project jxe10

[rayray 0]

we've been swamped withh projects at the shop but since we have a dedicated section for the lexus IS now, i wanted to share some pics of our current progress withh our soon-to-be-finished IS project.

 

This 03 IS 300 has a custom wide body, withh TE37's. The car looks great but it's in need of more power, so we started by removing the 2jzge VVTi and installed a 1jzgte VVTi.

 

cleaned the engine bay a bit

 

ready for install

 

car is on stock suspension waiting for coilovers to return from rebuild

 

Next thing to install will be the Kaizen fuel system, Kaizen GT3076R turbo kit for 1jz VVTi withh custom 3in catback. Transmission will be a R154.

[rayray 0]

Fuel system is about 98% done. This is a picture of the bulkhead fitting for fuel return from the fuel surge tank.

 

 

turbo and custom manifold installed

(old pic, manifold has been coated and polished since)

 

fuel pump is a bosch 044 that will be mounted externally inline withh custom surge tank. we are making a fuel return for the fuel system which dumps back into the tank, which originally has no return line.

 

shot of the surge tank mounted in the cavity above the rear plastic panels. feed is placed to create swirl in the tank. it's fucking thick and sturdy to withhstand debris and abuse. we've had an easy 200lbs hang from it withhout movement.

 

custom downpipe hacked and welded from a brand new exhaust (tanabe)

 

as it currently sits as of july-08

all i can say is that space is tight in this engine bay compared to the x8... rest is downhill from here.

[Mats 0]

wow that thing is looking awesome! keep up the great work!

[THEEphotographer 0]

wow this is an insane build.

 

looking great

[iheartMX83 0]

you think you can get me a deal on those ge headers ?

[rayray 0]

it'll depend on two things... do you have a 2j-vvti head? the spacing between the ports are different. second, i have to find out if the customer still has the header and is willing to sell it.

[RINTHAL 0]

permission to bandwagon...? :cry:

[iheartMX83 0]

fuck vvti.

[toycoma 0]

fuck wide body. why does it seem like no one (who has the money) knows how to build a proper super clean IS300?

[RINTHAL 0]

lol yeah check out max's just kidding, cool guy, decent car, but i could be better and i totally agree withh you rich!

[brian 0]

fuck wide body. why does it seem like no one (who has the money) knows how to build a proper super clean IS300?

just you wait, whore.

 

 

btw, that build looks great. that jzx110 vvti 1jz is a rare bitch.

[aphxero 0]

Wow thats a cool build!

 

I suppose its for a customer? AC and 4x4 ride height it has to be a customer.

 

 

By the looks of it should clown every other car on here in performance. I'm diggin the fuel setup also.

[rayray 0]

the 4x4 stance is temporary. it's not LOW low compared to jzxp standards, but it has a lip/skirts/rear skirt and is a bitch to get on the lift. we're just waiting to button up everything else first before we put the co's back on to make moving the car easier. it is a customer's car, but more of a friend's car.

 

as for the widebody, it's actually custom front fenders (metal) and a molded rear wheel fender. it's interesting because this swap is practically a modern version of a 2JZ-GE swap into a MX83 withh 7M harness. it's ALMOST plug and play. we used the later JZX110 vvti 1J withh the electronic throttle which is what this IS300 has as well. a lot of the things on this car is pretty much JZX110. it's the cressida version of a JZX81 hahaha no joke

 

bill, i'll get back to your pm as soon as i can get back to the car and look over the things you asked

 

oh and the header, i forgot that the IS300 has a 2J and i think the ports ARE the same distance. had a brain fart. i still don't know if it will fit regardless though....

[Bill 0]

fuck wide body. why does it seem like no one (who has the money) knows how to build a proper super clean IS300?

 

quote of the month.

 

 

lol yeah check out max's just kidding, cool guy, decent car, but i could be better and i totally agree with you rich!

 

good, that car was gay. haha no I'm just being honest, after seeing how he decided to "decorate" that car, I felt sick.

 

 

rayray, thanks, and that car is pretty cool, not my kinda of exterior setup (kinda too IS300 for me.. haha)

 

this has got to be the nicest track sxe10 i've yet to see.. nob's hks altezza when it had no vinyl:

 

[brian 0]

ray any issues yet? i'd like to come to LA and check this out next time i'm in socal if that's cool.

[iheartMX83 0]

when the fuck am i going to meet you brian ?!

[rayray 0]

brian: yea that's cool withh me. you already met the owner of our shop, Jose at ToyoFest. we're pretty chill withh people coming over and stuff.

 

we haven't come across any major issues besides waiting on parts and time/labor that goes into the custom parts. i think the last piece we need custom is the driveshaft to mate to the R154. we're having it sent out to have the front lengthened and have the complete driveshaft re-balanced.

[rayray 0]

if all go as scheduled, we will be taking the IS300 for dyno tuning on the just-installed AEM FIC unit this saturday. crossing fingers that the modified (extended) driveshaft will be ready by friday this week. JIC's have been re-installed

[brian 0]

btw, i've always ment to ask if this IS has a fully molded wald kit on it.

[brinkin 0]

This is the setup I want for a daily. Nice work

[rayray 0]

naw, the kit is some kind of front lip (half bumper?), sides and rear skirt. the front fenders are complete metal fenders withh widened arches and the rears are molded fiberglass flares (not sure where he got it from).

 

we're also working on another IS300, but it's a customer's show car so it may not be exactly the kind of style jzxp members are into.

[rayray 0]

we finally got around to getting all of the fuel system and oil plumbed up and the FIC wired so that we can test everything out. purred from the get-go and no sputtering. custom lengthened driveshaft has been installed and all that is left is some coolant lines and extending a few wires. then off to the dyno!

 

hope to hit the dyno soon... and get a decent shop camcorder.. for now all i have is a crappy phone video.

 

man these bosch pumps are no joke though... we powered up the bosch alone and it sucked fuel straight though the empty surge tank AND the stock in-tank pump. it was only on for a few seconds to make sure it powers up correctly and works properly withh the relay

[brian 0]

sounds good!

[rayray 0]

well the car is pretty much done. gauges are all wired up now and all just a matter of getting rid of the temporary eyesore red vacuum hoses that were used for test rigging some of the aem stuff.. since this FIC thing is new to us (and so far so good).

 

i wish i had a better camcorder to record the car withh, but the 1j vvti withh single, custom ex mani, and all custom exhaust sounds pretty mean. it's not loud loud as per customer preferrence, but it sounds burbly like a 2J, but withh a bit sharper exhaust note. can't wait for the tune...

 

also, these things are a bit more rev happy than the early gen 1J's. they have a crank pulley that looks identical, but has an aluminum insert instead of steel like on the older 1J's. it's nothing spectacular but you can tell the difference the second you pick them up in different hands.

[brian 0]

vvti 1JZs are fucking epic from what i've been told from other people. if 2JZs weren't so cheap right now, i'd go 1jz-v for sure.