December 2004 Featured Car
Screen Name: EL GATO
Age: 27
Profession: Internet sales manager for Honda
Car model: Lexus ES 300
Car year: 1997
Engine size: 3.0 Liter
Color: Black
Modifications:
1. Engine:
- K&N drop in filter
- Future modifications: TRD supercharger
2. Suspension:
- H&R 1.2” lowering springs
3. Exterior:
- 2001 oem red & clear taillight conversion
- Custom clear corner lights
- Custom painted monotone black bottom cladding
- 2001 oem front grille
- Piaa ion yellow fog lights
- Smoked license plate cover
- 35/20 window tint
- High intensity discharge lights 8500k xd7 violet in color
4. Brakes:
- Brembo cross drilled rotors
- Custom painted calipers (Gunmetal)
- Coming soon: stainless steel brake lines, ceramic pads and high performance brake fluid
5. Wheels:
- Three-piece 18 inch MHT reverb silver with chrome lip
6. Interior:
- 2001 door sills with Lexus badge
- Coming in spring: custom black suede headliner
7. Audio:
- Two 12 inch Rockford Fosgate P-series subwoofers
- One Rockford Fosgate 700s amplifier
What led you to buy a Lexus?
Having spent some time working for Toyota, in 2000, I came to realize what a great company this was and how dedicated this Japanese manufacturer really is on their workmanship. It was then when I decided I would own a Lexus vehicle.
Goals
One of my goals was to have my ride featured on ClubLexus’ Car of the month One day I will like for a tuner magazine to do a feature article on my car. Future modifications are inevitable for this hot ES; maybe someday my ES 300 will be the sickest ES in the U.S.
Why you chose to modify your Lexus?
Modifying a vehicle is a personal taste. It is like personalizing your ride from your own sense of fashion and style. Different strokes are for different folks. I have been hooking up rides since I was 16 years old. As of matter of fact, I have won several awards from a previous ride. It was nothing big, just a different movement back in the day. I believe modifying cars runs in my blood. My father, who has always modified cars, has one probably the reason why I have this big passion for automobiles. My father had anything from his wild looking vans in his hippy-days, his muscle Mustangs in the 80’s all the way to his now modern day highly blinged Yukon. As a kid I remember him showing me how to wash and wax a car without scratching it. He has always kept his rides impeccably clean. Maybe that is why you will never see my ride dirty…except on rainy days.
When I purchased this ES four years ago, I was only 23 years old and could not afford the GS or LS. Therefore, I ended up with the ES. Sure, it is an entry-level Lexus and parts and accessories are very hard to find. However, I have learned that it does not matter what you own because with a little bit of imagination and a whole lot of passion, we can create our own dreams.