fast97maxse

I put in H&R springs last weekend.
Now I can't park in the company garage
- the muffler scrapes pretty badly on the exit ramp.
Even before the new springs it scraped just a tiny bit.
But now, well, it's more than I want to put the car through.

I was wondering if anybody had modified the hangers or whatever to get back some clearance.

What about aftermarket systems - are any of them slimmer?

TIA

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

That must be some steep slope in the garage. How do you like the H&Rs so far? Did you see my thread regarding the noise issue?

fast97maxse

It's not so much that it's steep [which it is]
but that it goes up at an angle then levels out for about 18 inches
[for a drainage strip] and then continues at an angle again.
So the transition from angle to level makes a lip or sharp edge
that I scrape on. From the marks on it I know I'm not the only one who scrapes it.
I asked the bldg. mngr. if they might grind it down a little. "Maybe".
But if the drain doesn't work water will run into the garage...

Yeah, I like the springs.
Mostly I appreciate the drop [except for the lack of clearance] for the lowered stance.
But I don't really notice a difference in handling. Maybe a little less body roll/lean,
but my commute doesn't really allow for much test-track type driving.
As all the posts say, the ride still feels close to stock.

Yeah, I saw your post. Very thorough and informative, but I don't know that it will solve my problem.
I'll be removing the strut assembly tomorrow [weather permitting] and take a look at it.
I hope I don't have to take it all apart [what a PITA], but I might have to.
I am 99% sure I put it back correctly the last time. But something isn't right.
When I reinstall it, I will torque down the center and 3 mounting nuts to spec and I'll post my results next week.
So far it is only the rattle from the front passenger - no grinding/crunching -
so I don't think I'll bother with the "spring sleeve" you mentioned.

Thanks for all your input.

So - ever hear of ne1 raising their muffler?

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

Yes, I did that (or had it done I should say). When I got my catback. I told the guy I don't want to see anything - muffler, exhaust tip, etc - and to tuck it up as high and to the right as possible. I wanted the symmetrical/clean look and, like you, I don't want to scrape anything. Now, before painting/installing my '97 bumper, I need to have the exhaust half-circle filled in. But, yeah, it worked fine and I haven't scraped anything and I have H&Rs as well. Sorry I can't tell you HOW it was done but I thought I should at least tell you it CAN be done. Hope I helped. Good luck.

fast97maxse

Yes, thanks, it does help.
Now maybe it will be worth my while to crawl under and see what I can do myself.
I want to have some exhaust/muffler work done
[not sure what I'd have put in/on yet] but I want to wait till the stock set up starts to rust out.
Your ride sounds sweet [I was reading your sig].
Why doncha post some pics?

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

Yeah, I will. I can send some if you want but they won't reflect everything started this summer. I say started because I still have so much work to do. The car looks like crap now. The front bumper cover is off, the ground effects are off, the window trim and sideviews are off,the inner taillights are off etc. I'm just very busy. Work, school, EIT/FE at the end of this month, just moved, still waiting for a few parts, need to find a shop I trust to do some of the custom work, etc. Anyway, how do you add a pic. to your sig.? Thanks.

fast97maxse

nahh, I'll wait till you feel it's "presentable".
what's EIT/FE?
I don't know nuttin bout the sig.
Haven't even tried to do a text sig. yet.
I want to wait for my new wheels and window tinting.
Also I tinted my tails, but I'm not happy with the results yet.
Also been considering some mods to the front grill/valence.
Once it's tight I'll take some pics and try to add them.
You can add a pict to your message though...
At the bottom of the post screen you'll see a header "Attach file:" and you can add a gif, jpg or jpeg.
Don't know what a "png" or "bmp" are.
I presume "txt" is text - but why would you attach instead of posting it?

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

fast97maxse

my car is "Neptune Blue"
basically Navy blue, slightly metalic.
I'm going for an overall dark look.
The new wheels [should arrive at the end of the month] are "anthracite" [kind of dark gray/ gunmetal].
I sprayed some VHT night shade tint on the rear tail lights - enough to make them dark, but hopefully light enought to avoid a ticket.
But they ended up matt and I wanted glossy.
Gonna try a gloss spray over and hope it doesn't mess with the tint paint or the plastic.
If that works out, I'll tint my front clears some too.
Gonna tint windows at 35% - max allowed in CT.
Also shaved the rear and painted the lock body color.
Like I said, dark...

whatchoo planning fro the grill?

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

my car is "Neptune Blue"
basically Navy blue, slightly metalic.
I'm going for an overall dark look.

**** That's sweet, I like that.





The new wheels [should arrive at the end of the month] are "anthracite" [kind of dark gray/ gunmetal].
I sprayed some VHT night shade tint on the rear tail lights - enough to make them dark, but hopefully light enought to avoid a ticket.
But they ended up matt and I wanted glossy.
Gonna try a gloss spray over and hope it doesn't mess with the tint paint or the plastic.
If that works out, I'll tint my front clears some too.

**** That is soooo cool. I have thought about that and wondered why nobody with a dark car has done that. If I had a black/dark car I certainly would have done that too. Good for you. As far as I know, you'll be the first. I guess you can just tint the stock orange ones, huh? No need to paint your clears.





Gonna tint windows at 35% - max allowed in CT.
Also shaved the rear and painted the lock body color.

**** You are THE man!!! I have never seen that. The keyhole bothered me from day one and if I didn't shave it, I was going to at least paint it body color. Good for you. Once again, as far as I know, you'll be the first.






Like I said, dark...

**** Yeah, your car sounds like it is looking sweet. Keep up the good work.




whatchoo planning fro the grill?

**** I did tons of homework and finally found a place to buy the diamond shaped metal sheets (not cheap!!). I will take my '97 bumper, have the license plate opening filled in, have the vertical partitions on the lower opening removed and cut and fit in the grilling behind the big opening and behind the little air dams on the Stillen front lip spoiler. As for the grill, I'm not sure yet. Paint the '97 grill all body color (haven't seen that yet), paint just the sides and bar (like the SE) and put grill above and below the bar, try to use my '96 grill with the metal grilling (like Yellowbrother did), etc. I really don't care for the '97/'99 grill. I might try to use my '96 and just have it extended to fit. We'll see...

What about you?

fast97maxse

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

>>> Yeah, I been trying to figure out what to do for a while. Don't like the stock . It's ok, but... at first I thought I could just swap out for a 95, 96 but then I found out it it isn't an exact switch. yellowbrother's is ok, but there is a gap.

**** Right, I understand. Aside from that, I think it is totally, totally awesome, and looks great and would be my first choice - IF it weren't for the gap. So, with that said, I think I might go that road but have my body shop extend the grill sides to fill the gap.




The stillen gril just makes me think of a Pontiac

**** Yup! I have it, used it for 3 weeks a year and a half ago and now it sits in my garage - lol.





and the trenz isn't for me.

**** Yup! Me too - lol. To each his own but I have yet to figure out why anyone would want to make his/her Maxima look like a Ford truck. ????




I thought about cutting out the horizontal bar in the middle, but it would be a lot of work, and I don't have any bodywork skills.

**** Right, I thougt of that too (you and I think alike) but it just looks way too hard. It is the whole structure. You'd be demolishing the grill. Has anyone attempted this that you know of?






I have some perforated sheet aluminum that I'll be putting in the thin middle slot and the lower valence. I want to use it in the grill too, but not sure how it'll work or look with the horizontal bar in place still.

**** Right, me too. The lower air dam(s) are a given, but how do we get it in the grill? That is the question. What did you think of my idea to just put it above and below the horiz. bar? Kinda cheesey that it is divided, huh? But it might be better than the alternatives...





Kinda want to shave the front burger too, but an empty circle would look wierd.

**** Yeah, I'm slightly torn on that too. I know I don't want chrome so I have it body color right now. But it would be pretty cool to have no emblym at all. I guess if I stick with the '97 grill I will keep the hamburger. If I do the yellowbrother thing, I will have no emblyms at all. You're right, you can't just remove it, there is a distinct 'home' for it on the grill. Oh, that reminds me! LOL. There is this guy around here who I see here and there who removed his trunk emblyms and put on I30 emblyms and for the front just removed the emblym and left it empty. What a dork.

What did you think of my idea of painting the whole grill (the halves above and below the bar) body color. I haven't seen this. I would like grill material as a first choice but what do you think?

That leads me to another question. What color do you like for the grill material? I'm torn among: the silver it comes with, painting it black, painting it body color. I am split 40% silver, 40% body color and 20% black so I guess black is out and now I'm torn between silver and white. White would keep it flowing and look clean, silver would add a tad of highlight and tie in my wheels (nothing else on the car is silver but my wheels). I think I will make two sets, maybe three, and have one painted body color to keep my options open. What do you prefer?





I tried a kind of test with the metal - took out the whole grill and put in a piece. [see the attached pict.] I like the effect, but the way I did it, it just didn't look finished, just hack. but hey, it was only a test. I put the orignal grill back in place for now.

**** Yeah, I agree. While it looks pretty darn good in general, there is something specific about it that just doesn't work. The bottom is fine, the sides don't look right being able to see the sides of the headlights and the top looks really odd just having the hood overlap like that. As discussed, yellowbro's method solves all that ... BUT leaves a gap. We can't win. lol.


You're a cool guy Fast. Let's keep in touch. ptatohed@netzero.net. Where are you located? I'm in S.D. CA. Have a great day, I'll talk to you later.

fast97maxse

>>> Yeah, I been trying to figure out what to do for a while. Don't like the stock. It's ok, but... at first I thought I could just swap out for a 95, 96 but then I found out it it isn't an
exact switch. yellowbrother's is ok, but there is a gap.

**** Right, I understand. Aside from that, I think it is totally, totally awesome, and looks great and would be my first choice - IF it weren't for the gap. So, with that said, I think
I might go that road but have my body shop extend the grill sides to fill the gap.

###I’d do this first if I could do it without the gap I think these grill look best and I figure to put in the perf. alum. would be pretty simple. But if it isn’t perfect, I don’t want it. Let me know what yer body shop says.

>>>The stillen grill just makes me think of a Pontiac

**** Yup! I have it, used it for 3 weeks a year and a half ago and now it sits in my garage - lol.

### Well, a lot of the org members have it, and I don’t want to hurt their feelings or anything, but still, it just says "Pontiac" to me…

>>> and the trenz isn't for me.

*** Yup! Me too - lol. To each his own but I have yet to figure out why anyone would want to make his/her Maxima look like a Ford truck. ????

### Same here. I think billet grills are for trucks. But again, don’t mean to dis any org members with them. And I want it black so to pay for the look and then paint it wouldn’t make sense. Also what I like about the 95, 96 grill is that it has the "parentheses" - the little bit of trim besides the headlights. The trenz doesn’t have it, and that’s also why I didn’t like the test I did. Just looks unfinished, something’s lacking…

>>> I thought about cutting out the horizontal bar in the middle, but it would be a lot of work, and I don't have any bodywork skills.

**** Right, I thougt of that too (you and I think alike) but it just looks way too hard. It is the whole structure. You'd be demolishing the grill. Has anyone attempted this that you know of?

### Nope. Prolly too much work.

>>> I have some perforated sheet aluminum that I'll be putting in the thin middle slot and the lower valence. I want to use it in the grill too, but not sure how it'll work or look with the horizontal bar in place still.

**** Right, me too. The lower air dam(s) are a given, but how do we get it in the grill? That is the question. What did you think of my idea to just put it above and below the horiz. bar? Kinda cheesey that it is divided, huh? But it might be better than the alternatives...

### Exactly. It might look odd, and I’d want to see more of the metal, but still, better than existing. I’ve been thinking of using a dremel and a rotozip bit to cut just the little vertical fins above and below the big horizontal bar so the alum. would sit back in a bit. But I’m afraid I’ll just screw up the grill.

>>>Kinda want to shave the front burger too, but an empty circle would look wierd.

**** Yeah, I'm slightly torn on that too. I know I don't want chrome so I have it body color right now. But it would be pretty cool to have no emblym at all. I guess if I stick with
the '97 grill I will keep the hamburger. If I do the yellowbrother thing, I will have no emblyms at all. You're right, you can't just remove it, there is a distinct 'home' for it on the grill. Oh, that reminds me! LOL. There is this guy around here who I see here and there who removed his trunk emblyms and put on I30 emblyms and for the front just
removed the emblym and left it empty. What a dork.

### Right. If no horizontal bar, then no burger. If I keep the horizontal bar I’ve been kinda thinking of taking out the burger and replacing it with an old Datsun logo.
A chrome skull and crossbones, flat but with some dimension might be fun. Or real corny. Maybe something else? I dunno. So far I like the Datsun logo idea best.

***What did you think of my idea of painting the whole grill (the halves above and below the bar) body color. I haven't seen this. I would like grill material as a first choice but what do you think?

### My max is pretty dark, so you can hardly tell that the inside bits of the grill are different. Yours is white, right? So the black inner bit is probably quite a contrast. Painting it to match could look nice. Ever think about white wheels?

***That leads me to another question. What color do you like for the grill material? I'm torn among: the silver it comes with, painting it black, painting it body color. I am split 40% silver, 40% body color and 20% black so I guess black is out and now I'm torn between silver and white. White would keep it flowing and look clean, silver would add a tad of highlight and tie in my wheels (nothing else on the car is silver but my wheels). I think I will make two sets, maybe three, and have one painted body color to keep my options open. What do you prefer?

### For my car, black. For yours, I’m not sure. Is your horizontal bar silver with a black grill? Or is the horiz. bar body color with black? If it’s the first, I might just keep it that way - the black makes the chrome pop. If it’s a body color bar on black, I think I’d try painting the black bits to match the body. Maybe do a post to see if anybody has done it yet so you can see what it looks like first.

>>>I tried a kind of test with the metal - took out the whole grill and put in a piece. [see the attached pict.] I like the effect, but the way I did it, it just didn't look finished, just hack. but hey, it was only a test. I put the original grill back in place for now.

**** Yeah, I agree. While it looks pretty darn good in general, there is something specific about it that just doesn't work. The bottom is fine, the sides don't look right being able
to see the sides of the headlights and the top looks really odd just having the hood overlap like that. As discussed, yellowbro's method solves all that ... BUT leaves a gap. We can't win. lol.

### I wanted to test how it would look. I just kind of wedged it in place and the way it fit without falling out put it behind the headlights. If I didn’t want the parentheses trim bits, I might have tried to bring it forward so it was even with the font of the headlights, but it wasn’t worth it. I did read a post where Sarona is supposedly working a grill, but I have no idea what it will look like, when it will be ready or what it would cost…

***You're a cool guy Fast. Let's keep in touch. ptatohed@netzero.net. Where are you located? I'm in S.D. CA. Have a great day, I'll talk to you later.

You too. jmlee@modemmedia.com. I live in Ridgefield, CT [Near Danbury]. Work in Norwalk. Used to live and work in NYC. Glad I don’t anymore…

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

###I’d do this first if I could do it without the gap I think these grill look best and I figure to put in the perf. alum. would be pretty simple. But if it isn’t perfect, I don’t want it. Let me know what yer body shop says.

**** I will let you know. I think that will be my plan A - to use the 95/96 grill with the honey comb gutted and replaced with my diamond metal with the legs extended.





### Exactly. It might look odd, and I’d want to see more of the metal, but still, better than existing. I’ve been thinking of using a dremel and a rotozip bit to cut just the little vertical fins above and below the big horizontal bar so the alum. would sit back in a bit. But I’m afraid I’ll just screw up the grill.

**** Oh man, you crack me up!!!! I really, honestly thought I was the only weirdo who thinks about this stuff - lol. Yup, I thought of that too, if you put our metal grilling in front of it, it is too close to the front. It won't match the lower air dam. I too was wondering if we could either set it back or just hallow it out all together.







### Right. If no horizontal bar, then no burger. If I keep the horizontal bar I’ve been kinda thinking of taking out the burger and replacing it with an old Datsun logo.
A chrome skull and crossbones, flat but with some dimension might be fun. Or real corny. Maybe something else? I dunno. So far I like the Datsun logo idea best.

**** I don't get it. Are you joking? Why Datsun?







### My max is pretty dark, so you can hardly tell that the inside bits of the grill are different. Yours is white, right? So the black inner bit is probably quite a contrast. Painting it to match could look nice. Ever think about white wheels?

**** Yeah, but na. They will be white and not pearl white. And it's not like I can get white tires. Just like my windows, those can't be white. I've just accepted it. The only way everything can match is if you go black.








### For my car, black. For yours, I’m not sure. Is your horizontal bar silver with a black grill? Or is the horiz. bar body color with black?

**** Oh man, don't insult me! Would I have the GXE chrome one? Actually, it is a would-be SE body color grill but I say 'would-be' becuase it is gray unpainted plastic still in the Nissan box sitting on the workbench in my garage.




If it’s the first, I might just keep it that way - the black makes the chrome pop. If it’s a body color bar on black, I think I’d try painting the black bits to match the body. Maybe do a post to see if anybody has done it yet so you can see what it looks like first.

**** True. Like I said, I could paint the black body color but I would prefer grilling so I need to explore that first. Also, it isn't the most handsome pattern if you haven't noticed. At least my '96 grill forms a honey comb pattern, the '97 forms????






### I wanted to test how it would look. I just kind of wedged it in place and the way it fit without falling out put it behind the headlights. If I didn’t want the parentheses trim bits, I might have tried to bring it forward so it was even with the font of the headlights, but it wasn’t worth it.

**** Right, it might be possible to make it look better by playing around with stuff like that but never perfect. It needs some kind of frame.



I did read a post where Sarona is supposedly working a grill, but I have no idea what it will look like, when it will be ready or what it would cost…

*** Yeah, heard that too. We'll see..


Talk to you later. Have a nice evening.

NickStam

iTrader: (3)

phew! cliff notes?

thebigsadler

iTrader: (4)

oh my lord.. nick you hit that one the head!!! wow.

as for the grill i attached a pic of what i did to mine.. cut all of the slats out and just left the horizontals..

as for the hanging of your muffler, take it to a muffler shop, have them break off the stock hangers and rehang the muffler.. when you leave your work you should go out at the most severe angle you can.. my exhaust is hung at an angle down and i scrape a lot, but thats cuz i have like 3 inches of clearance..

lots of people have painted the whole front grill body color, lots of white max's too.. i had the emblem off my grill for awhile, but i put it back on.. just had mesh grill there and it wasnt that good looking..

Dave B

Rehanging your muffler won't work. If you raise the muffler, exhaust pipe before the muffler will be pushed into the frame of the car. Take your cars jack and use it to push the muffler up to the position you want. From there, inspect the exhaust piping clearance. You need atleast an inch clearance to compensate for heat expansion and movement.

You'd be better served, cutting down the exit exhaust pipe and adding a shorter exhaust tip.



Dave

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

Thanks sooo much for the input and option. I really appreciate that. How did you cut out your slats? Did you have to sand and repaint afterwards? Thanks again.

thebigsadler

iTrader: (4)

i used a "saws-all" and that quickly knocked out a big chunk, then i used a dremel to get it down closer and then sanded, sanded, sanded.. repainted the whole thing when i was done.. came out nice.

97GreenMax

Man, I need to raise up my muffler too. I scraped my muffler, which is some cheap aftermarket one. I scraped it like 3 times just today.

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

O.k., thanks BigSad, I appreciate it.



What cracks me up about this post is since Fast97 got H&R springs, he now scrapes on his company garage ramp when he didn't before, I on the other hand used to scrape (my nose, not my exhaust) before I got my H&Rs, and now I don't! LOL. (I used to have Intrax).

Well, another thing you can do what I used to do Fast97 is enter through the exit! Just look, if it's clear, punch it and get it quick. It worked for months. (I beleive in your case you need to leave out the entrance, right?).

Good luck, keep us posted on your muffler raising.

-Josh

fast97maxse

ptatohed -

**** I will let you know. I think that will be my plan A - to use the 95/96 grill with the honey comb gutted and replaced with my diamond metal with the legs extended.
>>> That would be my plan A as well.
Let me know how it goes, what you bodyshop says/charges. I wonder what would look better/cost less - to modify a 95/96 grill or to mod the 97+ grill?

**** Oh man, you crack me up!!!! I really, honestly thought I was the only weirdo who thinks about this stuff - lol. Yup, I thought of that too, if you put our metal grilling in front of it, it is too close to the front. It won't match the lower air dam. I too
was wondering if we could either set it back or just hallow it out all together.
>>> Great minds think alike [or 2 idiots, one thought]. Yeah, well, if I can’t do plan A [probably due to cost of body work] this plan B is the only other option [plan C, Stillin, is not an option, plan D, Trenz, is not an option, plan E, Sarona, who knows, plan F, do nothing, well…]


### Right. If no horizontal bar, then no burger. If I keep the horizontal bar I’ve been kinda thinking of taking out the burger and replacing it with an old Datsun logo.
A chrome skull and crossbones, flat but with some dimension might be fun. Or real corny. Maybe something else? I dunno. So far I like the Datsun logo idea best.
**** I don't get it. Are you joking? Why Datsun?
>>> No joke. I mean I kinda like the idea of a skull & crossbones, but like I said, probably more corny than cool. The horizontal bar definitely needs something… I thought about a GTR logo. But, as much as I’d like a GTR, and as much as I might mod my Maxima, it will never be a GTR. Nissan used to be Datsun. I just want to do something to be a bit different, and maybe confuse you average citizen a little. So the Datsun logo is also round and might fit the space well, and, unlike a GTR badge, wouldn’t really be false advertising. Those who know would get it and those that didn’t would scratch their heads…

**** Yeah, but na. They will be white and not pearl white. And it's not like I can get white tires. Just like my windows, those can't be white. I've just accepted it. The only way everything can match is if you go black.
>>> OK, so go black.

**** Oh man, don't insult me! Would I have the GXE chrome one? Actually, it is a would-be SE body color grill but I say 'would-be' becuase it is gray unpainted plastic still in the Nissan box sitting on the workbench in my garage.
>>> Sorry. So make the horizontal bar pearl white and the other bits balck.

**** True. Like I said, I could paint the black body color but I would prefer grilling so I need to explore that first. Also, it isn't the most handsome pattern if you haven't noticed. At least my '96 grill forms a honey comb pattern, the '97 forms????
>>> Right. That’s what got us both thinking along these lines.

**** Right, it might be possible to make it look better by playing around with stuff like that but never perfect. It needs some kind of frame.
>>> Which requires somebody with more bodywork skills than I have [not hard] which means me spending money [hard].

### I did read a post where Sarona is supposedly working a grill, but I have no idea what it will look like, when it will be ready or what it would cost…
*** Yeah, heard that too. We'll see..
>>> Will it look good? Will it cost too much, Will it ever come?

*** Well, another thing you can do what I used to do Fast97 is enter through the exit! Just look, if it's clear, punch it and get it quick. It worked for months. (I believe in your case you need to leave out the entrance, right?).
>>> The entrance and the exit are side by side on the same sloped piece of concrete - so no difference.

Good luck, keep us posted on your muffler raising.

OK, will do.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Nick -
Sorry, no cliff notes, you’ll just have to slog through it if you’re interested.
I’ve been thinking about modifying the grill for months now and ptatohed was the first guy I found who was thinking like I was - almost exactly. So it was nice to get the feedback. I’m hoping he does the hard part, tries something out first, and I can learn from his mistakes - or copy what he does if it turns out right.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
thebigsadler
### oh my lord.. nick you hit that one the head!!! wow.
>>> yeah, well, I can run on…

### as for the grill i attached a pic of what i did to mine.. cut all of the slats out and just left the horizontals..
>>> Looks very nice. Exactly what I’ve been thinking of and sounds like what ptatohed is thinking of also. Do you have a picture shot in day light? About how long did it take you to do this? Also, how did you attach the mesh? Thanks!

### as for the hanging of your muffler, take it to a muffler shop, have them break off the stock hangers and rehang the muffler.. when you leave your work you should go out at the most severe angle you can.. my exhaust is hung at an angle down and i scrape a
lot, but thats cuz i have like 3 inches of clearance..
>>> Thanks, I’ll look into it. Need the time and the money. But I think I’d rather tint my windows and park outside for a while. There is only one angle I can approach it from/at. Maybe I shold floor it and just jump the sharp angle...

### lots of people have painted the whole front grill body color, lots of white max's too.. i had the emblem off my grill for awhile, but I put it back on.. just had mesh grill there and it wasn’t that good looking..
>>> What would you think of a Datsun logo?

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave B
### Rehanging your muffler won't work. If you raise the muffler, exhaust pipe before the muffler will be pushed into the frame of the car. Take your cars jack and use it to push the muffler up to the position you want. From there, inspect the exhaust piping clearance. You need atleast an inch clearance to compensate for heat expansion and movement. You'd be better served, cutting down the exit exhaust pipe and adding a shorter exhaust tip.
>>> I guess I’ll crawl under and take a look. I’m pretty sure it’s the leading edge of the muffler ‘box" that scrapes - and nothing else. I don’t think I’ll need to do anything to the tip. I was wondering about what the heat of the muffler system would do if it was closer to the underbody. Given that the springs dropped the body 1.5 inches and I scrapped a little even then, I’d need to raise it at least that much before I could park in the garage again.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah, well, like I said, I can run on
and on
and on
and on
and

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

>>> That would be my plan A as well.
Let me know how it goes, what you bodyshop says/charges. I wonder what would look better/cost less - to modify a 95/96 grill or to mod the 97+ grill?

&&&& When you say mod the '97 grill, I have to assume you mean kill the horiz. bar, yes? We kinda discussed this earlier, I really don't think it can be done Fast97. It would leave you with what? Two sides and some upper and lower slats? What if you wanted to kill the slats too?! At least on the '96 grill when you kill the honey combs, you still have a whole structure - a top and two sides. You know what I mean? Even if you could do that to the '97, it would look funny with no top, having the hood hang over. Kind of like your little experiment.






>>> Great minds think alike [or 2 idiots, one thought]. Yeah, well, if I can’t do plan A [probably due to cost of body work] this plan B is the only other option [plan C, Stillin, is not an option, plan D, Trenz, is not an option, plan E, Sarona, who knows, plan F, do nothing, well…]

&&&& Ha! LOL You are too cool. Yup, those do sound like the plans, in that order.







**** I don't get it. Are you joking? Why Datsun?
>>> No joke. I mean I kinda like the idea of a skull & crossbones, but like I said, probably more corny than cool. The horizontal bar definitely needs something… I thought about a GTR logo. But, as much as I’d like a GTR, and as much as I might mod my Maxima, it will never be a GTR. Nissan used to be Datsun. I just want to do something to be a bit different, and maybe confuse you average citizen a little. So the Datsun logo is also round and might fit the space well, and, unlike a GTR badge, wouldn’t really be false advertising. Those who know would get it and those that didn’t would scratch their heads…

&&&& Yeah, I totally agree with you about the fake GTR. But as for the Datsun... well, no comment. Hey, that brings to mind a joke I heard when I was probably 10 or so. Typing it won't do it justice but let me try. Stop me if you've heard this already. The setting: Japan. Mr. Yokomoto, top CEO of a soon to be very successful car manufacturer is sitting in his new office. He picks up the phone and calls his secretary: "Ching Lee, please send in Mr. Mikomasi". She calls Riyu Mikomasi and tells him Mr. Yokomoto wants to see him. He gets all nervous, straightens his tie, stands up straight and enters the office wondering what this could be about. Riyu: "Uhh, yah, heh-lo Mista Yokomoto. Uh wuzs tode yoo won-ed to speek tuh me?" Mr. Yokomoto: "Yes, I did. Riyu, I have seen your work, you got straight A's in all your engineering classes, I have seen the project cars you have worked on, I saw your idea for magnetic suspension. I feel you have great potential with this firm. In fact, I want you to name our new car company". Riyu<Totally excited but very worried he won't be able to please Mr. Yokomoto>: "Ooh, Uh wud be hon-uhd suh, tank yoo vewy much. Yokomoto: "There's just one thing, I need it by tomorrow". Riyu: "DAT SOON?!





**** Yeah, but na. They will be white and not pearl white. And it's not like I can get white tires. Just like my windows, those can't be white. I've just accepted it. The only way everything can match is if you go black.
>>> OK, so go black.

&&&& Huh? I have a white car, it's a little too late for that.




**** Oh man, don't insult me! Would I have the GXE chrome one? Actually, it is a would-be SE body color grill but I say 'would-be' becuase it is gray unpainted plastic still in the Nissan box sitting on the workbench in my garage.
>>> Sorry. So make the horizontal bar pearl white and the other bits balck.

&&&& Well, yeah Fast, but that's not custom man, that's tock SE.





**** Right, it might be possible to make it look better by playing around with stuff like that but never perfect. It needs some kind of frame.
>>> Which requires somebody with more bodywork skills than I have [not hard] which means me spending money [hard].

&&&& LOL. Yup, I hear you.






---------------------------------------------------------------------
Nick -
Sorry, no cliff notes, you’ll just have to slog through it if you’re interested.
I’ve been thinking about modifying the grill for months now and ptatohed was the first guy I found who was thinking like I was - almost exactly. So it was nice to get the feedback. I’m hoping he does the hard part, tries something out first, and I can learn from his mistakes - or copy what he does if it turns out right.

&&&& You got it Fast, I'll do it. I'm just slow though. But I will do it, you have my word. I have your e-mail. As for Cliff's notes, am I the only one here that would not have made it through High School English without them?! I love that man Cliff.


&&&& I'm outy. Nice chatin' with you guys as usual. Have a great one.

-Josh

fast97maxse

&&&& When you say mod the '97 grill, I have to assume you mean kill the horiz. bar, yes? We kinda discussed this earlier, I really don't think it can be done Fast97. It would leave you with what? Two sides and some upper and lower slats? What if you wanted to kill the slats too?! At least on the '96 grill when you kill the honey combs, you still have a whole structure - a top and two sides. You know what I mean? Even if you could do that to the '97, it would look funny with no top, having the hood hang over. Kind of like your little experiment.

### Yeah, I know what you mean. What I’d like best would be a 96 that fits on my 97 - I like the thin bit of trim on the top. But making it fit will be either hard work or cost $____?
So, I keep the 97. I’d like to loose the big horizontal but keep the ( ) bits next to the headlights, but you’re right, it would fall apart with nothing to hold it together.
So I’m left with cutting out the slats above and below the bar like thebigsadler did. I think he did a real nice job. I would like to see a clear close up shot taken during the day though.

[HEY! are you listening bigsadler?]

And that’s what you’re going to try too right? Or are you going to make a 96 fit? I was thinking of buying another grill so I could still drive around looking ok until I was finished - or still have a decent grill if I screw it up. Where did you get your extra grill and how much was it?

&&&& Yeah, I totally agree with you about the fake GTR. But as for the Datsun... well, no comment. Hey, that brings to mind a joke I heard…
### I’ll take it "no comment" means you don’t like it. You think it wouldn’t look good, or it just wouldn’t look right, or it just isn’t really all that amusing? Well thebigsadler said he tried it without anything and didn’t like it. I think I’d agree. But I’d like to do something a bit different. I wonder if it would be possible to make the logo that "black chrome" look that some of the new Maximas have?

&&&& Huh? I have a white car, it's a little too late for that.
### I meant black for the inside grill bits.
&&&& Well, yeah Fast, but that's not custom man, that's stock SE.
### Oh, yeah, well… uhhh. duuuhhh. So then. If you’re just going to paint it, if you make the inside bits pearl white then it would make less of the horizontal bar , which would be nice. But I think the mesh replacement you’re thinking of would look better.

So I was working on the grill a little this past weekend. I made a piece of the perforated aluminum to fit the thin slot below the grill and then started on the big gap below that. The piece for the thin slot fits in from the front. I think I’ll just glue it to the part that’s usually used to mount the lic. plate holder. For the part below I think I’ll mount that from the inside so the vertical bars are in front of it. But - I can’t decide what color to make it. I am inclined to make it black, but if I do that, you’ll hardly notice it. All that work for what? But if I make it silver, will it stand out too much?

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

### Yeah, I know what you mean. What I’d like best would be a 96 that fits on my 97 - I like the thin bit of trim on the top. But making it fit will be either hard work or cost $____?
So, I keep the 97. I’d like to loose the big horizontal but keep the ( ) bits next to the headlights, but you’re right, it would fall apart with nothing to hold it together.
So I’m left with cutting out the slats above and below the bar like thebigsadler did. I think he did a real nice job. I would like to see a clear close up shot taken during the day though.

%%%% Right, my mind is made up. Here is my plan. When I finally find a place to paint all my new stuff and do my custom work, I will a.) Remove all my honey comb, have my '96 grill extended by the shop and place my diamond metal in there AND b.) Remove ALL my slats (not just the horizontal ones like bigsad did) and place my diamond metal above and below the lame horizontal bar with my body color emblym. That way I will have choices. I'll let you know when each are done and send pics. As for yourself fast, I'd do my b. above since it is free. Well, maybe not because after cutting out the slats, you may need to have it repainted. If I were you and I didn't want to spend a dime (don't blame you it hurst! - lol), I would put your metal above and below and you're done (I beleive you said you already started this).





And that’s what you’re going to try too right? Or are you going to make a 96 fit? I was thinking of buying another grill so I could still drive around looking ok until I was finished - or still have a decent grill if I screw it up. Where did you get your extra grill and how much was it?

%%%% From Courtesey and I beleive around $70. Just mention the org. for your discount. But wait 'till you mess up first. Just stick your metal in there like you did for the time being.





I’ll take it "no comment" means you don’t like it. You think it wouldn’t look good, or it just wouldn’t look right, or it just isn’t really all that amusing?

%%%% Kinda all three. Sorry man. Up until that, we were thinking 110% the same. LOL. But that's just my opinion, please don't let me stop you from anything you want to do.





Well thebigsadler said he tried it without anything and didn’t like it. I think I’d agree. But I’d like to do something a bit different. I wonder if it would be possible to make the logo that "black chrome" look that some of the new Maximas have?

%%%% There you go, or what I was going to say is do what i do, go body color. That's unique. Clean, but different. It's my choice 2, right behind no emblym. But yeah, even black is sweet to - especially on your car. I just hate chrome.





&&&& Huh? I have a white car, it's a little too late for that.
### I meant black for the inside grill bits.

%%%% Now you are confusing me. You asked why I don't get white wheels and I anwered because they won't match the paint and it' not like a car can be all white anyway, you'll always have the tires, windows, etc. So I responded with only black cars can do everthing black. Smoked tails, tinted windows, black rims, etc.





&&&& Well, yeah Fast, but that's not custom man, that's stock SE.
### Oh, yeah, well… uhhh. duuuhhh. So then. If you’re just going to paint it, if you make the inside bits pearl white then it would make less of the horizontal bar , which would be nice. But I think the mesh replacement you’re thinking of would look better.

%%%% There you go - thinking alike again. Yeah, one of my top choices is to paint it all pearl but, like you said the mesh is a better choice and therfore, all the slats are gonna go. That way I can put the metal grilling behind the grill.





So I was working on the grill a little this past weekend.

%%%% Alright, good for you!





I made a piece of the perforated aluminum to fit the thin slot below the grill and then started on the big gap below that.

%%%% Oh, I see, are you talking about the two holes in the bumper, not the two openings in the grill, above and below the horiz. bar?





The piece for the thin slot fits in from the front. I think I’ll just glue it to the part that’s usually used to mount the lic. plate holder. For the part below I think I’ll mount that from the inside so the vertical bars are in front of it.

%%%% Yeah...., I hear you... but then they are on different planes. I was thinking of going behind on both. However, I think that would look gay with the license plate holder so I'm thinking of creaming the holder portion. And the, by doing that, I will have to now cut a hole in the styrofoam and then either cut a hole in the bumper or at least paint it black. Then put the grill right in front of the bumper. Does that make sense? Do you keep your plate on or off?




But - I can’t decide what color to make it. I am inclined to make it black, but if I do that, you’ll hardly notice it. All that work for what? But if I make it silver, will it stand out too much

%%%% Ha! Yup, I hear you man! You remind me of myself way rtoo much - lol. Yeah, like in a prior post, I was telling you how I go through that over and over in my head as well. Well, I feel you can't go wrong with either. So, neither is a bad choice. But the question is, what's the better choice? As much as I hate chrome, I have nothing at all against silver. So, I don't feel it will be tacky if you go silver. It might add some contrast. Especially if you set it back as far as possible. Now if you get it closer to the surface, black might be a better choice. That's tough, I don't know if I can help you. You can always do what I plan on doing and make two sets to keep your options open!

Good luck man.

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

Hey, I just sent you an e-mail (sorry it's overdue but the EIT is finally over!) and it got returned. Did you change your address? E-mail me when you get a chance. ptatohed@netzero.net Thanks. Talk to you soon.


-Josh

ptatohed

iTrader: (12)

Does anyone know what happened to fast97maxse? When I e-mail him through the .org, it gets returned, when I e-mail him through the e-mail he gave me, it gets returned. He hasn't posted since Oct. of 2001. Anyone know?