Meet Azure
08-16-12, 08:15 AM
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Meet Azure
The first thing you need to know about this thread is that the really nice pics were not taken by me. This should not prove to be difficult to figure out for those visiting this thread. As I have posted many times, I have no pic-taking skills and, normally, a good buddy of mine would be handling this task. He had an unfortunate incident, though, and had to cancel for the immediate future the date we had established for him to work his usual magic. So you get me instead. I know. It’s tough duty but, hey, WTH.
I purchased this car in June 2010, having patiently waited for Lexus to install a TORSEN LSD in the IS-F beginning with that model year. I thought the TORSEN would be the last major change Lexus would make to the car before releasing the 2-gen IS-F. I was wrong. Lexus has continually improved this car and, by most accounts, the 2013 car is the best one yet.
Anyway, while I did not intend to modify this car to the extent of my Supras, I did intend to make a few changes that would truly make it my car. I’m about done (with one possible exception) and decided it would be a good time to show this car, one of my favorites, to my SFOC buddies.
First, though, here are a couple of pics of the car taken by a real professional and the way she looked when I took possession:
With 54-miles on the car, and the paint still unmarred, I had paint protection film installed on the front end of the car, including the fenders, head lamps, the outside review mirrors and the door pockets on all four doors. I have been so pleased with this, I vowed to never purchase a new car without having this done.
In 2010, you could not characterize the IS-F aftermarket as robust. While it still leaves a bit to be desired, today it is much better than it was just a few years ago. As a result, my modding has gone slowly, as I waited for what I considered to be choice items worthy of the car and my patience. Initially, I added a Joe Z intake and FIGS Engineering Rear Mega Control Arms, with adjustable toe links, followed a few months later by Swift Sport Lowering Springs and THINK DESIGN garnish for the front center console. The garnish matches the silver carbon fiber that came with the car. Below is the only pic I have with the car on the Swift lowering springs:
I subsequently replaced my Swift Springs with HKS Hipermax M1 coilovers. It’s just my opinion but I believe these are the best coilovers available for the IS-F and the technology HKS used to develop the M1s form the basis for the new Hipermax IV coilovers for the MKIV Supra.
One of the parts that took a long time coming was my GReddy Titanium exhaust. These exhausts are 100% titanium and reduce the weight of the IS-F’s true dual exhaust system from 71-pounds to 35-pounds. The sound is unbelievable and there is nothing like dropping weight to help you to become quicker. Here are a few pics of the exhaust taken just prior to installation:
I purchased this car in June 2010, having patiently waited for Lexus to install a TORSEN LSD in the IS-F beginning with that model year. I thought the TORSEN would be the last major change Lexus would make to the car before releasing the 2-gen IS-F. I was wrong. Lexus has continually improved this car and, by most accounts, the 2013 car is the best one yet.
Anyway, while I did not intend to modify this car to the extent of my Supras, I did intend to make a few changes that would truly make it my car. I’m about done (with one possible exception) and decided it would be a good time to show this car, one of my favorites, to my SFOC buddies.
First, though, here are a couple of pics of the car taken by a real professional and the way she looked when I took possession:
With 54-miles on the car, and the paint still unmarred, I had paint protection film installed on the front end of the car, including the fenders, head lamps, the outside review mirrors and the door pockets on all four doors. I have been so pleased with this, I vowed to never purchase a new car without having this done.
In 2010, you could not characterize the IS-F aftermarket as robust. While it still leaves a bit to be desired, today it is much better than it was just a few years ago. As a result, my modding has gone slowly, as I waited for what I considered to be choice items worthy of the car and my patience. Initially, I added a Joe Z intake and FIGS Engineering Rear Mega Control Arms, with adjustable toe links, followed a few months later by Swift Sport Lowering Springs and THINK DESIGN garnish for the front center console. The garnish matches the silver carbon fiber that came with the car. Below is the only pic I have with the car on the Swift lowering springs:
I subsequently replaced my Swift Springs with HKS Hipermax M1 coilovers. It’s just my opinion but I believe these are the best coilovers available for the IS-F and the technology HKS used to develop the M1s form the basis for the new Hipermax IV coilovers for the MKIV Supra.
One of the parts that took a long time coming was my GReddy Titanium exhaust. These exhausts are 100% titanium and reduce the weight of the IS-F’s true dual exhaust system from 71-pounds to 35-pounds. The sound is unbelievable and there is nothing like dropping weight to help you to become quicker. Here are a few pics of the exhaust taken just prior to installation:
08-16-12, 08:18 AM
#2
Intermediate
Thread Starter
From the factory, the 2010 IS-F has BIG brakes and relatively narrow, high offset, lightweight BBS wheels (19 x 8s in front and 19 x 9s out back). Relative to its competition, it is under-tired, given its weight and power, so it was my plan all along to put wider wheels and tires on this car. This was much easier said than done, though, and I spent over a year selecting a wheel, waiting for the then new Michelin Pilot Super Sports, waiting an additional six months for the 265/35/19s to become available, reviewing four color samples and, finally, getting the package completed and installed on the car. More on this later.
As she currently sits, the mod list for the car goes like this:
1. Premier Mobile Paint Protection
2. Joe Z Intake
3. FIGS Engineering Rear Mega Control Arms with Adjustable Toe Links
4. "F" Sport Rear Anti-Roll Bar
5. THINK DESIGN Center Console Garnish (front)
6. THINK DESIGN Carbon Fiber Rear Seat Insert
7. GReddy Titanium Exhaust
8. HKS Hipermax M1 Coilovers
9. DPE Wheels--Forged, 3-Piece CS20s, 19 x 9.5s, Front, and 19 x 11s, Rear
10. Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires, 265/35/19s, Front, and 305/30/19s, Rear
11. Lance Alignment
12. Corner Balanced
13. PPE Headers (?)
To my eyes, the Ultra Sonic Blue color of the IS-F is one of the very best colors available for any automobile so getting a set of wheels to complement the color should be relatively simple, or so I thought. Virtually every USB car I saw on Club Lexus had colored wheel centers and polished lips. A few had monochromatic wheels and most were 20-inches in size. Once I became intimately familiar with the car, the last thing I wanted to do was detract from the car’s great vehicle dynamics, and overall sportiness by installing DUBS on rubber band tires.
Because the look of the OEM BBSs grew on me, and I felt the color of the OEM wheels was the best color for USB cars, I confined my search to forged 19-inch wheels, similar in design to the OEM BBS wheels, in an effort to partially offset the additional weight brought about by the wheels and tires being wider than stock.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that Lexus does not have an official color code for the IS-F wheels. This was frustrating and cost me quite a bit of time. Fortunately, I was working directly with DPE Wheels. My contacts developed four color samples for me to review. I had conducted research on the OEM wheel color and determined that the Scion Phantom Grey Pearl color was virtually the same color as the OEM wheel. This was the color I selected and I am pleased with the result. That said, it has more metallic in it than the OEM color and, try as we might, we could never match the satin look of the OEM wheels I wanted so badly.
You’ve waited long enough. Here’s what the car looks like with my new wheel/tire set-up (these are the poor pics yours truly took):
The THINK DESIGN stuff is very high quality and uses OEM Lexus parts. As a result, fit and finish could not be better:
This piece replaces OEM black plastic. In a car with black interior, it really “opens” up the rear seating area:
As she currently sits, the mod list for the car goes like this:
1. Premier Mobile Paint Protection
2. Joe Z Intake
3. FIGS Engineering Rear Mega Control Arms with Adjustable Toe Links
4. "F" Sport Rear Anti-Roll Bar
5. THINK DESIGN Center Console Garnish (front)
6. THINK DESIGN Carbon Fiber Rear Seat Insert
7. GReddy Titanium Exhaust
8. HKS Hipermax M1 Coilovers
9. DPE Wheels--Forged, 3-Piece CS20s, 19 x 9.5s, Front, and 19 x 11s, Rear
10. Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires, 265/35/19s, Front, and 305/30/19s, Rear
11. Lance Alignment
12. Corner Balanced
13. PPE Headers (?)
To my eyes, the Ultra Sonic Blue color of the IS-F is one of the very best colors available for any automobile so getting a set of wheels to complement the color should be relatively simple, or so I thought. Virtually every USB car I saw on Club Lexus had colored wheel centers and polished lips. A few had monochromatic wheels and most were 20-inches in size. Once I became intimately familiar with the car, the last thing I wanted to do was detract from the car’s great vehicle dynamics, and overall sportiness by installing DUBS on rubber band tires.
Because the look of the OEM BBSs grew on me, and I felt the color of the OEM wheels was the best color for USB cars, I confined my search to forged 19-inch wheels, similar in design to the OEM BBS wheels, in an effort to partially offset the additional weight brought about by the wheels and tires being wider than stock.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that Lexus does not have an official color code for the IS-F wheels. This was frustrating and cost me quite a bit of time. Fortunately, I was working directly with DPE Wheels. My contacts developed four color samples for me to review. I had conducted research on the OEM wheel color and determined that the Scion Phantom Grey Pearl color was virtually the same color as the OEM wheel. This was the color I selected and I am pleased with the result. That said, it has more metallic in it than the OEM color and, try as we might, we could never match the satin look of the OEM wheels I wanted so badly.
You’ve waited long enough. Here’s what the car looks like with my new wheel/tire set-up (these are the poor pics yours truly took):
The THINK DESIGN stuff is very high quality and uses OEM Lexus parts. As a result, fit and finish could not be better:
This piece replaces OEM black plastic. In a car with black interior, it really “opens” up the rear seating area:
Last edited by KJH; 08-16-12 at 11:25 AM. Reason: Added "F" Sport bar
08-16-12, 08:19 AM
#3
Intermediate
Thread Starter
I placed a question mark after the PPE Headers entry in my mod list. I purchased the headers as part of the FIGS Engineering Group Buy. Guys have gotten real good results with these headers, 35 whp with cats and 46 whp without. I’m just a little afraid the exhaust decibel level might be a tad too loud for my perception of this car’s mission as an executive express with just enough wild and wooly character to top things off nicely. Here’s a pic of my indecisiveness. It’s been that way for a month or so now. We’ll see. Might just have to bite the bullet.
Thanks for viewing.
Thanks for viewing.
Last edited by KJH; 08-16-12 at 08:23 AM.
