Throwback Review: Autoweek's Custom Lexus SC300 Build
There once was a time when a major magazine decided to build a custom Lexus SC300. And then they drove it across the country!
1. New Age Hot Rod
Since its inception, SEMA has always been a showcase for the automotive aftermarket. But back in the early '90s, hot rods were beginning to look a lot different. The attention of tuners had shifted from solely working on American iron and now encompassed cars from Japan and Europe. But that didn't include Lexus, which at the time was still a very young company. So Autoweek decided to do something about that ahead of the 1993 SEMA show.
>>Join the conversation on Autoweek's Custom SC300 right here in the Club Lexus forum!
2. Blazing a New Trail
They turned their attention to modifying a Lexus SC300, a car that Autoweek at the time called "a damn good car." But they wanted, like any good enthusiast, to make it their own. That meant unique styling and more performance, in spite of a basically non-existent aftermarket. And they intended to drive the finished product a full 2,500 miles across the country so that the finished product could make its public debut at SEMA.
>>Join the conversation on Autoweek's Custom SC300 right here in the Club Lexus forum!
3. Making It All Work
And yet, a total of eleven companies stepped up to help make this once distant dream a reality. Electromotive provided the key component for allowing the 10.2:1 compression 3.0-liter inline six to receive a boost from the Vortech supercharger without exploding - a programmable ignition system. RPS Automotive was then able to make it all work by tuning the engine management system to perfection with a high-tech (at the time) laptop computer. In the end, it was all worth it, as the SC300 churned out nearly 300 hp and knocked a full two seconds off the stock car's 0-60 time.
>>Join the conversation on Autoweek's Custom SC300 right here in the Club Lexus forum!
4. Handling the Curves
Of course, all of that extra power means nothing in the twisties without a little suspension work. So Autoweek sourced Eibach progressive-rate springs, Tokico Premium Performance twin-tube gas-charged shocks, and 17-inch Momo wheels with larger Goodyear Eagle tires - 235/45 up front and 275/40 in the back. Those enhancements improved the SC's handling enough to make it capable of outrunning a Corvette ZR1 in the slalom.
>>Join the conversation on Autoweek's Custom SC300 right here in the Club Lexus forum!
5. The Total Package
So how did the final product turn out? Autoweek noted that the suspension was, of course, quite a bit firmer than before. But they welcomed the more connected feeling, as well as the improved looks. Though they didn't appreciate the fact that the SC was now even more prone to begin spotted by the highway patrol. Otherwise, according to the final verdict, it "turned a mildly entertaining coupe into one that roars." And thanks to the growth of the aftermarket over the last 20+ years, we don't have to rely on one-off tuning shops to turn our Lexus cars into hot rods today.
>>Join the conversation on Autoweek's Custom SC300 right here in the Club Lexus forum!
For information on maintenance and repairs for your Lexus, please visit our How-to section in the forum.