Toymods Car Club Inc: Tech & Conversions => Building an IS430

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ozaristov300
Occasional Poster

Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
January 2005

Building an IS430	Wed, 19 January 2005 13:58

This post is to track the conversion of my recently acquired Lexus IS200 into an IS430. Please feel free to comment, heckle, encourage but most importantly contribute. Many of you reading this will have already resolved many of the myriad of problems I expect to strike. If you are a commercial operation, I am also happy to share the spoils of the project with you. (PS "SHARE" means you source bits for me at reasonable prices, we swap knowledge and you gain leads for repeat business) WHY AN IS430? This is the car Lexus should have made. Audi make an S4, with a 4.3 litre V8 (and all wheel drive mind you) in a small A4 body, but I don't have a spare $145,000. Toyota Team Europe and Rod Mullen Motorsport have both slotted 3UZ-FEs into an IS body so I know it fits, although I'm not holding my breath waiting for help from these organisations. I want a car capable of running at the pointy end of Targa, even though it will never qualify. Yet it should be super reliable and easy to live with. The standard 3UZ offers smooth, tractable power, sufficient to propel a 1510KG IS200 at frightening speeds while weighing 4kg less than the original 2.0 litre 1GG, thereby retaining the sublime handling of the IS200. Just what Lexus Australia was smoking when it opted for the 20 year old, 1GG engine (that wouldn't pull a boy-scout off your sister) over the 3S-GE in the Altezza I'll never know. Even worse was the IS300 - auto only and an underpowered and overweight 2JZ-GE lump of iron that destroyed the car's handling balance. If I can't source a 3UZ-FE then a late model 1UZ-FE 4.0 litre with VVTi is my second choice. But a long way second. Why don't I fit Motec, a supercharger, wild cams, throttle body ram tubes, trick extractors or other go fast bits? Because firstly it would spoil the intent of the car and secondly because I shouldn't need to. The 3S-GE would be a better transplant if I wanted an outright racing machine. WHAT I KNOW 1. I am looking for a front cut from a 2001 onwards Toyota Celsior or Soarer (possibly also a Crown) from Japan or a Lexus GS430, LS430 or SC430 from the US. This is to extract the 3UZ-FE engine and ancillaries, including computer(s), sensors, wiring loom, radiator etc. I suspect I may also need the LSD & half shafts, front and rear brakes and tailshaft. 2. The standard 6 speed in the IS200 should last - say a good 10 minutes at least with the 3UZ. The preferred gearbox is therefore the Getrag Supra 6-speed, although this is a bit of a pig of a box to drive due to its notchiness. The Celica/Supra steel case 5 speed is an alternative (perhaps make better use of the 3UZ torque curve also) but I am open to other suggestions. 3. There are several locally made/available bell housings, clutches and lightweight flywheels available. On the flywheel front, I've been warned to avoid the locally made versions that incorporate a ring gear for the starter and to use one that retains the original Toyota auto ring gear. 4. The Torson LSD standard in the IS200 is unlikely to cope with the 3UZ, hence the option to upgrade from the donor car. This means finding a donor car with a LSD standard. 5. The standard brakes are sensational and stop the car on a dime, at least now when it takes the 1GG a good half day or so to reach terminal velocity. The brakes haven't just cooled since the last stop, they've iced over. The brake pedal is likely to get a more frequent hammering with the 3UZ and I suspect small spot fires may erupt from each corner of the car unless I upgrade. WHAT I KNOW I DON'T KNOW 1. Will the diff & half shafts and front and rear brakes easily adapt to the standard suspension arms and/or body mounts? 2. Will the standard computer cope with the loss of its auto gearbox computer cousin? Where will it get its speed readings? What other sensors/systems need to be grafted from the donor car? 3. What diff ratio should I aim for - suck it and see I suspect? 4. Can the post-modern systems be made to work effectively? Cruise Control? ABS? Traction Control? Air Cond? etc WHAT I DON'T KNOW THAT I DON'T KNOW This is the really scary bit. All advice greatly appreciated. regards ozaristov300 External appearance before conversion: Anticipated external appearance after conversion: [Report message to a moderator]

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