Hey guys,

Figured I'd make a build thread for my new GS300. It won't be particularly fast, because I'm pretty poor :P

About the car
Late 97 Build, 121 KMs / 75k miles on the clock, grey interior. It's pretty mint, with only a few minor things wrong with it.

Plans are the usual - Dark tints (though the current ones are okay), get some coilovers, nice wheels, black vinyl wrap the roof, big stereo etc, new taillights.
I've already plastidipped the badges, and will be doing the LBJs as they're pretty destroyed. Ended up getting it towed home, as I've read wayyyy too many stories about LBJs going out and causing big $ in damage.

Anyway, here's some pics





And how she's currently sitting after getting towed home



I'm pretty sure it's on IS250 or similar wheels, not 100% sure though.

 

Nice, I wish my 01 was that clean. Like the wheels too.

 

Wo your driveway is as **** as mine haha. What's the deal in Aus with coilovers and defects etc ?

 

Yeah, the driveway is so bad hah. Sucks even washing the car on it. I've never really had a modified car before, but as long as it's ride height is 100mm it should be sweet. Not meant to have tints below 35%, but I'll probably got 18% at some stage (though the current tints are okay for now). Getting my LBJs today so it should be getting an alignment later, then I'll be back to making the most of this cheap petrol!

 

Did the LBJs yesterday / today. Far out it's not as easy as the guides say haha. Not super difficult, but hard getting some of the nuts off, and managed to break two Pitman arm pullers haha!
Anyway, they were VERY loose, had about 20mm / 1 inch (ish) movement on each side. Car feels nicer, and I can actually drive it, yay! The steering returns to centre too, which it didn't do prior. Need to get an alignment. All of this isn't coming out of my pocket either, as the shop who issued the roadworthy certificate pulled a dodgy, and agreed to cover all costs.

 

GS looks really clean..

 

Kinda crappy update. Water pump is fked, so ordered one of them in, decided to get the timing belt done too since it hasn't been done in nearly 10 years. Take the car to the mechanics, get a call a few hours later saying the water pump was wrong, so now I'm down for a new water pump ($250 fml, genuine Toyota at least)) and apparently theres a good chance the radiator header tank will shatter soon, so I'll be up for a radiator soon too (assuming it lasts putting the top hose back on).

Pretty annoyed about this, but what can you do. Hopefully this is all the engine work the car will need for a while (Until I turbo it :P)

On a positive note, took a note of it looking pretty at the beach

 

wait is that an antenna back there???????????????

 

Yeah, Aus models get a few different things, like an antenna in the back, no heated seats etc. The antenna also changes length depending on the radio frequency (I assumed for better reception) which is pretty fkn dope haha.

 

NZ got antenna there too

 

USDM is in the rear glass, right?

 

yea i believe so, i don't use the radio so doesn't really matter to me lol

 

The ironic thing is, it will still have the antenna in the rear glass (well mine did according to my auto electrician) so not sure why they put an extra antenna >_<

 

Haha, really? Not that it really matters, cause I'll be changing to a decent headunit when I can some funds. Thats what I miss about my last car - a good sub, and my iPod :P

 

Got bored so I plastidipped the bottom of my rear bumper