http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...cember%202007/
i finally got around to removing, sanding(de-tinting)/polishing my SE tails, as well as applying a generous helping of fresh sealant and pushing those rubber caps into place (see this post for my issues with this). believe it or not, clear flowable silicone window sealant makes a decent makeshift polish, enough so that I plan to do no further polishing to them. at the time the pictures above were taken, I had already sanded the right-hand one fully w/ 80 grit, while the left-hand one was half-sanded with 200s grit from last month and a piece of packaging tape slapped on as 'polish'. This morning, I finished up with the 80 grit on the other, then went through 180, P320, P400, P600, and P800 sandpapers before polishing.

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u...g?t=1196658153
that's what I started with. tinted SE tails w/ swapped GXE trim on top. normal GXE tails w/ swapped SE trim on bottom. I wanted plain SE tails, not tinted tails, so my work was cut out for me...

 

looks good, but wat did you use to tints those rear lights, i think it looks good. Did it reduce the lights brightness much or not?

 

I got them from Jonmandude that way. the pic of them fully-tinted is from the day i got them. Light reduction was PHENOMINAL. your parking lights were brighter than my brake lights before i begun the de-tinting process.

Oh my paint color, the deep deep red (shone thru the black just a little even when off) looked like lipstick against the pearlwhite paint. maybe on a darker car (esp a burgundy 3rd gen), but not on mine.

 

damn, well they are tinted pretty dark, i wonder if i could tint em lighter and they wouldnt be too bad? I like how the tinted lights in ur pic have the chrome on top, i know ive got the chrome strip on the bottom and above reverse lights but i cant recall it on top, maybe its their but i dont specifically remember it.

 

my tails are all of the 1st series, yours is 2nd series. 89-91 vs 92-94

 

so no chrome strip for me... eh alright i guess, at least im in the process of rechroming (sanding,duplicolor primer and chrome paint) the stock gxe wheels....halfway there..

 

you can always custom-paint it. Anyhow, as you can see (except for my center garnish which is kinda falling apart.. soon to be replaced) i am slowly.. SLOWLY getting toward my exterior "Maxima SXE" look.

 

yea, should be a nice unique look for you. Theres a good amount of customizing id like to do to mine but i dont have much time and im lazy so ive only put LEDs in the interior and bose speakers in the front from my parts car.

 

try sanding them with 1500 grit sand paper then taking meguiars plastic x with a high speed polisher and that wil give you a far better shine and clearer look to that plastic.

 

I tinted them using VHT "Nite Shades" spray. Then I polished them with 2000 grit sand paper, rubbing compound, polishing compound, and then a good carnuba. I like the look, it wasn't too bad at nite, but you have to live in a an area where the police don't hassle you.

You can decide how dark you want the tint with how many light coats you apply. That dark was three to four coats.

 

yeah i was thinking to go a little deeper into the high-grit papers, but I was in a hurry (sanded and polished before going to work) but I may try a better solution a little on down the line.

 

remember one of the other org members used high grit fine sanding paper to smooth out the outer lens of the front turn signals then used plastic x to make them lok more clear like if they where normally euro clear. just thought i would bring that up since i seen it done by someone else fro the org.

 

is that plastic x stuff long-lasting or will i have to reapply it monthly?

 

if used to cover up defects with out sanding it will easily be monthly...sometimes every wash....
if you sand prior to polishing you will be much better off.. and apply it about 2x more than you would wax your car.

 

it'd be monthly then. car washing is illegal in my state, as per stage-2 mandatory water conservation