tsachiti

Hi All,

I have a stock sc430. I bought it a recently. Love it !. Joined Club Lexus and was inspired by some of the custom sc430s here. I decided to look for a totally awesome body kit that would give aquanuke ( forum member whose car is totally awesome, as are many others here) a run for his money.

I found many variations of body kits online just by searching on google and reading through threads here on Club Lexus. Eventually I found one which I felt was okay but no one else seemed to have bought it before, which meant no reviews to go by. I then posted thread asking if anyone had bought from the merchant before.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...-body-kit.html

The answer was generally, no. I decided to take the risk and transferred the balance into the merchants bank account for the body-kit. From that posting I received several pm's asking that I let people how I get on.

I promised to write a detailed account including pics of how it went in terms of getting the body kit. quality, installation etc.

So this is the first of many posts I will make on this thread detailing exactly how the process is going. Hopefully this will be useful for anyone else wanted to get a body kit or things to watch out for if it all goes wrong for me.

First off, Here are a couple of pics of my car now and what its supposed to look like when complete but with a silver finish. Below the pics is the account of whats happening so far.

Before (Original Stock Sc430 )

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6092439435/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6092439435/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/66911642@N07/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6092979382/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6092979382/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/66911642@N07/, on Flickr

Target Result

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6092979668/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6092979668/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/66911642@N07/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6092979720/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6092979720/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/66911642@N07/, on Flickr

Week 1

20 Aug 2011 - Paid for body kit and delivery

24 Aug 2011 - Received images and shipping date. Took images of the kit. to car body kit specialists. ( Kit not arrived yet, will take pics of unboxing etc and post when arrives)

I get quotes from several body shops including the lexus body shop.

QUOTE 1 - LEXUS - CROYDON, SURREY, UK

Apparently there are over 20 shades of silver so they have to respray my entire car if they install the body kit. The respray will be £3000 (approx $5000)

Installing the body kit itself will be another £1000 (approx $1600)

Total amount required £ 4000 ( $6 550) to install body kit. E.T.A. 1 Week
no thanks lexus

QUOTE 2 - LOCAL RALLY CUSTOM CAR GUYS

Apparently no body kits fit. they all need to be adjusted etc meaning there is a significant labour cost, so i need to have about £1000 ( $1600) for labour. Then the cost of paint and spraying. Apparently, doors will need to be resprayed as well to match color. So i need another £1000.

Total amount required £2000 ($3200) E.T.A. 1 Week
No thanks

QUOTE 3 - ROBS MOTORS - CAR BODY REPAIRS, SURREY

This chap once repaired my lease IS22D when i was at the end of my lease. He saved me buying new wing mirrors by remoulding and repraying rather than replacing. So I thought to take it to him to hear if he could install the body kit. He said he would do it all, fit adjust spray including matching to doors etc

Total amount required £1000 ($1600)

If i left him the parts he takes off, then I would get a discount.
Total amount required would be £700 ($1146)

I had another two quotes in the £2000 ($3200) range but I think I will go to robs motors as I am more confident he will give more flexibility if there is more work to be done.

Today 29 August 2011. Body kit has not yet arrived. Will keep all posted on this thread in terms of pics, will post an unboxing video, costings etc.

Sorry for the annoyingly lost post but I hope someone may find it helpful in the future. Thank you for taking time to read this. Next update will be in a week.

12 September 2011

The body kit arrives, pics.

The Truck Arrives
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140688115/[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140688115/]

The delivery guy and how the kit looks.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6141246676/[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6141246676/]

It fits in the RX !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140692151/[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140692151/]

Unwraping

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6141245126/[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6141245126/]

The Kit

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140689793/[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140689793/]

The Kit 2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140688971/[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140688971/]

The Toyota Logo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140690573/[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6140690573/]

After finally settling on a body shop, I took it there today to un box. The kit did not come with the mesh or any other accessories seen in the original pics. It did however have all the wholes pre-drilled for bolting the kit on.

The finish was to a high standard, There will still be minor filling required where the mold left bumps.

We are still trying to work out what to do with the fog lights as the kit did not come with fog light holders or anything, open to suggestions.

Half Naked !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6150222691/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6150222691/
Half Naked 2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6150221833/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6150221833/
Installing 1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6150220969/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6150220969/
Installing 2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6150771888/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6150771888/
Removing the front bumper.

There were many clips and things that are on the original bumper that simply are not on the supplied replacement bumper, eg places to hold for pressure washers etc.

I have spend 2 days at the body shop helping them as they had been on the phone every 2 mins telling me that "we have a problem". Simple solution was that i stay there for as long as necessary to instantly decide on what action to take. We are making good progress though, probably just a couple of days left. here are some more images of parts removed and replaced.


Front Bumper Off

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153617716/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153617716/

Fender and Side Skirt

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153616988/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153616988/
Side Skirt, Bumper & Fender

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153618288/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153618288/
Fender and Side Skirt Close

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153095941/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153095941/
So get this, UK versions of sc430s do not have corner lights, they have reflectors instead, It was tricky to convert the reflector into a light as I wanted to create clear corner Leds.

Following a clear corners guide I found here on club lexus, I removed the reflector, removed and drilled the hole in the back for power cable. I then sprayed it with grey spray paint, then sprayed again with chrome spray to make that silver reflective look.

I then added LED lights i bought for £30 , cut the series down to size, a bit of super glue and there we go.

Keen to hear your thoughts on thi as this is my first DIY mod for the car.

One

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6154076732/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6154076732/
Two ( shaped the light cover from square piece to oval matching the holder)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153534487/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153534487/
three, Added LED Strip

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153533699/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6153533699/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/66911642@N07/, on Flickr


Tested before Polishing up and sealing

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6154077294/http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6154077294/
I was not happy with the solutions that were available for the fog lights, rather than have something cheap and tacky installed. I decided they leave the fot lights and I instead have proper holders made from them at a more specialist body shop.

Here is the front bumper now installed on the car, placed the clear corners with no covers yet until spraying is done. Apparently one more day if lucky.

If you are very observant, you will notice I have an 06 light issue where the light gap is too big. As its all fibre glass, had the tip of the bumper extended.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6156049660/
The exhausts were a whole new level of nightmare, stock comes with chrome trim thats welded on ! wtf ?! had to get an air saw and literally hacksaw it off, exhausts are very tough, took a white to cut off the trim even with a power tool.

Exhaust trim removed, replacement, test fitted.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66911642@N07/6156050600/
ADDITIONAL COSTINGS !

Fitting was generally okay , it was flush and to size however many accessories and parts to hold on existing items such as light pressure washers, corner reflectors/lights, any other rear lights, all these were missing. I am lucky the body shop had the skill to mold additional bits in and make extensions here and there. After being there nearly everyday to help them, I realized it is realistically a 2 or 3 man job and working at max pace will still take a week to complete. Its a big job and those expensive prices are justified.

It generally is very expensive to fit a body kit as i discovered, There is the quote from the body shop but it turns out there were other costs which crept in.
If you are thinking of having a body kit and have a budget for everything. Make sure you keep an contingency incase of additional items as detailed below.

Costs to consider

BodyKit - POA
Fitting £1000 ( $1682)

Additional Bits Required

Fog Lights Front = £80 ( $130)
Mesh (Chicken Wire) 4x £20 = £80 ($130)
Corner Led Lights DIY Total = £50 ($85)
New Reverse Light CUSTOM DIY £20 ($35)
New Fog Light (rear) CUSTOM DIY £20 ($35)
Exhaust Quad = £80 ($130)


OMG I have reached my image limit... go through the thread and see an image of it complete

1J0Z SC

iTrader: (7)

Cool man Im in to see the end results.

Yes

For what it's worth, you should definitely keep the parts. They're worth way more than $450. And you may end up needing them in the future.

redliner8

iTrader: (1)

nice, those vented side fenders are the one thing i want to do to mine.

tuterz

iTrader: (11)

i would keep my parts too... dont let him keep it..

Pnuge88

iTrader: (1)

You have some crappy bodyshops in your area haha

Yes

Do you have aftermarket wheels on the way? Because it'll probably look a little goofy with stock wheels in my opinion.

tsachiti

No not yet,

I have been searching everywhere on the net for something that would match the car color and the look yet at an affordable price.

Open to suggestions and recommendations

Yes

define affordable

tsachiti

Anything under US $1000 for a set of 4

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

have the kit sprayed and install yourself, better yet install it, drive it in for the painting.

Honestly, if its a good kit, it would not require any mods, and would fit the first time around. IF its a cheap one, non-polyurethane and made from fiberglass, it would be a ***** to mount and much work.

And honestly, tinkering with Toyota/lexus is jokes, everything is exposed and makes quick work of things. A saturday afternoon of your time = 1000 quid not leaving your pocket.

redliner8

iTrader: (1)

I bought my rims from http://www.victoriatire.com/ for $900, but they're based in the U.S. I don't know any companies based in the UK.

Yes

that's going to be tough. i just bought a set of wheels, so i did a ton of research. but i was looking in the $3,000-$4,000 price range, so i don't know of anything priced that low. at least not new. you could try searching for used on here and g35driver.com. g35s have similar offsets. i'd look for at least 19" wheels, preferably 20s. something similar to autocouture transform would look good with that kit. but even used, they're probably over $2,000.

tsachiti

You guys on this forum are totally awesome. Thanks for the help. Will try checking out alloys on the recommended links above. tempted to diy the install then take it to the pros if i make a mess of it.

Open to more thoughts as its all still a work in progress.

KiNg430

Being a collision tech graduate and a physical damage appraiser, i can tell you do not have to re-paint the entire car in order to match the kit or paint the doors to match the side skirts. Your Body Shops are bending you over on that one. an experienced painter will be able to match the paint as close as possible by doing test panels. if you look at your bumpers and plastic side skirts right now they do not match 100% to begin with, and this has to do with the material the paint is being layed out on. plastic vs steel. so dont expect them to match 100% when you put this kit on as their will be a slight variance. Good Luck