Rebuilt 1992 Lexus SC 400 is a Real Attention Grabber

The Sung Brothers

Amper and Aum Sung have always been fascinated by race cars and luxury cars. Having grown up in an era where brilliant automobiles gave rise to a high number of car enthusiasts, it was only fair that the two put their knowledge and expertise into practice years later. Their project car? A performance-oriented 1992 Lexus SC 400. Aum always dreamed of owning one of those Soarer platform cars and now he had one. He also knew that bringing together the best of both the drop and drift worlds was the best decision he could ever make for the 1992 SC 400 project.  

A Bit of Lexus History

The Lexus SC 400 was the agile sport-car version of the LS. It was first introduced in 1992 and was the higher-priced of the two models that came packed with a 4-liter V8 engine that could generate up to 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Despite its extra curb weight (almost 4,000 pounds), it got from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds. Its top speed was rated at 145 mph - something that made it quite a leader on the test track. Owners have for a long time praised the car for its exemplary performance, smooth 4-speed automatic transmission and effortless acceleration. In addition, the SC coupe with its endless curves was as stunning as they came!  

>>Join the conversation about this rebuilt SC 400 right here at ClubLexus Forum!

The Rebuild

From the outside, Aum's SC 400 looks like a widened and modernized rear-wheel Toyota coupe. With it comes a lot of nostalgia from the 90's and one powerful inline-6 2JZ engine that replaces the unexciting 4-liter V8. It's clean and knows how to scream for attention. It now makes over 600 horsepower all channeled through Toyota's precise R154 transmission. In the midst of all the old school flavor are authentic Japanese parts, Volk wheels, a Vertex kit, an Air Lift suspension, a well-stitched interior, and extra reinforcements to hold all the new goodies in place. The exterior is covered in a pristine coat of polar white paint. 

>>Join the conversation about this rebuilt SC 400 right here at ClubLexus Forum!

The Process

According to Aum, getting the car to where it is today took a substantial amount of research, patience, and stashing. Getting the right JDM parts took a long time and it wasn't cheap. But, good things take time. Aum and Amper made a workshop out of their home garage and dubbed it "Brother's Garage". During the second phase of the rebuild, Aum first installed the Type 2 body kit from BN Sports. He then upgraded to the Blister Full Widebody Kit when it came out two years later. Other JDM goodies were installed with the help of Fizz Autosports. The two brothers took the challenge as a hobby and made sure that they enjoyed every step of the way. Through trial and error, the whole journey took a total of five years to complete.  

>>Join the conversation about this rebuilt SC 400 right here at ClubLexus Forum!

Performance

Once everything was ready, it was time to test the rebuilt SC 400 and see whether the 600-horsepower inline-6 could deliver as expected. True to its specs, the car was able to beat the VIP game to its knees. It earned the Sung brothers the "Greatest SC/Soarer in America" title that only a few have managed to acquire over the years. What makes the SC special is not only the material modification that went into it, but also the hard work and patience demonstrated by the duo. 

>>Join the conversation about this rebuilt SC 400 right here at ClubLexus Forum!

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our How-To section for more technical articles.