The 97-99 front bumper and grill came in today. Should I get them painted first then install onto my car or vice versa? I should have known the 97-99 grill didn't come with the Nissan hamburger emblem. Oh well, I'm going to put my custom Maxima emblem that is on my fender now onto the front grill. I know someone did a similar thing, some guy with a blue Maxima. Anyway, paint first or install then paint? Thanks.

 

when i did my conversion i installed first bc i heard that the paint can crack or something when you try to install it when it is already painted.

 

Definitely install first. Because just like 95maxgxe said you'll regret painting it first if you mess it up while trying to install.

 

Did you paint the back mesh part of your SMX ? IMm ordering this tomorrow..it looks good

 

Ya thanks, I painted it silver. It was too plain black. It's very easy to remove and paint. It's only 4 screws (if my memory serves correctly-could have been 6) to remove the mesh insert.

 

Ravq....your car looks damn good for the 95-96's....do you have any more pics online of it?

 

Well I don't like to brag but here is a my homepage. http://hometown.aol.com/ravq/myhomepage/photo.html

 

Do you have an email...I have a question ?

 

Ravq

 

Acutally i think it is better to paint it b4 you install it. If you get a good paint job it will not crack, besides most places will remove the bumper anyway to do a quality paint job, other wise you tend to get overspray on other parts of the car and also they able to bake the parts. If you be carefull im sure you will not mess up. Maybe try installing you orginal bumper when you remove it, just for parctice. G'luck

 

Overspray shouldn't be a problem if the paintjob is done properly.

 

the best thing to do, which is also the longest, is to put the bumper on first to make sure it fits properly and there's no problems, then take it off and have it painted and then put it back on, the shop should add flex to the paint so it doesn't crack.

 

to be done properly the bumper should be off the car.

 

I probably will stop by the paint shop and ask them which is better. When they did my front lip spoiler I think they painted it first then installed it. So if I install it first, I think they will take it off anyway to paint then put it back on. I'm going to ask them to make sure.

 

A question: the new front bumper that I got has a plastic bar thing across the foglight hole. Should it be there? I put 97-99 foglights later on, so the plastic bar seem to be in the way.

 

when u install the oem fogs jus cut that plastic bar off,
that's the same bumper as the GXE and GLE....and
i would put a GTR emblem on the grill IMO
good luck man

 

Hey, you going to get some springs later on? You need to lower that car.

 

i want to lower my car but i think i should get shocks/struts
too and get them installed at the same time but i can't afford
shocks/struts rite now.....so i'll have to wait

 

sounds like my car, i cut out the bars before the thing was painted and installed, had the install done first, then they painted it so it woul be blended with the rest of the body, i could have told you about the grille, i ended up putting a gtr bc my old one was in bad shape

 

Springs are much cheaper to get than shocks/struts. When I had the Intrax springs, I used the stock shocks/struts, used them for a long time with no problem. If you want springs, I could sell you my Sprint springs when I get my Ground Control coilovers.

 

what da!!!