After taking measurements on the tail lights, I used a program called AutoCAD to draw the circle for the backup light and the ellipse for the stop/turn light. Then I printed those on the back of sheets of paper that had waxed surfaces on the other side. I taped overlapping strips of masking tape on the waxed side and then cut them following the printed shapes. The rest is just peeling the strips of tape in one piece and carefully stick them on the tail lights, making sure they line up.
I have those "templates" as a PDF file at home that I can share, if interested.

 

Tape off the circle part, and use an exacto knife to cut off the tape corners that stick out so it does make a perfect circle.

 

Thanks, I would take them. I will pm you with my email. Thanks again.

 

Yea, I would say just tape off the whole circle, then come back with and X-Acto knife and LIGHTLY cut off the excess from the circles, like ZGadson mentioned.

 

I think my tails would be great with the blackened look. Although I have a grey color may need to photoshop.

 

Looks good, I like the idea of leaving the center of the brake/turn and reverse light untouched. I did mine last week with VHT and the 1st time i got them too dark and didnt really like them so i used lacquer thinner and cleaned them up and did a couple light coats and think it turned out a little better. id be interested in the cutout templates ill pm you.

1st:



2nd try:

 

I have done several pairs of tail lights and if you have a buffer and if you can get 2000 grit sand paper. You can really make them look like a mirror.

 

wow all this smoked taillights talk is making me want to do it to my max. not a max but i did the same thing to my M.

 

soxruled0, I'd like to know the steps involved in getting those tails that shiny. I only applied a couple of coats of clear coat spray, after the black paint had dried, but I did not do anything beyond that. They did not come out that good in terms of shine:



EDIT: I was thinking about lighty sand them, after the last clear coat was dry, and then apply another coat, but was kind of hesitant to do that.

 

Any exhaust vids? Your tails look awesome too.

 

Do what I did. Wait until someone is selling the '01 SE tail lights and buy them.

 

I thought of improvising a bit and this is the idea I came up with. Now the circles may not be as big as the original 2000 tail lights but you all get the picture.
I used some CD/DVD label refills. And yes they are sticky.....
I took of one them and placed it on the tail light to give you all the idea of what it would look like. I also took the smaller center circle and covered the smaller clear light.

follow this link:

http://forums.maxima.org/album.php?albumid=2847

 

I have to do that, that is a great idea. I was thinking about getting new tails but this is much cheaper and looks great.

 

Yea you have to clear coat them to get really shinny. I did that then you wet sand it untill everything is really smoot. You do about 6 thick coats of clear coat. Mine aren't the best I have done, I can get them to look like an mirror.

 

I am really liking this mod...I think will look good on my Lustre Gray. Like Scottwax's!

 

Scottwax has a very good point, go buy an 01 SE tail, plug and play.

 

hey scott, what was the damage ($$$) for the tail lights if I may ask?

 

True, that's a good point, but I like how my tails look different from the usual '00-'01 SEs. It gives the car character.

 

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^




VERY NICE!

 

Got them off a fellow .org member for $85 shipped, then sold my original clear OEM tails for $85 shipped to another .org member. Ended up being free.

 

Here is some pics of my Maxima, I also used paint from autozone.

 

I also have my tails smoked, however i already have the 2000 se tails but i wanted to tint the brake light. So i used a vinyl instead of a rattle can so it is not permanent.
before the debadge:

After:

 

the entire tinted tails=fail. murdered out look imo
trying to replicate the se tails is the better option for those trying to do this mod.

OR
BUY se tails

 

Very nice job!

 

To each their own. some people just like that murdered out look

 

It looks nice. You did a good job.

 

Here is how it would look with all red.



Both the red and smoke sections are overlays.

 

When you painted those tail lights, did you have to mask off the red and orange part or is that sort of already done for you? Or did you paint that too? It doesn't look like it.

 

Thanks for posting this. I'm definitely redding out my signals now. They look great!

 

Just did this, post pics up once fully dry. Thanks op

 

Who said they were plug and play? I thought they had different connectors in back??

 

they are plug and play. just one bulb doesnt sit in socket fully each side. which is hardly a problem...i have tape over my bulb holding it down on my 03 with se tails.

 

nothing a few minutes with a razor blade couldn't fix, did scottwax say how he dealt with that? i remember doing some "custom" headlight bulb rearrangement in a previous toyota where i put (i think it was very long ago) 9005's in 9006 slots (basically a high beam in a low socket) with some razor blade work.

 

i love that color, and that lip. what exhaust is that?


and that is great .

 

Thanks man!

It's a Cattman exhaust (catback).

 

LOOKS PRETTY GOOD! I WANT THE SE TAIL OR PAINT THE HOUSING FROM GRAY TO BLACK!!

 

Just finished these AE's with Vinyl tint

 

got pulled over yesterday for the vinyl tint on my tails. he gave me a warning and told me to go to the station within 5 days so they can make sure i have it removed. i peeled off the vinyl tint and went to the station that day. stupid waste of time if you ask me, since i can just replace them whenever i want...guess they have nothing better to do

 

That sucks. How dark were they??