nepereziva

So Here's an idea. i was hanging out today with friends and turns out one of them has a 1st gen is200h.
We (curious body shop mechanics) all of a sudden started google in stuff, and pulled out a measuring tape.

Therese loads of flooded is200h lexuses all over copart, and they go dirt cheap cause noone wants to deal with hybrid (loads of electronics + expensive battery packs) that have bin flooded
but what if one (crazy type like us) bought a flooded is200h shell,
completely rolled (cheap) Is-F and combined the two into a cool debadged hatch?

in any case we were measuring comparing angine bays, nad interior dimentions.
looks like whole front end including the dash/steering wheel etc from an IS-F would swap right into an is200h

WHY?

heres why:

IS-F
Curb weight: 3780 lb
wheelbase: 107.5"
length: 183.5"
width: 71.5"
height: 56.1"

is200h
Curb weight: 3131 lb
wheelbase 102.4"
length 171.3"
width: 69.5"
height: 57.3"

after measuring interior dimensions with measuring tape, and engine bay as well we figured out that widths and height is essentially identical. IS-f has slightly wider fenders (which could be swapped right over) including bulged hood, cooler bumper etc.
biggest challenge would be custom driveshaft (most likely we would order 5" shorter aluminum one piece from SIKKY ) and also have my exhaust guy shorten exhaust a bit (that's no big deal)
biggest question would be most likely in transmission/driveshaft tunnel difference. (good chance we would have to cut out trans tunnel from is-f and weld it into is200h) and perhaps modify rear sub frame mount points?

so WHY again? about 650lb difference? + the cool sleeper factor?
understandably 2ur-gse is a bit heavier then the little 1.8 corollas motor in there, but what about electrical motors? hybrid battery cells? we would obviously remove sunroof, weld in sheet metal, and other unnecessary things while were at it.

even potentially having an IS-f in a hatch that sits on 5" shorter wheelbase, and AT LEAST 500+ LB lighter.

(our background weve swapped plenty sr20's into out 240's back in the days, and even once a rolled STi into a Forrester body) obviously this would be a bit more involved project but..... 500+ lb's is 500+ lbs

what u guys think? ideas? thoughts?




P.S. (alternative, Im finishing up current kithcen/bathroom remodel, and dropping 13-15k into RR625/w intercooler kit, headers w/cats, and most likely cusco hybrid diff) lucky i live 30 min away from RRracing shop. bin there before for programmer and other goodies. those guys have real cool set up there.

TheNaeblis

Can't say anything from a technical perspective, but no doubt it can be done. With all the tearing down and fabbing up you'll be able to work out a closer to 50/50 weight distribution in both directions, which is a slight pain point of the F. Looking forward to seeing it happen.

isfvss

Wrench everyday (utube channel) half did a ISF swap into a SC300 and never finished it, the front cross member was a joke, worth a look cheers.

nepereziva

I saw that, was watching their progress. Difference is is200h is identical front end dimensions wise. And then f we were to swat stuff. It would be EVERYTHING. ECU, TCU, full dash, all electronics and controls. So not much new stuff to fab besides transmission/driveshaft tunnel. (If its not already identical)

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I'd go GS F or RC F. Later model everything and more power.

RRRacing

iTrader: (1)

I'll bet this guy thought his idea was his idea was crazy too.

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

Or an LC Shooting Brake:

nepereziva

agreed, but they’re quite a bit more expensive.
especialy GS-F since there’s less then 2000 of them total on our US streets now.


though magnetic shocks would be cool on a lighter chassis car (slightly stiffer then on GS-F platform)

also isn’t it’s better to supercharge is-F’s engine due to slightly lower compression?

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

No matter how you slice it, you'll be fuel limited when you boost this engine. If you're willing to go E-85 all the time, you have some room to play, but with 91 or even 93 pump gas, you can't put much boost to any of the F engines.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with any of the OEM shocks from the F cars. Spring rates for a car that light will be very high unless you're planning for track as primary use. Damping is inexorably related to spring rates, so putting the suspension from a 4000 pound (or even 3800 pound) on a 3100 pound car isn't going to be close to ideal. I'd be looking at the aftermarket, and depending on budget, would lean toward Ohlins DFVs for quality and cost effectiveness, or maybe AFCO if the budget isn't there or adjustability isn't necessary.