Shmee

iTrader: (3)

So since I sold my V6 Focus, I was search all over the PNW for a nice 95-97 Lexus LS400. manage to find this one last week, hopped the ferry over to the mainland and snapped it up.

1996 LS400, Metalic Silver on Grey leather interior, full load with the Nakamichi sound system (still an amazing system considering it's age!) 181,469km when I bought it, was a fresh rebuild but only got lightly tagged in the rear and the insurance company didn't even bother to properly assess the damages. I had it on the hoist and went over it with a fine tooth comb and was in amazing shape. No way it was worse than a $1500 hit. So I got this thing for a steal of a deal. Needs a little maintenance work but I expected that with any used car. Paid $3500 for the car and have already ordered $2900 in parts including some new BC BR coils, new crystal clear headlights and red/clear/red LED tails, lots of maintenance stuff, hiJacked a set of 06 GS430 wheels for the interim.


As she was the day I bought her: Sorry for the crappy iphone pics.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055850905/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055850905/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

as she sits now, still nothing special as none of my parts will be in till the 10th-12th...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055860162/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055860162/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055857388/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055857388/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055853545/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055853545/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055861916/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055861916/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

I am planning to upgrade the BC's with a UAS kit in the summer. I only plan to keep the car a few years as my goal is to find a nice 2000/2001 LS. One that I can swap all my suspension parts over too, build myself a proper set of wheels and keep that car for a decade. For now, i'm just going to make do with a nice set of 20x9.5s all around, slam it and use it as a DD.

If we both find some time, my buddy Greg and I (since I left my welder and all my fabricating tools back in vancouver with my dad) will be building an exhaust for the car this winter.

Being back in school, I'm on a tight budget... Ballin' on a budget so to speak!
Come summer time when I'm working full time again, I hope to be able to finish out the suspension and redo the stereo to get them where I want them.

Some of my other personal cars and previous projects of note:

The porker:
http://dubberz.com/forum/index.php/t...html#msg314994
http://dubberz.com/forum/index.php/topic,55441.0.html
http://www.phrozenphoto.com/index2.php#/rgallery4/4/

The V6 Mistake (North America's only SVT Countour V6 powered Focus):
http://forums.focaljet.com/team-rigz...urn-glory.html
http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=17089

at the 24hrs of daytona:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8057697641/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8057697641/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8057697346/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8057697346/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8057697280/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8057697280/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr


a pic of my 350fwhp race car from 2005 i'm in the process of building now:

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

whoa! welcome and based on your track record, i can't wait to see your LS in its new trim. she is in good hands! enjoy your stay and keep us posted on her progress!

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

Congrats on the purchase and Welcome!

Shmee

iTrader: (3)

parts are in, the fun begins!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8089599597/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8089599597/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8090510912/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8090510912/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

new power steering lines? wow the fun will really begin soon. take pics of the progress!

Shmee

iTrader: (3)

there was a bit of weeping from one of the crimped fittings at the hose and a little and the line to the pump.... just stock piling some parts now as i'll be replacing the pump and rack down the road...

RamAirRckt

Nice daily driver, I still would like a LS.... I have a GS400 now.

Shmee

iTrader: (3)

Nothing wrong with a GS!
If I couldn't find a nice LS, I was going to try and pic up a 2000-ish GS400.


I needed a study break, multi-vector calculus and linear Algebra is hard on the brain!
So I went out and installed the LED tails and front signals.
I was happy to find the resistor boxes came with thetaillights, despite the ebay seller not knowing what I was talking about when i inquired about them. Install was super easy! about $45 min start to finish but i took all the trim off the interior around the trunk lid and light buckets.

Before:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095234341/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095234341/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

Apparently the car sat for a while at some point as there was a little overgrowth behind one of the taillights:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095238621/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095238621/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

A little comparison of old vs new:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095243338/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095243338/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

Rear all done:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095243870/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095243870/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095246994/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095246994/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

On to the front signals and markers, before:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095246572/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095246572/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

After:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095245561/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095245561/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr



And just a quick shot of the stock headlights as i'l probably swap these out for the "JDM" :lol: Crystal clear units tomorrow during another study break!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095250488/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095250488/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

i'll try to remember to grab some nighttime pics of the tails tonight!

Shmee

iTrader: (3)

Nothing really exciting to update but I'll do so none the less...

The Weather Network has been saying its going to rain for the past 2 hours so I figure I'd just quickly instal the new headlights rather than getting part way done the coilovers before the rain came and forced me inside... Not having my own shop anymore sucks!

Anyways.... the pics....

The before headlight I already showed you guys:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095250488/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8095250488/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

Doing work:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8106246582/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8106246582/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

The difference:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8106240211/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8106240211/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

And done:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8106251986/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8106251986/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

Close up:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8106254928/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8106254928/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr


I need to find a nice garage or covered car port so I can work in to do the coilovers as I also need to do the brakes and swaybar bushings all around at the same time!
Moving to a new town and not having a shop anymore, really sucks!

SPhoto

Very Nice!

Shmee

iTrader: (3)

I'm debating switching back to the factory corner lights. I am not sure I like the look of them, the look kinda cheap but the again, I'm not sure how the stock fluted corners will match up with the new headlights.

Thoughts?

hotdawwg

Looks amazing... How is the output at night? I hope it is better than the stock headlights!

1sWt2GS

iTrader: (6)

wow doing major work

2900 dollars in parts! get them coils on during the next long study break haha

Shmee

iTrader: (3)

Installed coilovers and new brakes last week...

before
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055857388/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055857388/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055853545/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8055853545/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr


After the deceptive 3" drop:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8176599725/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8176599725/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8176601245/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8176601245/# by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr


Then I was bored today and dropped it 7/8" all around....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8191212327/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8191212327/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8191219251/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8191219251/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8192315618/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/8192315618/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

Oh, and I also gave it a bath.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Looking good. I don't recollect seeing the halogen beam pattern out of the clears from other members. So if you do snap a pic and if you go HID. I debated these headlights but I'm penny pinchy.

Oh, and some 15-25mm spacers for the back. (Easy to say, I still haven't done mine...<dooh>)