CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

So i got home.... looked at my car, and decided it was time for a change. So here's what i ended up with:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...2014th%202008/

I've been working on this GXE/SE hybrid stuff for literally my entire time that i've been on the ORG. Started with an SE center in 2007 and the tails shortly afterward also in 2007. The tails from jonmandude were fully tinted, so i began to sand them off, but slowly and unsurely. Finally i sanded them all the way off but they were still rather... scuffed-looking. My concept was to use all 1st series stuff, with SE lenses while retaining the GXE chrome trim. The idea of using 4th gen badges came later down the road. Let's just say the 1st phase was a working model, but a crude one to say the least. So today's Phase 2 is a step above that, no tape holding stuff together, much cleaner and much shinier.

I removed the scuffed up tails i sanded down after deciding that I didn't like the tint which was applied to them by the person who sold them to me, as well as replacing my broken 89-91SE centerpiece with the much-sturdier one off the parts car. The "weepers" of dried-up silicone sealant under the lights that spilled onto the bumper in december are gone now.

I also did what i'm calling the "Better Brake Light mod" b/c it gives more contrast between parking lights and brake lights. Basically snip the green/white wire leading to the bulb socket closest to the big R or L in the bulb tray. It will then only send power to the outermost bulbs when parking lights are on, but still burn full-bright for the brakes. The reason behind this is because it's going to catch your eye more at night to see another bulb come on from darkness than to see the bulbs just get a little brighter. The CHMSL always comes on from an off-state, but in a system with paired brake bulbs on both sides, I saw no reason to have both be on for parking lights when i could do a super-simple wire snip to help give a more visible heads-up to the driver behind me. I guess you can say i'm **** about taillights (no pun, i swear).

I know alot of you, and I mean ALOT of you hate chrome, but frankly I have never seen another 3rd gen with the same rear setup as mine, so I'm happy to just be unique. I am not leaving the badging that way, that's just a temporary fitment test. I will peel off the sticker before using real adhesive to stick the badge on. Undecided about whether or not to use my 'burger' emblem as well, and if so, where to put it. Maybe on the trunk lid, maybe on the steering wheel like the newer nissans.

for reference this is what i started with today (dinginess, weepers, tape galore, no badges, and a goofy-looking Probe-owning friend):


this is what i finished with (clean shiny maxima ****-end):


the "better brake light mod":



next item of bidness aesthetic-wise is painting over the STUPID black pinstripes on my spoiler and re-mounting it, and if i can figure out how to do so without screwing up massively, repainting my sawblades.

Uberhass

iTrader: (1)

Wow, i'm really impressed, this is one of the best looking ones ive seen, I think your car would look really cool with a nice set of rims, not just painted sawblades

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

heh thanks dude! ya i reeeally want rims like pearl93ve has. I think I'll try to fix the spoiler today (3M double sided stickytape is the bomb!)

Dhunterx

iTrader: (6)

Definitely a set up that has an acquired taste, but at least it's going to be done right. A nice set of 16's or 17's dropped would make the car look a lot nicer. Hopefully, when I can replace the center tail trim pieces and tint my GXE center tail, it'll look complete with the SE tails I have on now. Expect a new thread hopefully by next week. btw, anyone got any recommendations for removing the side door moldings?

1992maximase30

oh dude i've been doing soething like yours!
i have the se suspension, rear spoiler, the grille that was on there was kinda messed up...and yea i don't like chrome.
so i used my old se grille...

my "brake light mod" is backwards.lol.

but thats looks nice....real nice.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

what's your brake light mod?

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

that's what "phase 3", the final phase, will be. That's when all the mechanical issues on the car are sorted through (FULL rebuilt suspension, rebuilt engine, new clutch, drum-to-z31 conversion, exhaust system replacement), and I have the leisure of going around from junkyard to junkyard, finding the absolute BEST condition stuff I can find (even now, my chrome trim broke in half on top, right in the middle, and has some remnant adhesives, and all the screw holes broke off the right side so it's held on from behind with double-sided tape), and another trunk lid, and a stillen/wingswest LED spoiler. I'll also be getting the car repainted then too, as well as some interior details (my dashboard cracked during the swap when i hit it on something ) and ya, some sexy rims. and a drop. phase 1 was conceptual, phase 2 is respectable for a car in its condition, phase 3 is detail-oriented perfection. And yes, my engine compartment will be as sparkly as Goon's when I'm done.

ProphetVG30E

uhhhh, i don't see much of a difference from any 89-91 maxima se

ProphetVG30E

oh, ow i see it. something like what i did, 4 MONTHS AGO, lol

http://a309.ac-images.myspacecdn.com...079a6d935c.jpg

PROOF

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

chrome trim mebbe? your next post speaks for itself tho

marke

iTrader: (7)

you could put a chrome Nissan logo on your trunk lid:

mine came like that when I bought it... it has the rare GOLD pakage

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

i have one... wasn't sure if i want to put it on. but i bought it at the same time as the MAXIMA logo. i taped it on once just to see...
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...em%20test-fit/

marke

iTrader: (7)

I think it looks good. It might get away from your 89-91 SXE theme a little, but it seems like it should've been there anyway.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

i think it'll actually add to theme. moar chrome on SE stuff = moar SXE, yes?

I'll put it on tomorrow as well as getting them stickers off. Heat? Razor? Googone?

marke

iTrader: (7)

Definitely - moar SXE!!

Heat works good. If there is glue left, then Googone will help with some elbow grease. 3M makes something you can spray on to dissolve the glue, but elbow grease is still needed!

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

fress off the photochop (aka powerpoint/photo editor)

ProphetVG30E

looks to me is as if the previous owner was junkyard hopping, stole a nissan emblem off a late 90's nissan, and glued it there. like i did.

Nissan logo off a 2000 Sentra
Maxima logo off a 1996 Maxima

1992maximase30

lol.
okay you know how only two bulbs are dim then all 4 lit up when you step on the brake?

well mines is backwards so all 4 are dim and when i step on the brake two of em gets bright.
but that does'nt bother me because my spoiler light works.

next are my foglights.
and i was thinking about red pinstripping

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

did you do it on purpose or on accident?

1992maximase30

accident.
i did'nt have any money for new bulbs and the pass side was burnt out.
so i took one out and switched it over.
i like how it looks.

but does'nt look as good as your car.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

heh thanks. I'm in the process of rattle-canning my spoiler right now. The color is kinda between pearlwhite and superwhite so i'm kinda miffed but it should turn out OK. I primed my brakelight lens on the spoiler by accident but remembered to tape it before putting down the base coat. I'll sand it back red again, and clearcoat it as well.

1992maximase30

yea but i'm wondering why they say the se tails are blacked out?
it seems the only thing is different is the chrome part on the tails are painted black....

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

on 89-91 they can look blacked out but there's no tint. GXE is red exterior with white diffuser behind it. SE is clear exterior with red diffuser behind it. Therefore it lookes "blacked out" when there is a shadow on it, because the clear lets the shadow make it darker, whereas red outside always looks the same color red.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

well i tried to paint the spoiler. Color is WAY off so I don't know what to do now (holes in the trunk lid..... or wrong-color spoiler?

http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...20paint%20job/

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

wrong color spoiler any day, over friggin' nasty *** looking holes.