My IS200 build
My IS200 build
Hi all I've been around a short while, and I drive a (Astral - I think) Black Lexus IS200 SE with full Leather and Alcantara interior.
I bought her a year ago, almost to the day, she currently has 146K on the ODO and apart from the odd ding here and "shopping-cart scratch" there and a cracked rear light cluster lens, she is spot on, has never given me an ounce of trouble, which is lucky as i baught her "blind", that is to say she had no history not even the owners manual, the key fob was wrecked and stuck together with epoxy or something.
Her interior was almost perfect Other then a scratched rear left door card and a well worn - but not torn, drivers seat, the interior was pretty much showroom condition.
The best part it had a really really crisp, smooth running engine, the first time i got in to test driver her i couldn't tell her engine was already running so i turned the key again to start her and got a not so subtle grind from the starter, other then that it was love at first drive, I had to have her!
Any way here are a few photos of her as she stands now, but as per my signature i have plans and i have faith that she is gonna be a stunner...:
As per my Signature i am planning a verry specific look I have always admired the subtleness of the "OEM+" look so i will stick to this style when focusing on the outside styling, the really big exterior modification will be a full Vinal wrap either in Matte Black or Candy Apple Red with Matte black roof, i would like to find my self an OEM Altezza front bumper complete with yellow spotlights, IS200 sport Mesh grill Blacked out headlights with HID's that will take care of the front looks.
For the rear and sides i will most likely want to stick with the same Altezza kit and the Blacked out rear LED clusters, still not sure if the correct name for this kit is the TRD or TTE kit i hope i will learn this from my fellow IS200 team mates.
The exterior styling will be finished off by lowering the car with the aid of a set of Tein lowering springs (irish roads are not ideal for coilies) and a staggered set of 18"x8J in front and 9J in the rear Matte black or gold Mesh style alloy wheels, subtle rear lip spoiler and rear windscreen fins.
Under the "hood" will reside a mild Turbo conversion with stainless exhaust from Headers to the japstyle end piece, all nicely managed by a Greddy emanage ultimate.
The interior will remain as is save for the necessary extra dials spurred on by the T28 and ancilliaries under the hood, and perhaps if i can find one an Altezza gauge cluster with digital display, I am hoping to find a way to aquire a full Hertz sound system but will have to wait and see, the Hertz brand has become harder and harder to find so may settle for a setup from Steve Meade Designs focussed at Sound quality rather then out and out bass and loudness.
As of now progress has been slow but i have started on my shopping list:
1) Stronger Pistons and rods - check (thanks Stav)
2a) A full turbo kit from which i use what i need or
b) Buy all the turbo parts individualy/used/from *bay.
3) Altezza body kit and painting
4) Stainless Turbo mainfold, 2½" custom down pipe, hi flow cat, 3" catback with jap style end piece - have a mate that will take care of this closer to the time.
5)Greddy E-Manage ultimate
6) Tein springs - Ordered
7) Vinal wrap - quote received ±€1000
8) Alloy rims
9) Front + rear top strut brace,
10) Front bottom brace
11) Rear bottom brace
and thats only the start of it there is of course way way way more to come
So a few minor goodies should be in the post between now and the end of the month...
My uprated pistons should hopefully be arriving soon, my rear lip spoiler next week and my nice new mesh front grill will be arriving sometime early next month, my Tein springs should be coming in at around the midle of June so i should be able to start adding some Build goodies to me thread, watch this space guys...
Rods and pistons were collected today mate.
they will look nice :thumbup1: