turbocad's custom fx

[turbocad6]

well, I guess most of you guys have seen my fx , I'm not gonna rewrite my whole build here or paste & click copy the whole thing here either. instead I'm going to just show some shots with a brief summary of how I built my fx. I'll add some links if you really want to check out the mods in more detail.


my first big mod is redoing the whole body in a custom black pearl. when I got my fx the front was damaged, I replaced all new sheet metal & used the latest 07 style bumper, grille & trim. I also changed all the side trim to the latest design with the fat chrome moldings. I also painted all the lower plastics black obsidean. it came out real nice & it looks brand new. I love the way it sparkles day or night. the black pearl is a custom mix & it really has some nice tones, it looks anywhere from bronze to green to grey to blue to black, depending on the lighting & angle. I love the color of my fx

heres a few shots from the paintjob:


the whole nose, all 4 doors & the hatch, rear bumper & lights were all removed to paint all the jambs. let me tell you something, if you ever want to make your fx stupid fast take all the body parts off of it, it was crazy & felt like a monster, if it felt that good acceleration wise with all the body parts on I'd be pretty happy

then, back togeather for the overall:















the first thing I did the day after I got it out of the booth was put the new wheels on it:wub:









I'll post up some more mods tommorow, just wanted to get this thread started...

 

[Jakemod]

Great color choice! Can't wait to see the final result.

 

[FX_Allen]

:err: Shiny*

 

[turbocad6]

ok, so I finished off the exterior with sport headlight & grille, clear tails & an aluminum rack, i scored a nice set of maya 3 piece 20 x 9's used, but nice. they really look so much nicer than the stock 03 wheels.I considered the chrome window trims, maybe later, but left them black for now.


overall I like the way it looks, someone that don't know the fx just thinks it's a new one. you don't really see custom unless you know the fx, & even then' it's pretty subtle... for now it's good' when I'm done wit everything else' I may consider adding more custom work to the body, but the fx is beautiful as is too






the next big mod I did to my fx is the dash. my fx came to me with every option an 03 35 could have, it has navi dvd & all that stuff, but I still wanted a pc in this thing. I put pc's in all my cars that I've had for a while now' & I could not really love this fx without a pc. it's just what I need for any of my cars to feel complete.

this fx was a challenge for sure, I mean it now looks brand new on the outside' if the inside looked any less than perfect & like a new car then it would't be good. original thoughts were to use a lilliput transflective in the stock location, that could have been kinda easy, but not really what I would consider awesome, I started to consider major surgery & putting an even bigger screen in, I measured & came up with a plan to put a 10.4" screen in. I used the wasted space of the cassette deck that takes up almost 20% of the upper display area. I figured if I could eliminate the cassette bs, I ould then move the center buttons all the way down to the bottom, & then have room for the 10" screen. luckily for me, infiniti also eliminated the cassette door in the newer fx's too, so the newer dash has a larger center area. I ordered a new 08 dash & bezel, my plan was to chop up the new bezel & the old bezel, & merge them into one bezel with the buttons moved all the way down.


well that's just what I did, a lot of meticulous & tedious work, but I managd to get everything to fit togeather exactly how I imagined it. I managed to fit & finish everything in a way that it looks factory, the most common remark I get when people see it is to the effect of " oh my god, there making the new fx's like this now?!?!" I've even had 2 different fx owners really think the same thing, I,m very happy with the way my dash came out.


I had to move the factory head unit down quite a bit to make room for the motherboard & big screen, I didn't mind loosing the cassette one bit, but I wanted to keep access to the factory 6 disc changer, just because I really hate to have to give something up for something else, the install would feel much more sucessful if I managed to keep access to the changer. I winded up being able to do so, I have a thin slot above my clock that the 6 disc changer lines up with, the changer loads from there & the slot doesn't take away from the console cosmeticly at all, you really don't even see it unless you bend down, & even then, it's nice & straight & don't look bad at all.


the factory cd slot is now used for a pc dvdr,everything just fell in place for a really nice install, I atribute as much to luck as I do to skill, this install ws just super cooperative & really required no comprimises or sacrifices except the loss of the cassette. it's nice when a plan comes togeather, & I don't think I coulda hoped for better results than I got

heres a shot of the layout, later I'll put up more shots. I'm posting this from macy's parking lot, in the fx, while my wife is shopping... I really love my fx

 

[Chedman13]

awesome - can you do my car=)

 

[turbocad6]

ok, this is what the new bezel looks like:

and this is everything all chopped up

this is what it looked like all welded back togeather with filler pieces added for the screen opening:

after many more hours melting plastic & filling voids & sanding, it looks like this before paint, there are no fillers at all on this bezel, it's all abs plastic & it's as flimsy & flexable as the factory bezel.

I did the best I could to get the finish to look factory. it looks nice, about the only thing I would like to do when I freashen the finish for final is to try & figure out a way to put lettering back on it like the original, otherwise it's almost perfect

the assembly:

the new dash ready to recieve it:

and, installed:

and oh yeah, a final assembled shot too

I still haven't finished the ac vents, & I still haven't buttoned up the overhead console cosmetics, & I still have some software & configuring to do, but for the most part this mod is done & I've been driving it for maybe 2 months already.

 

[turbocad6]

heres a few links that give more details & long winded explinations


mp3car thread: http://http://www.mp3car.com/vbulle...ti-fx35-w-all-toys-add-carpc-too-oh-yeah.html

org thread on dash: http://www.infinitifx.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15525&highlight=

org thread on body: http://www.infinitifx.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15708&highlight=


theres a few other small mods that I'm just finishing up, one is my mirrors, I like signal mirrors but don't like the 2 piece thats made for the fx... I measured & looked at some signal mirrors & decided on the signals from the new S550. they have the right shape, the right curve, & the inner slope matches the shape of the headlights, a perfect fit.

one mirror is done for a while now, just gotta make a template to copy the cuts & finish the second one & install. they look real good

 

[turbocad6]

the other small mod I'm working on & about finished, just have to install, is adding paddle shifters from the new g37. this is another sweet mod & it fits togeather like it was made for it... this fx is one of the most cooperative vehicles to work on for me, most times mods like these take much more butchery, but everythings gone togeather so nice & neat in this fx, like I said, as much luck as skill really

 

[Dr.2K]

heres a few links that give more details & long winded explinations


mp3car thread: http://http://www.mp3car.com/vbulle...ti-fx35-w-all-toys-add-carpc-too-oh-yeah.html

org thread on dash: http://www.infinitifx.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15525&highlight=

org thread on body: http://www.infinitifx.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15708&highlight=


theres a few other small mods that I'm just finishing up, one is my mirrors, I like signal mirrors but don't like the 2 piece thats made for the fx... I measured & looked at some signal mirrors & decided on the signals from the new S550. they have the right shape, the right curve, & the inner slope matches the shape of the headlights, a perfect fit.

one mirror is done for a while now, just gotta make a template to copy the cuts & finish the second one & install. they look real good

That does look like a perfect fit. Is it a easy install or is there alot of rewiring involved?

 

[Frankiago]

Man I absolutely love the big screen. I wish I browsed MP3car.com forums enough and had the materials and know-how for all that plastic work.

 

[turbocad6]

hey doc, wiring them in is no different from wiring the other 2 piece signal mrrors, & yeah, it's a pita, that's part of the reason I haven't finished it yet

our doors don't have the older rubber boot pass thru, instead infiniti uses a bulkhead plug to connect the doors, awesome for removing a door easily, but a pain to wire thru. a lot of guys drill a hole in the door jamb to pass wires threw, but the absolute correct way to do it would be to add terminals to the bulkhead plug. I haven't really gotteninto this yet, but I've heard that there are spare open terminals available.

a decent compramise may be to run the wires thru the bulkhead plug, threw holes drilled out in the empty terminals, but this would still make removing a door a bit of a pain cause these wires would need to be disconected & snaked thru each time the door is removed. now I gues guys aren't popping there doors off on a regular basis anyway, so it's probably not so bad, but I'm kind anal with keeping things servicable & not giving up any functionality, to me for this mod to be 100% the door should still be just as easy to unplug & remove or it's a comprimise, I don't like comprimise but may have to here, especially when I do my system & need to also run speaker wires into the door, but if I can keep full plugability I will too, gotta see how that goes....

as far as the rest, it's just a matter of making the right cuts, when I finish this I'll put a thread up detailing the way to do this, I think a lot of guys may want this when they see it on the car

 

[Dr.2K]

Sounds good but as with all your endeavors out of my league . But I do really like what you have done so far with the fx. Can't wait to see all the projects completed. Keep it up turbo!

 

[BTLFED]

Holy crap! That is awesome! You have some serious talent Turbocad!

 

[turbocad6]

thanks man

hey doc, most of the reason I post with detailed shots & info is to encourage others to do mods & to assist & show that it is possible. I think you really could do the mirror mod if you really want too bad enough, I plan on providing as much details, photo's & even templates for this mod, & it really isn't something that the average guy couldn't do with the right guide...

both the mirror mod & the shifter mod are the kind of thing that maybe people wouldn't come up with it on there own, but with detailed instructions I think guys can pull this off. I'd be glad to assist with as much info as I can provide. it's one kind of satisfaction to pull off a mod for myself, but it's even better if I know that I can bring this mod to others, I know I apreciate all the how to's & guides & help others have given on so many other things, & I enjoy giving back... that's what makes the net so great

that's one of the things I really like about mp3car.com, most people are really enthusisatic about helping others, & there is a lot of talent & sharing there, especially in software man, there are guys that are really amazing with some of the code they write, & it's great to have someone you don't even know give you something that you could never develop on your own... I can't write software but I can help with what I do know

 

[da mayor]

can't wait to see the paddle shifters in person. doing good on custom parts to match the paint

 

[HumbertoCALI]

The color is Great.. Just 2 of a kind that I know of man...

The layout is great. How about the AC vents...? are the functional?

 

[turbocad6]

oh, humberto, I forgot to answer you thought I did


the ac vents are functional, there about done, but I want them to wrk just like stock, open & close with the dial, & aimable left, right, up & down. the up & down is real tedious cause I have to make many hinged little panels & I never finished that, otherwise there done. I just keep doing more mods & leaving the vents on the side for now...


heres what the vents look like... these vents turned out to be the hardest part of the whole dash mod

I gotta finish the up down slots & put the vents in, I never put them in because if I did, then I would never take them back out to finish them





ok, this is what I came here to post & saw your question. I've talked about my headlight mod before & tonight I actually started it... from the first time I considered buying my fx, one of the things I knew I wanted to do was this mod... something about the squarish inner lens for the parking light just doesn't do it for me, & I thought another projector in it's place would look so much better. I've been planning this mod for a while now & collected a bunch of headlights, well, here it is

this mod is a lot of work, the paddle shifters are easy compared to this... but this might be do-oable by others too & isn't too extreme opr intense really, just takes a lot of time... I could write a guide for this too, but I don't know how many would want this or want to attempt this really, & this is more test fitting & trimming & retest fitting & trimming, this would be pretty hard for a lot of guys to pull off, but heres proof that it will at least fit



I think it looks sick

 

[Dr.2K]

Thats one crazy mod turbo! It will look sick once it is done! You have talent and a LOT of patience.

 

[Psiclne]

I like that turbo.......get some pics of it installed w/ lights

 

[Krayzie]

DUDE!!!! you are insane, cant wait to see what you come up with next