ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Alright so I got out of work and stopped at the gfs dads house to borrow an air cutter (dont know exact name) to make my own "tap screw" but came home and felt like messing around. I had an LED strip of some chrysler laying around and my old 89-91 centerpiece laying around as well. So I let my boredom get out of hand and ended up cutting the center piece and putting the LED strip in. Now its not perfect but its just to get an idea on how and what to do. I think if the max had the Pontian "sunflower" thing going on it would look neat. I'm up for ideas and suggestions to perfect this. Keep in mind this one here is just to chop up and experiment.
The A looks dim cuz I originally was gonna cut out letter by letter but changed my mind after the A cuz I obviously didnt have the tool do to is and bla!

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

The back

goon9

iTrader: (13)

Wow, someone ACTUALLY did it...

Kountz430

damn you blootoof your off my x-mas list good mod though

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

well the letters do protrude so maybe you could shave all the letters thru to allow light to pass thru them....... and then backlight it.

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

lol, I said I'd do it like 2 years ago when I joined the org...IIRC Brian lawled at me cuz he knew I wouldn't (right away at least)

Are there any suggestions as to how to improve this?

gapboi210

Is there a way to put a resistor or something and dim them down. I think it might stickout too much compared to how the rest of the other tails are illuminating. Good job though. I think it would look clean if it was just as bright as the rest of the back of the car.

Maxteca

iTrader: (1)

If you get it perfect Could I send you mine and have you do it? I would pay you. Who knows maybe you could do enough of them to make a chunk of change. I wanted to do the same thing when I got my first 3rd gen but I'm lazy.

hoyshnin

iTrader: (1)

looks good

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

Cheesy but kind of cool. Looks pretty good aside from some bleeding, don't forget the Nissan logo

Alex_V

Finally one of us does something with the rear tail section! Looks pretty good, it would be really cool if it would be dimmer then that, then when you hit the brakes it would be full brightness.

~Alex

nubiannupe

iTrader: (9)

Not too shabby, all things considered. I've heard people talk about doing that time after time, but never went through with it.

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

Original, I'll give you that...but it seems like it belongs on some show car with a body kit, not your whip (or mine for that matter). Cool idea, tho...

Quickywd01

iTrader: (16)

You could use it as an extra brake light or fog light.

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

looks interesting...yeah it's a bit bright...but i'm still on the fence on it.

mrkanda

iTrader: (3)

I've also thought of this before and think that what you've done is pretty cool. Another idea I had was to somehow illuminate the entire red area in the center piece, possibly from above, so that it would look like the illuminated center piece of a Lincoln Mark VIII. Would that be possible?

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

if used in place of the CHMSL it would be pretty cool.
BUT it still needs work to get it right.
in my mind I'd black out the whole thing except spaces that spell out MAXIMA and have those spaces glow red with 2 level LEDs (think parking lights and brake lights)

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for feedback...lol too bad I dont know jack about electricity and how to modify such things.

if used in place of the CHMSL it would be pretty cool, yes it would but would it be legal/visible?


*Dimmer and then bright when braking is the original idea.
*Lighting up the entire piece would be ideal but gotta come up with something that long or run several strips somehow.
*Blacking out sounds like another cool option, it def would bring out the letters.

I guess I'm gonna mess around with the fitment a bit better. Anyone know a cleaner way to cut plastic than how I did?

Now how the hell do I get it to go on dim and get brighter when braking? (lol serious question)

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

I think it's a 3 leg LED that does it.

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

dammit, I was going the lazy way...,my buddy gave me an LED strip off some chrysler and I just wanted to mess with it. So you're telling me I can use that?

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

A dremel (you can get a decent one for as much as you may use it from Harbor Freight)would give you the control and detail you need rather than hacking away with a radial grinder.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

just find a tailight strip that is already done, or use 2 LED strips with one being adjusted to a dimmer output.

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

That tail piece is off of a 89-91 as opposed to being off of a 92-94, right John?

Darkwing48

iTrader: (1)

Aw man. I wanted to be the first to establish this. This was the extended part of the project I was going to do when Capecadaver was posted an LED idea.

Well I didn't know anyone was really discussing this on the threads. I thought my idea was unique. But I'll follow through with the project just as long as I don't get or accused of copying.

Nice work John.

Alex_V

What about putting a plate over the CHMSL that says maxima? Alot easier but may not look as good. My dad has a sticker over his (external) one on his trailblazer. Looks OK but IDK something to try.

~Alex

Darkwing48

iTrader: (1)

Split the wire to your Center tail light and use a PNP transistor to a more voltage to the LED Panel.
That would be my take on it.

elusivemax93

how about just shaving away the paint from the maxima lettering that way the word maxima lights up and as for understanding how to wire it in here go here and look there the posts on this forum about how to wire them in series or parallel to the park light/brake light circuit. http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/...ics.asp~FID~18

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Ben, yes this is a 89-91 center piece and yes its different as you know. I dont know how the 92-94 would go as the MAXIMA part is on the white part

Yea I thought the same, I'm sure the idea was brought up on the forum even before I mentioned anything in 2005, I tried searching through my posts to show you how long ago I said I'd do something but the records only go to 2006.

As for acccusing of copying, I dont care, if you perfect the idea then even better! I think the more minds, the better the final outcome will be. Beside this was just a quick "lets find out how it'll look" type thing

And yes, thank you lol


-Elusive haven't seen you in a while... thanks for link but soooo lazy lol

elusivemax93

yup i know i stay away from here alot now as i joined up with NWmaxima.com since they are all maximas in my area and its fun ive hung out with them and drove with them.as for the link yeah i thought maybe just maybe you would go and look through it lolz. that forum link i posted is really good for information. Just thought i would pass the help along for those without common understanding of basic electrical and how it works when in series, series-parallel, and parallel.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

OK and how about if the letters were shaved so light could pass thru... and they were backlit red when you were braking but override to white (separate LED circuit I guess) when you are in reverse? nifty eh?

tigga_tha_don

iTrader: (1)

you got to it before me

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Anyone ever heard of something called Luminus? Supposedly its something used on Lincoln Mark (VIII?) and some Exploters. From what I've heard its like a cloth that glows or something, anyone got more info?

Mr.Davon24

That looks pretty good I pondered that idea also. I like the idea Dadver has also but, I wonder if it was possible.

kzoosho

iTrader: (16)

DOesnt gm have something like this aslo?

got_max

iTrader: (5)

Pontiac sunfire does. I think a few others do to, I cant find any pics at the moment

gapboi210

The sunfire has a 194 bulb that lights up the PONTIAC on the center piece.

ustfdes

iTrader: (5)

john, good work

my input.....on the backside of the LETTERING piece of plastic, you could paint EVERYTHING but the letter recesses, and then on the front of the letters, just sand the top layer (if the plastic is translucent) and if it's not translucent, then you can just cut out the letterd themselves and then install the light behind it....the black paint will let it ONLY illuminate the letters, and nothing else....give you a perfect set f lighted letters.

imho. sorry if this is hard to understand.....javajavajava.

elusivemax93

[QOUTE=ustfdes] my input.....on the backside of the LETTERING piece of plastic, you could paint EVERYTHING but the letter recesses, and then on the front of the letters, just sand the top layer (if the plastic is translucent) and if it's not translucent, then you can just cut out the letterd themselves and then install the light behind it....the black paint will let it ONLY illuminate the letters, and nothing else....give you a perfect set f lighted letters.[/QOUTE]

i think i mentioned shaving or cutting out the letters already alil late on the idea :P

ustfdes

iTrader: (5)

yes, i know you did, but you didn't consider the possibility of the plastic being OPAQUE ((non-transparent/translucent), thus elimating the mere possibility of 'shaving' it....because "shaving' the paint off of an opaque plastic would be pointless, as you would only expose the plastic's true color.

and you also didnt think of it it WERE transparent, that you would need to block the light from passing through the rest of the plastic around the "maxima" lettering.

therefore another solution must be found. so i gave it. i'm not late, just being a bit more informative than you.

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

DAAAAYYYUUM, those are fighting worlds

Nah just messing, thanks for the idea to the both. I'll shave it (elusives way) and then if it doesnt work, I'll sand it its a WIN-WIN I'll do this when I have spare time