September 2004 Featured Car

 Screen Name: 1QWKLEX
 Age: 32
 Profession: Plumber
 Car model: Lexus IS 300
 Car year: 2002
 Engine size: 3.0L 2JZ-GTE
 Color: Millenium Silver Metallic

Modifications

1. Engine:

SRT Stage 4 Turbo:

1. SRT exclusive Divided Ductile Iron Cast Turbo Exhaust Manifold
2. Twin Walbro® 255lph High Pressure intank fuel pump
3. Return Fuel System with AN-6 Stainless Steel braided lines
4. SRT customized fuel rail
5. SRT Spec Turbonetics® T04 Tangential Divided T76 Turbo
6. Factory brand new 2JZ-GTE Short Block Swap
7. 1.4mm MLS Head Gasket
8. ARP® head stud kit
9. HKS® Adjustable Exhaust Cam Gear
10. HalTech® E6X Stand Alone Engine Management Unit
11. MSD® DIS-4 Ignition System
12. Full Custom T-304 SS Mandrel bent Exhaust System w/Open wastegate
13. Turbonetics® Racegate wastegate
14. Turbonetics® Variable Boost Control Regulator
15. Stainless Steel braided oil supply line with SRT exclusive oil supply Tee
16. Stainless Steel braided oil drain line
17. Mandrel bent steel pressure pipes
18. AFE® high flow lifetime cone filter with built in velocity stack
19. Larger Diameter Mandrel bent steel intercooler piping
20. Huge 24"x14"x3.5" Front Mount Spearco® Intercooler
21. Dual Walbro® 255lph High Pressure intank fuel pump
22. High Temp silicone couplers and connectors
23. High Temp Silicone Vacuum lines
24. NGK Platinum Spark Plugs, 2 step colder
25. Supra Getrag V-160 6-Speed Transmission
26. Lexus GS400 Rear End
27. 880 Injectors
28. Custom 75mm Polished Throttle Body
29. HKS 272 Supra TT Cams Intake/Exhaust
30. Custom Drive Shaft w/Loop
31. 3" T-304 Stainless Steel mandrel bent downpipe
32. 3" T-304 Stainless Steel mandrel bent front midpipe
33. TRD LSD
34. RPS Carbon/Carbon Twin Disk Clutch w/RPS Lightweight Flywheel
35. AEM Ignition (2-Step)
36. Haltech E6K Stand Alone Engine Management Unit
37. Supra TT Half Shafts
38. Custom Engine Mounts
39. Greddy Oil Catch Can
40. MSD Knock Sensor

2. Brakes:

1. Rotora Big Brake Kit Front (13” cross drilled/slotted rotors)
2. Cross Drilled & Slotted Rotors w/SS line on rear

3. Suspension:

1. Tein Flex Coilovers w/EDFC

4. Exterior:

1. C-West Fiberglass Hood
2. C-West Eyelids
3. Ganador Mirrors
4. Ugo Style Roof Spoiler
5. JDM Clear Fogs
6. JDM Short Antenna

5. Interior:

1. Blitz Electronic Boost Controller -SBC-iD
2. Blitz Turbo Timer -FATT-DC II
3. Blitz Power Meter i-D
4. B&M Short Shifter
5. TRD Gauge Pod
6. Omori 60mm Boost (orange background)
7. Omori 60mm EGT (orange background)
8. Omori 60mm Oil Pressure (orange background)
9. Aluminum Shift Knob
10. Carbon Fiber Dash Kit
11. Red Neon lights front/rear foot wells
12. Sony WX7700MDX (Imported from Japan)
13. Sony X-plod 10-Disc Changer
14. Sony X-plod 12” Subs in custom enclosure
15. Sony X-plod DVD player
16. Sony X-plod 3.5” speakers in trunk lid
17. Sony 6.5” TV screens in headrest and trunk lid
18. Nintendo Game Cube
19. Rockford Fosgate 700X Amplifier
20. Rockford Fosgate 500X Amplifier
21. MB Quart in all stock holes including Tweeters
22. Custom Switches
23. Custom Suede lining in trunk

6. Wheels:

1. SSR GT1’s 18×8 Front
2. SSR GT1’s 18×9 Rear
3. Toyo Proxes T1-S Tires 225/40/ZR18 Front
4. Toyo Proxes T1-S Tires 245/40/ZR18 Rear

What led you to buy a Lexus?
I’ve always had a love for Toyota/Lexus. My whole family had a Toyota car at one time or another. I fell in love with the styling of the IS 300 when I first saw it. I took a test drive in the IS 300 when it first came out and loved it. Unfortunately, at that time, they didn’t have the manual transmission so I waited. The waiting paid off when I later found an IS 300 like no other from SwiftRacing.com. I later found out that the owner wanted to let go of the car and I jumped on the opportunity to own the ultimate IS 300. I’m still learning a lot from the car and the car has more potential in it.

Interests
My first interest is of course, cars, cars, and cars. Whenever I’m not messing with the Lexus, I’m usually on the internet lurking on the boards for more information about Lexus and cars in general. I’m part of a local car club called Group 1. The club makes it easier for me to meet other folks that love cars. I also like to attend car shows with my car club and you can usually find me at the local drag strip to get some quick runs in the IS. I love the look that I get from the other racers when they get beat by a “four door family car”.

Goals
My goal for the IS 300 is simply to put together the ultimate in luxury and high performance vehicle. I think I’m almost there with the IS 300. I plan on attending all the car shows that I can so that I can learn more about the possibilities of the car from other Lexus owners. The car shows also lets you gauge what kinds of modifications are being done to different cars. Last but not least, I’m getting my own plumbing business together in the beginning of 2005 and making it work so that I can further finance more modifications to the IS.

Why you chose to modify your Lexus?
To see the reactions on peoples faces when you tell them that it’s got 760 whp, is priceless. I have always loved to modify all of my cars. Stock just doesn’t cut it anymore. There’s just so much more potential in just about any car you can think of even if it’s just some nice tuner wheels and suspension work. All the cars that I’ve ever owned before has been modified in one way or another. I’ve learned a lot from Mo at SRT about the possibilities of the car since taking ownership of the car. Also, after meeting Jason @ JPImportz at a recent Lexus/Toyota meet, he has made repairing the Lexus a lot easier on my pocketbook, if there’s such a thing. I can always pick up the phone and he’ll open up the shop no matter the time or day, which had to be done a couple of times. There are still a lot of bugs to work out with all of these modifications but with the help of Jason, it just makes it that much easier.

I would like to give thanks to the following people:

1. My wonderful wife, Charm, for sharing all of my passions and putting up with all of my crazy ideas.
2. Jason at www.jpimportz.com, for his awesome service & for sponsoring the IS 300.
3. Mo at www.swiftracing.com, for building this beast
4. Bob for his part in building the beast
5. Valvoline, for their sponsorship on the IS
6. David Musgraves, for installing the awesome In Car Entertainment System.