OK...so after huffing paint fumes in my garage all day yesterday...this is what I have to show for it!

Center console and shifter plate.

Before:




After:









Interior door moldings.

Before:



After:





Steering wheel.

Before:



After:

 

I still need to figure out what to do with the 3 rings trimming the gauge cluster. I'm thinking of doing them in blue Metalcast...just to add some color:



I didn't get the two front door inside handles done yet. Hopefully next week on my days off. I pulled all of my aluminum door sill inserts and I'm trying to decide what to do with them. I'm thinking of using the black chrome on them, but they are starting to pit:




If I sand them down...where the corrosion is...it will show through with the black chrome paint. If I use the graphite Textured Metallic paint on them, then you won't see the "MAXIMA" logo. My other thought was to do them in blue Metalcast also...might be too rice though!

 

Looking good dude.

 

Nice work. I like it a lot.

 

Sick. Like it much better than the chrome. Still love the led conversion! Wish I was brave enough to take my instrument panel apart.

 

Dude, I envy you with those mats. I bought the OEM Nissan winter mats when I got my car. What a waste of $$$. My carpets are ruined because the mat's sidewalls are too shallow.

 

LOL! I just finished mine this past weekend as well. It looks similar as well. I used Krylon Fusion Black Text, it has a metallic look like yours . Looks great by the way!!

 

Looks great Don.

 

looks great man im thinking about doing mine close to that, but exactly what kind of paint did you use that i can trust to not chip off everytime somethings touches it. thanks..

 

nice looks great

 

how did u get the bottom piece of the steering wheel off I looked at mine when I was doing the led mod and wanted to paint mine but it looks like it screwed on from the back and u can't get to it.

 

Thanks! As far as the LED conversion...you can always send them to me !

The mats were expensive, but worth every penny. They've already been through one tough winter, and my carpets are still fresh!

Thanks!

Thanks KC!

I used all Duplicolor products. I prepped everything with the Duplicolor Prep Spray. Then I used Duplicolor adhesion promoter on all of the factory chrome parts. I sprayed the brushed aluminum with Duplicolor Textured Metallic coating...they say it can be used on running boards, so we'll see how it holds up. I used the Duplicolor "Shadow" black chrome kit over the factory chrome. I did 4 coats of the black base, and 5 coats of clear. The black chrome is a lacquer, the others are enamel.

Thanks!

You have to pull the airbag module, and then the steering wheel. You take the horn ring out of the steering wheel, and there are 5 screws (I think it was 5) hold the rear trim onto the steering wheel. Once the plastic trim is off of the back of the wheel, you can get to the screw holding that bottom piece of trim on. I guess it was too easy for Nissan to simply snap that one on like they did to the other two! If you do this, MAKE SURE you disconnect the battery and let the car sit for 5 minutes before messing with the airbag!

 

Great job man! Is the vi going to get a few coats as well?

 

Must be too early for me...

 

^^ Intake mani. I think a few coats of that paint would set it off. What kind of paint is that? Rusto's hammered?

 

your projects seems to always come out great.
awesome job my friend.

 

I don't see the benefit of this, looks like you went from a flagship car to a Sentra...or even a Saturn. Nothing really appealing about satin black. Had you gone with a subtle tint to a different color, like a super dark blue, maybe, otherwise I think you were better off stock.

 

Looks clean!!

But I agree, kinda looks like you down graded from aluminum to plastic.

I've been wanting to do this but in a gloss black.

 

[quote=1hawaii50;7706568]Thanks! As far as the LED conversion...you can always send them to me !

I would love to. I just concerned with messing up my instrument panel taking it out.

 

[QUOTE=dpeles1;7707023]It's easy, a few screws and a few plugs! One of the best mods I have done to date!!!

 

Oh and looks sweet, I used the textured paint too when I did mine a couple of years ago. It holds up really good. I also had all my "SL wood" painted factory silver. I never painted the steering wheel or door handles though. Hmmm...

 

[quote=jsmithsole;7707191]I saw the write up on it, but the position of the needles concerns me the most.

 

[QUOTE=dpeles1;7707201]That's pretty easy as well, I took a pic of the placement of the needles and made sure the car was warmed up for the temp. I have noted that my MPH is a few off but barely noticeable....

 

where/what paint did you use?

 

I have the same weather tech mats too. They are awesome. And they keep my OEM mats like new.

1hawaii50, great job man. Looks really nice. I am interested in doing the chrome stripes to black on my car.

 

All paints are Duplicolor. The graphite paint is Textured Metallic. The shifter plate and door handles are the "Shadow" black chrome kit.

Thanks!

I appreciate your comments, but the pics don't really do it justice. There is nothing painted satin black here. The textured is a highly metallic textured graphite paint. The shifter bezel/door handles are black chrome. I can't really say I've ever seen a Saturn or a Sentra with this type of trim. The pieces that are flat black were flat black from the factory...I didn't touch them.

Again, I appreciate the opinion...the pics don't do it justice at all. I'm extremely happy with it, and since I'm driving it...well, we know how it goes !

[quote=dpeles1;7707023][quote=jsmithsole;7707191]+1

I know it isn't everybody's "cup of tea", but it's my car, and I REALLY like how it came out. I know I keep saying it, but the pics can't capture how good it truly looks. When the sun hits the textured paint, it really brings out the metallic. As far as the black chrome, I think it came out great! I know the pics just look black, but the chrome actually shows through in person...it's a really different look.
Worst case, I can always strip the paint off, and I'm back to the brushed aluminum. Personally, I think the darker trim makes the interior look more refined.

I used all Duplicolor products. I prepped everything with the Duplicolor Prep Spray. Then I used Duplicolor adhesion promoter on all of the factory chrome parts. I sprayed the brushed aluminum with Duplicolor Textured Metallic coating...they say it can be used on running boards, so we'll see how it holds up. I used the Duplicolor "Shadow" black chrome kit over the factory chrome. I did 4 coats of the black base, and 5 coats of clear. The black chrome is a lacquer, the others are enamel.

Thanks, I'm really happy with the outcome. I wasn't sure how the black chrome would come out, as a lot of the reviews weren't very good. It goes on very blotchy, but by the 2/3 coat, it starts to even out. Adding the clear evens it out even more. I wouldn't go any more than 4 coats MAX, or it will just look black, and it will be tough to see any of the chrome.

Again, I know not everybody will like it. That is the beauty of modding our cars, we can get them exactly how we like them...doesn't matter if the neighbor likes it...he doesn't drive it! Heck, for that matter, I don't care if my wife likes it...she's not allowed to drive it !

 

My door handles came apart surprisingly easy, once I got them out of the door panel. As far as the steering wheel trim, I had to pull the airbag and pull the wheel to get the bottom piece of trim off (6 O'clock position).

 

nice job man

 

Interesting...

 

C'mon...you know you want to paint yours now!

 

Looks good ! what color is ur headliner if its light grey id go black suede to finish it off! Give it a little more contrast ......

 

Paint the headliner? Not gonna happen. I'm not even going to attempt taking it out of the car, and painting it inside the car is not an option.

 

I finally got MOST of the interior finished. Here are the rest of the pics:

Door sill plates...they were done in black chrome...pics aren't the best, I'll try to get some better ones:





Speedo gauge cover:






Trunk burger:





I've still got to pull the front door handles and get them finished...then the interior is done. I just got my paint for the engine covers, so hopefully I'll have those done soon as well!

 

Looks awesome man

 

TYTYVM!!!

 

Sick. Love the blue on the cluster and everywhere else. Nissan should have done that to begin with.

 

nice...what about the dash/vent..what Duplicolor color did you use? the one in my 5th gen looks horrible and i'm sick and tired of looking at it

 

I'm not sure what part you are talking about? The "frost" color is the OEM color. The flat black that you see is the OEM flat black. The metallic dark gray is the Duplicolor Textured Metallic Graphite, the factory chrome was blacked out using the Duplicolor "shadow" black chrome kit.

 

looks good man!!!

 

Very nice, their are a couple Maximas with custom 2 tone interiors, swapped out beige floor mats/rugs for charcoal, I love that look