ptatohed's "exterior decorating" (pics) [part 2 in a series]
Congrats on this epic feat!
Lots and lots of people were snapping pics of your Maxima and admiring it on Stillen day!
Absolutely love the shaved door guards. Next time we need to mold the hood scoop as well as the other things we discussed. Hood scoop is still pretty bada$$ though as it is!
If you are implying that the job took 80 hours from start to finish, you are way off Taterhead.
Either you have a great camera or I'm one handsome fellow
Lots and lots of people were snapping pics of your Maxima and admiring it on Stillen day! Absolutely love the shaved door guards. Next time we need to mold the hood scoop as well as the other things we discussed. Hood scoop is still pretty bada$$ though as it is!
If you are implying that the job took 80 hours from start to finish, you are way off Taterhead.
Either you have a great camera or I'm one handsome fellow
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,519
From: Murrieta (southern California)
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,519
From: Murrieta (southern California)
antenna
Sweet job you must be ecstatic. I see you shaved your antenna, what and where did you mount an aftermarket one. Your stock head unit bracket you and the wizard have... What did you guys do to it to have the H.u. sit flush with the dash ? Im have an AVN6620 and It stick out about 1/4" away from the dash. I also followed your foot notes and made a fake face out of my Bose radio. That was a great Idea by the way. So with that being said I need to have my H.u. sit flush so this face will look as real as possible. Besides the fact that I Hate that the h.u. its not flush. Any info will help.
Sweet job you must be ecstatic. I see you shaved your antenna, what and where did you mount an aftermarket one. Your stock head unit bracket you and the wizard have... What did you guys do to it to have the H.u. sit flush with the dash ? Im have an AVN6620 and It stick out about 1/4" away from the dash. I also followed your foot notes and made a fake face out of my Bose radio. That was a great Idea by the way. So with that being said I need to have my H.u. sit flush so this face will look as real as possible. Besides the fact that I Hate that the h.u. its not flush. Any info will help.
In a nutshell, we:
1. Took the OEM radio bracket completely out of the car and detached it from the radio.
2. Layed it flat on the workbench and pounded the areas where the bolts go completely flat, thus giving us more useable and drillable area.
3. Used a ruler and marked the same holes about 3/8" inches back.
4. Attached to new HU and achieved the nice flush look!
I'll let Josh answer the antenna question.
Your car looks great. Makes me want to repaint my car the stock color and get rid of all the dents and scratches. Also wanted to thank-you for the scifd. I will need it soon. I printed it, laminated it and put it in a three ring binder.
We modified the stock radio bracket.
In a nutshell, we:
1. Took the OEM radio bracket completely out of the car and detached it from the radio.
2. Layed it flat on the workbench and pounded the areas where the bolts go completely flat, thus giving us more useable and drillable area.
3. Used a ruler and marked the same holes about 3/8" inches back.
4. Attached to new HU and achieved the nice flush look!
I'll let Josh answer the antenna question.
In a nutshell, we:
1. Took the OEM radio bracket completely out of the car and detached it from the radio.
2. Layed it flat on the workbench and pounded the areas where the bolts go completely flat, thus giving us more useable and drillable area.
3. Used a ruler and marked the same holes about 3/8" inches back.
4. Attached to new HU and achieved the nice flush look!
I'll let Josh answer the antenna question.

Josh spent oodles of hours putting that thing together. Nice to know people are still reading/using it.
Yeah it's great. I'm very thankful that he spent all the time on it, it will help me out a lot. I would like to thank-you too (The Wizard) since you helped him with the install. I plan to actually need it in a month or two. I can't wait!
Sweet job you must be ecstatic. I see you shaved your antenna, what and where did you mount an aftermarket one. Your stock head unit bracket you and the wizard have... What did you guys do to it to have the H.u. sit flush with the dash ? Im have an AVN6620 and It stick out about 1/4" away from the dash. I also followed your foot notes and made a fake face out of my Bose radio. That was a great Idea by the way. So with that being said I need to have my H.u. sit flush so this face will look as real as possible. Besides the fact that I Hate that the h.u. its not flush. Any info will help.

http://forums.maxima.org/audio-elect...ce-thread.html
Still working on the fake face though now that my hu is flush I have to finish grinding down the back of the face till I get it flush . I'll post some pics when its all done.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,519
From: Murrieta (southern California)
Again, thanks for all the nice words guys.
What's not your thing? I did a lot of "things".
Thanks for the thanks and appreciate of the SCIFD VT.
It is very time consuming but not really that difficult. The "spot welds" you ask about are more like Jr. Mint sized splotches of this strong rubbery adhesive. You need to take a saw blade and carefully saw through them. Then, use a dremmil and buzz the outer perimeter of what you want to remove. Be careful to never hurt the painted/outside layer of sheet metal. I placed a metal plate between the underhood support/frame and the outside plane of the hood just to make sure I never slip and damage the outer plane. There is a significant weight savings but please note your hood and trunk will be weaker. The hood is fine and still works well with the stock shocks, etc. But if someone (or something) were to rest on the center of the hood, it will cave. As for the trunk, you'll have to modify (or eliminate) your torsion bars because your trunk will open soooo violently after your reduce its weight. I haven't modified my torsion bars yet so I just make sure I am there to catch the trunk when I pop it.
It is very time consuming but not really that difficult. The "spot welds" you ask about are more like Jr. Mint sized splotches of this strong rubbery adhesive. You need to take a saw blade and carefully saw through them. Then, use a dremmil and buzz the outer perimeter of what you want to remove. Be careful to never hurt the painted/outside layer of sheet metal. I placed a metal plate between the underhood support/frame and the outside plane of the hood just to make sure I never slip and damage the outer plane. There is a significant weight savings but please note your hood and trunk will be weaker. The hood is fine and still works well with the stock shocks, etc. But if someone (or something) were to rest on the center of the hood, it will cave. As for the trunk, you'll have to modify (or eliminate) your torsion bars because your trunk will open soooo violently after your reduce its weight. I haven't modified my torsion bars yet so I just make sure I am there to catch the trunk when I pop it.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,519
From: Murrieta (southern California)

Sorry for the delay maxprivate. There are a few options. When I shaved my antenna on my '96 years ago, I installed a Fuba roof-mount antenna. It's actually a powered antenna and gets really good reception. It looks just like a VW antenna. I mounted it in the rear middle of the roof. I then later changed it to a Zendar antenna. It isn't powered but works well.
Now, for my '99 which I just recently shaved, I'm thinking I'd like to keep the clean look and not add an external antenna. So, meanwhile, I haven't done anything. Let me point out that if you do nothing and you have the Bose dual diversity antenna, you'll still get o.k. FM reception (no AM). There is an antenna in our back windshield. But, assuming you want good FM and AM reception, which I do too, we'll have to look into an internal antenna. I know Zendar makes one. It goes in the pillar, in our case, probably the passenger side C pillar. Other companies might make one. I haven't bought one yet but that's the way I am going to go. I'll keep you updated with what I buy and how it works.
Good luck.

Gotta luv boost.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,519
From: Murrieta (southern California)
^^^ lol. well im just a lowly supervisor at Home Depot, dont get me wrong doesnt bother me or something that you do it, i was just asking.
p.s. like always im jealous of your car...
someday when i finish school ill be able to build a beautiful work of art like that!
p.s. like always im jealous of your car...
someday when i finish school ill be able to build a beautiful work of art like that!
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Team STILLEN
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Aug 10, 2015 04:29 PM





got ya man. I love your dash kit.. so neat looking and that flush fit for the hu awesome. Soon mine will be flush as well. Thanks again for the tip.
