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UPDATE (3/20/17) IT'S FINISHED! Yes, terrible pics... I apologize. Finally finished the design, and yes there will be tiny gaps on the bottom but I don't think the light will shine through at all. I will soon be making a bunch and selling them on eBay. Still debating on price though but will be less than $10... It's basically a flimsy but bendable plastic piece made from PLA. It will be printed in black. Further note, I am selling my Maxima in a few weeks. So I need to get these printed and trimmed ASAP. I will get a night shot of this soon.
I have a friend who owns a 3D printer, and figured to ask him to make me a custom piece for the third brake light. He did an excellent job on it, in my opinion. He told me the printer works best with round edges rather than square ones, since he gave me the option between the old rounded Maxima logo and the new square one. For $10, I'd say it was a great buy. This is PLA plastic, not ABS. PLA is cheap, flimsy and can easily bend and break. This is what it looks like! Pics don't do it justice. Crap cell pics except for the first and third shots.
Edges weren't illuminated in this pic.
Last edited by RealityCheck; 03-20-2017 at 06:51 AM.
No worries. This piece is worthy to buy for a nice extra detail. It's a good idea for any car actually. I figured someone could do this with an x-acto knife and vinyl wrap, but I wanted an actual plastic cover. This would be for 97-99 only. I can't help out the older gens.
If you wish to strive for perfection, have your plastic piece go to the very edge horizontally, it appears it's just shy. Vertically, it looks dead on.
Also, both the M and the A are partially cut off. Maybe make the word MAXIMA 10% smaller so that that all letters illuminate 100%?
No worries. This piece is worthy to buy for a nice extra detail. It's a good idea for any car actually. I figured someone could do this with an x-acto knife and vinyl wrap, but I wanted an actual plastic cover. This would be for 97-99 only. I can't help out the older gens.
Yeah you can! Sell the exact 97-99 and sell a retangular 1 that is slightly larger and made for the DIYer to cut to fit for the others Gens 1986-on ($20)
If you wish to strive for perfection, have your plastic piece go to the very edge horizontally, it appears it's just shy. Vertically, it looks dead on.
Also, both the M and the A are partially cut off. Maybe make the word MAXIMA 10% smaller so that that all letters illuminate 100%?
It is at the very edge. It doesn't fit perfect because you have to screw this in over the lens. So the back cover to this light may have the slightest gap in the middle, causing it to show a little spot of light on the window. The edges don't light up that good because of the way the housing is for the bulb. It goes from a rectangle in the front to a rounded off dome in the back. I may be thinking to drill 2 holes for small led bulbs to illuminate it on the edges as well. Plus, I would wire it to the tail light harness. This way, whenever the parking lights are on, it would glow as well.
Edit: It looks totally fine in person, you don't notice the cut off of the light. Depends what angle you're at.
and hello, wtf is this bs that 95-96's aren't the same?? so make some that fit damn him!!! seriously, tell him, do it, do it now!!
I don't have a 95-96 brake light, unless it's the same as newer gens. I have no clue!
Yeah you can! Sell the exact 97-99 and sell a retangular 1 that is slightly larger and made for the DIYer to cut to fit for the others Gens 1986-on ($20)
It could easily sell for $20, but I don't want to give people an incorrect fitted piece. I have to guarantee it would fit before I sell.
Last edited by RealityCheck; 01-14-2015 at 07:06 AM.
A larger rectangular will be for us to fit!!!! Not you!!! That way those that want it can trim it to fit their own third light!
I need some peeps to help out with measurements then. All I need is the dimensions of the lens for 95-96, 3rd and 5th gens.. What happens if the letters are too big?
Thanks guys. Since I don't have a spoiler light, I couldn't help out on that. It may be too thin and wide to make one for it. On that note, I will post back to see if my friend is really willing to make more of these exact pieces. He might charge $20 as a guess. Keep in mind this isn't a nice factory molded ABS plastic. This printed plastic is cheap and isn't made very strong. It takes a while to make. (Approx an hour or longer)
Thanks guys. Since I don't have a spoiler light, I couldn't help out on that. It may be too thin and wide to make one for it. On that note, I will post back to see if my friend is really willing to make more of these exact pieces. He might charge $20 as a guess. Keep in mind this isn't a nice factory molded ABS plastic. This printed plastic is cheap and isn't made very strong. It takes a while to make. (Approx an hour or longer)
I don't need a spoiler light. I just need someone to measure it. That's all I am asking from anyone is strictly measurements from a spoiler light and a 95/96 third brake light lens (which might be the same exact one from the newer gens). I don't need to buy any piece from anyone.
I don't need a spoiler light. I just need someone to measure it. That's all I am asking from anyone is strictly measurements from a spoiler light and a 95/96 third brake light lens (which might be the same exact one from the newer gens). I don't need to buy any piece from anyone.
i believe all 4th gens are the same, looked at a 97 next to mine today and i could'nt see a difference? (95)
Well in that case, this is a good sign. The printer man will be interested in printing more in a few weeks. He does other projects for people as well, plus college work.
i'm going to look into making one of these, if someone wants to get me measurements for a 95-96 rear dash light i will talk to a friend of mine who can probably make this out of plastic or resin. maybe....
Hey guys, I apologize for obviously not getting around to making tons of these for everyone. The friend who made this for me, is ALWAYS busy. He does a lot of audio/electrical engineering work now with subwoofers and amps. Very smart. So I may just attempt to trace out the piece for a template, and see how it looks with black construction paper.
UPDATE! Here is a picture of the actual piece and the new design for it. I have recently got into learning 3D Modeling and want to actually get this piece out to everyone else who is interested. Still, my friend who originally made this piece still never sent me the file for it. I decided to redesign it, for it to look better but didn't get to the printing part yet.
This thread was started over 2 years ago. You had guys here foaming at the mouth back then. I am down for one, if this is for real.
Why didn't things work out with your friend doing them? He had a chance to make some money real fast.... Couldn't handle the demand??
This thread was started over 2 years ago. You had guys here foaming at the mouth back then. I am down for one, if this is for real.
Why didn't things work out with your friend doing them? He had a chance to make some money real fast.... Couldn't handle the demand??
It will be sold eventually when I'm settled on the look and fit. He did have the chance, and it faded. He was constantly working. College and is big with car audio because he does a lot of engineering with it. Found some inspiration to get this really going. Here's the update.. I finished the model, and got the piece printed. Stupid me should have done better measurements. I'm starting from scratch and doing it over. When the housing is lit, there is a cut off on each side, not illuminating the edge of the M and A. I will make the letters smaller, and will configure a new shape. The middle shows the new one TRIMMED, top being new original and the bottom was the prototype original from 2 years ago.
Quick update! I redid the design. Problem is that the buyer will have to trim the piece on top with scissors to fit the outside shell. That's how it is. It's tough to create the exact shape in the modeling program. I forgot to put the triangles inside of the A's. Won't be that costly of a piece hence it being thin and small. I hope some are still interested..
01-13-2015, 05:38 PM
seriously, tell him, do it, do it now!!
