Mugen_1

Hi, I was wondering if any of you have or know where to get JDM Toyota Celsior parts for your Lexus.

I have a '97 LS400 and I'm wanting to change the trunk badging (to remove the word "Lexus" entirely, change the center "L" to the "T," and switch "LS 400" with "Celsior." (as shown in the pic that hopefully attached, to which mine looks identical save for the whole right hand drive part)

Also, I want to change the center wheel caps from the ones with "L" to the ones with "T," and finally changing the grille out for the Celsior one.

I've found one website, http://www.j-garage.com, who would import those parts for me, although it would've cost me over $900 USD after everything was figured up. I've found the trunk "Celsior" badge on eBay for $30, and I imagine any bigger Toyota badge will work for the trunk.

But my main concern is the grille...I inspected mine and it doesn't look like the "L" is removable for a simple swap with the "T." However looking around on eBay, a replacement "VIP" chrome grill appears to have four slots to which the "L" badge slides and clamps in.

So...can anyone out there give me a hand?

Thanks in advance if you can.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

you cant just "remove" the rear Lexus badge, there are holes behind it. the front is possible, but you need to find a badge from japan.

oh, and for the rear toyota, any badge wont work, theres a hole behind it too

there are holes behind ALL the badges on the rear of the car.

shonn

iTrader: (1)

unless you get a newer LS. Or am I mistaken?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

95-00 have holes, i cant remember about the earlier ones.

LiCelsior

iTrader: (32)

yep 90-94 has the holes in them too.

anotherLS

iTrader: (9)

i got some parts before for my LS from myautofashion.com

avalon42

iTrader: (1)

Me too, I got mine in person. The girl that works there (daughter of the owner) is one super hot Japanese babe. Well worth the trip IMO (and she's friendly too).

avalon42

iTrader: (1)

A T isn't exactly going to work because it won't cover all of the holes. I helped my friend take it off his GS300, and we had to move the T slightly left to cover the holes, one hole was still 1/2 way exposed (but wasn't so obvious).

That and the toyota emblems are all different sizes depending on model.

Maybe he should get the Wald wing like Lexkost then add emblems.

Kansas

The whole concept of rebadging an LS400 as a Celsior seems odd since it was common for Japanese market Celsiors to be rebadged as LS400s when they were imported into RHD countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.

Even Celsior owners in Japan sometimes rebadged their cars as Lexus.

I guess all this was done in search of some sort of "status" since the name Toyota didn't carry much weight. Or maybe people want what they can't have.

I slapped a TOYOTA license plate frame on my first LS400 over 18 years ago when the local Lexus dealer tried to sell me a $4.00 Toyota oil filter for $14.00. I use the same plate frame today on my 00 LS400.

If you really are intent on rebadging your Lexus as a Toyota, you might try looking on one of the LS400/Celsior forums for English speaking right hand drive countries. A member on one of these forums might have Celsior emblems in his junk bin.

I don't know about the 1997 model, but I do know that wheel center caps from one of the wheels available on the early 90's Toyota Celica were a perfect fit and color match on my 1990 LS400.

chrisngo

iTrader: (1)

uhhh....long shot..but ever try EBay?

Chris

Nano-V8

yeah i got my jdm grill and badges from ebay for like 150 bucks for my 1st gen LS. all in perftect condition. price wasnt that bad. real oem stuff. and yeah the first gens have holes in the trunk too. but i shaved my trunk a while ago to go badgles

check this site. they have the rear badges. but idk about the grill part.



http://lexusparts.stores.yahoo.net/emblems.html

Mugen_1

Thanks a lot for your help guys.

The guy from j-garage.com gave me a new estimate that brought the price down to around $125 USD. And seeing as it appears the "L" in the grille simply unscrews and the "T" logo would screw right in its place, I can just skip buying the whole grille and just get the "T" logo, which helps big time bringing the cost down.

Hey avalon42, you said you took the badges off your friend's GS300...how did you get them off without scratching the paint? And you said that you had to move the "T" emblem over to cover the holes...does this mean that the "T" logo had adhesive backing, or did it also have prongs that were supposed to fit in the holes?

As for the Celsior badge replacing the LS400 one, and seeing as it also apparently has holes behind it, I take it the holes don't line up? And if none of the holes line up, and assuming the "T" and "Celsior" badges have prongs to go in holes, how do/did you get around this problem?

Sorry I have so many questions...I just want to make sure I get the right parts that fit and that I go about replacing everything correctly.

tbilisi79

Out of curiosity, why go from Lexus badge to Toyota? Its like rebadging a Mercedes with Chrysler badges. And frankly, by design, I think the L looks a lot better than a goofy looking T.

19psi

well, some of us want to have an authentic japanese look to our cars, since that's what the whole vip look is anyway. to me, i just want to be different and blow peoples minds. they look at my car and can't even figure out what it is. i like that. i watch people in parking lots stare at it and walk around it looking at everything donig this

regarding badge sourcing, i got my celsior badge off ebay, brand new factory part. it wasn't very expensive. i got my grill from ebay as well with the toyota symbol in it, cheap.
you will have holes when you re badge like everyone said. when i get to the paint stage, i'll fill them in and smooth it out so it looks factory.

tbilisi79

The real advantage having Toyota badges is, you can fight off parking tickets, saying that you don't own a Toyota, you own a Lexus. And thats an automatic dismissal of a ticket!!