Looking forward to seeing the finished work!!

 

Thanks...I am a little anxious about it all coming together as u know how u have an image in your head about how you want things to look... Well I am keeping my fingers crossed and there is a lot of coordinating with various shops, etc...to get all this done at one time while the car is at the Body shop!!!

 

Awesome build! Can't wait to see it play out. I wish mine looked this good

 

Alright another MRM ISF!!!...seems like a rare color here on CL but Tampa recently tried to put a meet toghether back in April and three ISF's showed up (including mine) and yes u guessed it...all three of them were MRM...dang!

Thanks for the compliments as it is a lot of fun but also a lot of work trying to figure out what to do and make good choices...my car is off to the body shop Monday so it should look a lot different by the end of next week. I am excited but also a bit nervous about it all...

 

Okay...IT IS ON!!! Dropped Matador off at Lexus of Tampa Bay's body shop this morning and according to the pics below the work has started...actually it has grown as I have decided to paint the entire car...yes u read that correctly...but over 5 years of life has caused issues here and there and I am just ready to get it done correctly...the main paint guy at the body shop is a Lexus enthusiast and has a 2006 IS 250 MRM and has done some fantastic things with the paint on his car...he knows what he is doing.

So if u want u can enjoy the "Transformation" of Matador along with me as the following things get done:

Paint entire car Matador
Install complete CF TOM's aero kit
Powder coat exhaust tips black
Paint front grill black
3M grill surrond and inbetween doors CF
3M chrome edges around windows satin black
Install Black Pearl Eblems
Spray all lights with light black/clearcoat covering

Front bumper and lights removed

 

wow I didnt think your car was in bad shape?

 

Thanks...and from a distance 2/3 of the car looks very nice...but up close upon further investigation there were some issues...basically without getting into a lot of details everything but the entire right side, rear bumper, roof and top of trunk needs to be painted...so being the 2nd owner and wanting to build a quaility car I have decided to let them do a special paint job (same color) but deep, deep, deep. And like I said the guy doing the paint work did his own IS the same color and it looks amazing!!!

 

How much is the respray costing you? I'm curious b/c it seems the closer I look at my car, I seem to find new little things every time. There are plastic areas, like on the bumper, that I can have done for $300, but metal work is entirely different. I'm just wondering what it would cost if I wanted to respray the hood and doors.

 

PM sent...

 

Went to check on the progress of Matador and here are some updated pics:

Front of car:


Rear of car:


Powder Coated exhaust tips came back to the shop:


Rear bumper painted and clear coated:


Front bumber painted and clear coated:

 

**UPDATE**

All the paint work is done and the reassembly has begun...here is a shot from yesterdays work...check out the following changes from the past:

Beautiful paint (hard to tell as camera not good)
Shaved rear Lexus and IS emblem (Black Pearl "F" and "L" will be installed)
Powder coated exhaust tips (going to look great with the Tom's diffuser)
Sprayed rear lights...just a slight tinted look.

 

Thank you very much and I cannot begin to tell you how much it is offing me to see my Vossen CV3 wheels sitting there filthy dirty...but the Lexus of Tampa Bay body shop Manager has ensured me I will be able to eat off my car when I come to pick it up...

P.S. Those wheels are getting tons of love every where I go!

 

Pretty sick, man! Can't wait to see it all complete

 

car is looking much better with the body parts painted and back on the car, well done great job.

 

Thanks for the nice comments and yes I am feeling better seeing it getting put back together as it was freaky (to say the least) seeing it in parts all over the body shop for the last two weeks...

However, last night they finished installing the TOM's kit and I actually was able to be there for some of it and help. Man that kit fits so good on our cars and looks even more amazing than I had anticipated...

Today the window surrounds get blacked out (3M), install the black pearl emblems (only the L's and the three F's as I had the Lexus and IS shaved off the back), finish polishing the entire car and then detail the inside and out...I am supposed to pick Matador up this afternoon if everything goes well...