Spits coke all over keyboard* BWHAHAHAHAHAH !!
Thanks for that, CLOSE THOUGH !!
It has NO side moldings, no tail lights, headlights, emblems, grille, antenna, keypad / door handles, so yea...... stripped !!

Troy

 

:

 

Just when you think you couldn't possibly get any dumber you go and do a thing like this................... AND TOTALY REDEEM YOURSELF !!!

LOL, That Picture Pwned Me !!

Update.........
The car is all 1 color now (not primer and body filler) I should be getting it back on monday or tuesday depending on how much they have to color sand and buff the car to make it have a nice gloss new car finish

All I have to say is...............


I love my Nissan !!!!!

Troy.

 

Welcome to the board! What did you have in mind for the LED rears? Just a bulb replacement like http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/aut1157ri/ Or totally replacing the reflector unit with a board (ie circuit board w multiple LEDs)?? I've been pondering on this for awhile. What's your take?

 

Good place to join, lots of info on every detail of ours cars.

 

I <3 the .org!

 

I want to make parallel connections with yellow and red LED pods (like the 1157 bulbs for red and 1156 for yellow) And just join them untill I think that I have enough coverage to make it look fully lighted. Simple and not too complicated. I wan't everyone here on the .org to be able to do this cheap and relatively easy.

Myself, I could just go buy led's from www.Oznium.com << (shameless plug)and solder my own IC-board but that's slightly more work and a little bit more complicated.

I looked at my car today and the paint is on, the interior and exterior are still stripped and it's looking great !! I can see myself in the paint and they haven't color sanded anything yet !!

Troy.

 

Well I hope so...color sanding should only be done if there is trash or orange peel (for that super slick look). Chances are the painter is experienced enough that there isnt much orange peel in it so you will probably not see much of a difference after a color sand. It will not shine any more than it is now unless they screwed up and it has a ton of orange peel or dry spray (doesnt sound like it does). Just want to prepare you so you dont think it will be a lot shinier or anything.

I love fresh paint...be sure and post the pics.

I will be painting mine as soon as I decide if I want to stick with the color on it or another color since the guy backed out on buying it. I will be painting it apart because the doors, fenders, trunk and hood will be off anyway...that way I will not have any tape lines.

 

Yea, That's why my car is all apart, NO TAPE LINES !!
So now they have moved the date to this monday I'll post pictures as soon as I get-er home

They also fixed my trunk the support bars That hold the trunk open when you pop it were all messed up from the previous owner apparently you have to have a special tool to reinstall them because they are under sooo much tension to hold that 50-65 lb trunk up.


Troy.

 

yeah they are under a lot of tension. I just took mine off and put struts on them. That way when I pop the trunk it comes up without slamming up. I did this because I had an SE with a GXE trunk (wasnt putting a spoiler back on) and it would slam up without the weight of the spoiler. Here is a video (along with the strut numbers in that directory) of the trunk of my old SE with the struts on it...right click save as please. I did not come up with this idea but copied it from another member.

 

Well....It's BACK !!!
Here are some pictures......











There are some trim pieces they couldn't save, so I'll be at the dealer getting my door handle seals and my rear window seal.

ENJOY !!

Troy.

 

Man that really looks nice!!! did u paint the rims or are they orig? Looks like they color sanded and buffed.
Nice Maxima

 

Thank You !!
Yes those are the original rims They have not been painted, They don't evan have curb rash.....yet

 

Looks brand new! Did they end up cut and polishing it?

 

Yes they did just to make sure the paint didn't have any flaws in it, and it doesn't !!! Smooth as a baby's bottom !!

 

thats a nice job especially for the money you paid.