jmax.garage

iTrader: (2)

Maybe this has been posted before BUT please bear with me:

I like RWD. I also like sedans. My favourite cars of all time for me TO OWN and drive would be a 89-92 S13 Coupe, an AE86 Hatch, a Land Cruiser (99+) and a Toyota MKII JZX90. I just like the lines on the MKII. It looks sporty and elegant at the same time.... Last thursday we repainted a beautiful red two tone 2K ES 300 (forgot the color code [original lexus color] but looks like bright burghundy-almost red candy) and when I was polishing the car, it just hit me like a brick falling from the sears tower:

Have you guys noticed how SIMILAR a MKI ES 300 looks compared to a Toyota MKII (JZX90 with Mark II front end)? I cant help but to think that this car can be converted to RWD and can be fitted with any JZX chassy front end (Chaser, MKII, Cresta)...

ES 300 Picture:

http://www.wickedbodies.net/97-01-Le...ete%20kit2.jpg

https://www.clublexus.com/gallery/da...8145win_15.jpg

https://www.clublexus.com/gallery/da...8145win_12.jpg

https://www.clublexus.com/gallery/da...18145win_1.jpg


Toyota MKII pic:

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...9/582040_9.jpg

http://www.japan-partner.ru/images/c...2d91ec3cdb.jpg

http://www.usracingsports.co.jp/JZX90M.jpg

http://nananohana22.hp.infoseek.co.jp/201.bmp

http://homepage2.nifty.com/tafu/DSCF0303.JPG

http://toy.belmo.com/item/ADM-024-004-001.jpg

Looks like the MKII lights are ONE piece and the ES are two piece. If you notice the fender lines and where the fender meets the A pillar, the shape IS the same (The MKII front end). Also, the JDM MKII DOESN'T have door pillars on the door assy; it's just the same as the ES. Probably the only difference would be the floor panels with the USDM getting a narrower center tunnel due to the lack of a drive shaft and tranny... or maybe not. maybe someone tried this before and I'm just re-posting, but being somewhat new to the ES (I know a bit about AE86's and JZS147 for I own both cars) I never researched any other models besides the ones I own... but I really can't help to admire the ES beautiful lines: if this car were a RWD I would have definetly chosen an ES over a GS MKI just for the styling... Oh, I gotta make clear that I like to drift, so owning a FWD (FF) car is not really appealing to me, that why I bought a GS (VIP Drift some day, just like Epik lol)...now, getting a car that can be converted mostly by swapping in parts and welding minor modifications IS appealing for a 2 year project... Imagine a 2JZ powered USDM ES300-MKII? Sweeeeeeeet! (you can actually put a 2JZ in a JDm JZX chassy with a modified manifold, but since they come equipped with the 1JZ already, it's not a very common swap)

I'll try to research more into what are the differences in body structure as far as welds and sizes (I know the 1/4 panels a re different althogether with the trunk and the lights but what about the suspension perches?); My concerns would be the measurements of the rear floor panel and the center tunnel. I'll try to find out about the JZX chassy specs like measurements and weld structures... A thing thats hinting me about the panel differences is the chassy code, the JDM being (JZ)X and the US being (MC)V, maybe the only differences are the rear quarter panels and the trunk but everything else is like the JDM car just without thetranny, drive shaft, gas tank, and differential... If anyone already KNOWS this a super mega hard swap, or that someone already did the reasearch an was pretty discuraging, well, just let me know before I start saving money AGAIN for another project car (I have 2 pending)! Peace.

papachino

your better off putting the es300 body and interior on the toyota chaser

chrispy

iTrader: (21)

was the ES you painted this color?



that's my car. i was thinking about getting a paint job as well, but this color is somewhat rare.

about your project, i think it would be fun if everything did fit together.

jmax.garage

iTrader: (2)

yeah, it was that color! A Chaser conversion would't be bad at all!!! Only problem would be that I would need to get EVERYTHING: Lights, hood, fenders, etc. A litle bit more complicated. Keep the input comming!

Pheonix

No.. No no no no no.
I wrote about this last night in another thread.


No...

papachino

Here is the discussion on the Chaser and ES300
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...=187811&page=2

jmax.garage

iTrader: (2)

that sucks... oh, well, i'll just keep going at it on my JZS then =,]

Pheonix

A 1jz won't fit latterally betwen the front wheel wells. A 1uz-fe can, but not with a custom transmission bellhousing adapter needed to mate it to any useful transmission.
RWD/AWD can be done, but is simply so far beyond what I envision anyone's personal skill set, or monitary funds to be.

You're forced to stick with the v6's, which are very solid, or drop in an i4. 3s-gte, 3s/5s-gte, 3rz-fte. You might aswell stay with the v6's. No custom work to put them in, and they're all stronger out of the box than the above i4's listed. (Minus the 2vz-fe. I see that as equal to what a 3s-gte can make with good tuning.)