'04 IS300 - Project (Not Really) Nice Daily

[Goodspeed]

Scotty, I think you just changed the game.  It looks like a full-tilt 1UZ swap kit with a brand new 350Z 6 speed trans is less than the cost of a NA-T turbo kit:

that would be super rad if you pulled it off.  i've been obsessed with that engine for a while now and it just doesn't seem to have any downsides other than its small and needs boost to make "internet approved" power.  but cheap is cheap and it seems to have a wiring loom that makes it very very simple (like, 12 wires) to wire up and get running.

i love me some LS engines and all...but dude, aluminum twincam V8 from the motherland ain't so bad.  if you put ITB's on it i might literally die.

this wouldn't be a bad noise to wake the car up with every morning on your way to work:

Dear lord.  I'm currently reading a 1UZ -> Sportcross build thread, and this seems like a really popular swap in Russia for some reason, so there's plenty of people who've done it.  Plus there's a Toyota/Lexus shop staffed with magicians in Maryland (Freed) that could probably bang this out without batting many an eye.  Scotty god dammit.

2uz or bust. 

Mmm 4.7 liter, but dat iron block doe.  It seems the hot ticket for me would be a GS400 1UZ-FE w/ VVT-i (likely requires further wizardry but its been done) for 300hp/315ft-lbs.  

UZ engines are from the same basic design school as the JZ. They are unkillable, overbuilt, great motors. Just don't make "enough" power.

So here's the thing - the IS just drives so good stock, as you know.  The suspension, to me at least, is the perfect blend of comfort and "sportiness", the stock wheel/tire package is attractive and likewise comfortable, and I've never scraped anywhere at any angle in a stock IS.

Even with a mild 1" drop on my old one (Eibach "Pro Plus" springs & sways, which were rebranded and used by Lexus on L-Tuned and manual Sportdesign IS300's (so, like, 5 cars total...) on Koni Street oranges), comfort was definitely compromised - bumps and expansion joints were felt much more compared to stock - and because IS's hate to be lowered, I basically needed some aftermarket arms and links and so on that I never purchased to really make it align happily.  I had to roll the fenders to fit mildly wider 18's even, and there wasn't any room back there for more tire unless I wanted to get creative.

Thus, if I went LS motor, I'd have to go full bore with every other system of the car to compensate which is $$$ and who knows how it will *really* come out on the other end.  OTOH, I'm definitely feeling the idea of a stock-suspended car with ~85-100 more horses and torques, V8 noises and a smooth 6 speed done to hammer-reliable factory standards for a relative financial pittance compared to a LS.  That sounds like a total ball.

[.RJ]

Just don't make "enough" power.

For what?

Assuming you can get into the ECU, and you open up the intake/exhaust, there's likely quite a bit of power hiding in there.

[JPolen01]

Freed builds some crazy cars. I think they would be a good choice for your hypothetical build.

[.RJ]

Do they want to build a 335 wagon?

[CaptainHenreh]

Just don't make "enough" power.

For what?

Assuming you can get into the ECU, and you open up the intake/exhaust, there's likely quite a bit of power hiding in there.

That's why I put "enough" in quotes. They make plenty, just no one is going to give you internet points for under 300hp, doesn't matter if it's faster and just as reliable as stock.

The real kick in the ass here is IS300's CANBUS not playing nice with goddam anything, and the necessity to keep the factory ECU no matter what you do, if you want your windows to work.

[JPolen01]

Do they want to build a 335 wagon?

Don't know about Freed, but I am sure Piper Motorsports will do it. They have been putting an entire C63 into a 190e for the last few years.


https://www.facebook.com/pg/Piper-Motors...9096740511

[.RJ]

Do they want to build a 335 wagon?

Don't know about Freed, but I am sure Piper Motorsports will do it. They have been putting an entire C63 into a 190e for the last few years.

I'm sure they would but in theory this is a little more plug & play than fabrication required... that and I dont think I can afford Piper.  BMW sold the same config across the pond.

[ScottyB]

OTOH, I'm definitely feeling the idea of a stock-suspended car with ~85-100 more horses and torques, V8 noises and a smooth 6 speed done to hammer-reliable factory standards for a relative financial pittance compared to a LS.  That sounds like a total ball.

thats the direction that would make sense to me too. sure, a 450hp corvette-engined IS sounds great on paper, but like you said, its going to mean you need to essentially upgrade every single thing downsteam to cope with having x2 the intended horsepower...and the swap is $$$ to start with.

as Rex and i said, you're looking at like 260-300hp stock from a 1UZ and to my mind, that's enough to have a TON of fun in an otherwise stock-tire IS, and you can certainly gain a little more power from a tune/intake/exhaust too. it would basically be close to the equivalent of M3 speed with toyota truck reliability, and parts are a wrecking yard away without the "LS tax"

and should you ever get completely stupid later on, from what i understand, these engines eat up boost like an animal since they were so overbuilt.

assuming you can get it wired, seems like a cool way to keep a fully Toyota'd IS that is different and fun while not getting into "i could have just bought a new car for this" territory.

The 2ZZ needs a space in here somewhere as well, but I'm not sure how reliable they were.

they're good. have oil starvation issues but if that's corrected they're easily as good as the B-series hondas. crappy gearing/tuning from the factory made them choked from the factory.

[Senor_Taylor]

You all are too smart. There is nothing y'all don't know about.

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[Goodspeed]

Some small updates and better pics...I had the windshield replaced due to chips with a Pilkington (OEM Lexus supplier) solar windshield, and had 40% tint installed as on the old IS.  The spit-shine detail that the car had from the dealer wore off to reveal a finish in dire need of some help, so I took advantage of this past Saturday's weather to give the car a full detail involving polishing, sealing & waxing as well as taking the pinstripes off with a 3M Stripe Off wheel on my drill.  

I think this is the first time I've actually tried to photograph a black car and boy howdy it's as tricky as they say:







I really like how the car looks at night - especially with its newfound luster - it's like my little bat-sedan





Up next after the new year will be a visit scheduled at the body shop for a respray of the front bumper and hood to get rid of rock chips, and then a clearshield and headlight refinishing after that (they have some cloudy polycarbonate covers on them now that I'm guessing the dealer put on so I'll let someone more skilled coax them off and refinish).  

The state inspection I went through after registering found that one tire was separating at the sidewall (it had Michelin Pilot Sport AS3's at one end and some random walmart tire at the other, one of which was the culprit), so that turned into the most expensive inspection trip ever with the front receiving Goodyear F1 all seasons, but they seem like a decent tire so meh.

Since we had all that swap talk up there I'll mention - I'm pretty much set on doing an Aristo GTE VVT-i swap and keeping the stock 5-speed A650E auto with some level of hardening at this point, like this:



Definitely one of of the more straightforward swaps and would fit nicely with the purpose of this car - to be a stealthy, comfy, quiet daily that could be an effortless bullet train if necessary.  All speculation until the FD is done, but those are the cards at the moment.

[WRXtranceformed]

So fresh and so clean! This is one of the few cars of that era that will keep having a great timeless look to it. I like the power plant plan too

[Jake]

You and Joey are both wizards with paint. Want to co-tackle the RR? Lessus looks great.

[V1GiLaNtE]

You didn't happen to take the FD out for a cruise on Sunday did you? If not, you have a doppleganger running around the Manassas/Bristow area.

Beautiful work with the paint. I need somebody with the skill to go over the 4Runner. Can Jake and I get a multi-car discount? 

Seriously though if you or Joey are up for the job I have $$$.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Definitely one of of the more straightforward swaps and would fit nicely with the purpose of this car - to be a stealthy, comfy, quiet daily that could be an effortless bullet train if necessary.  All speculation until the FD is done, but those are the cards at the moment.

  Car looks great, you had me hesitating looking them up.  My $2k SC400 was actually a really nice daily back in the day.

Soooo trip down to Mooresville for a weekend or two to knock out a swap?

[Goodspeed]

Thanks for the props on the detail!  It was about 8 hours all said and done including some leather cleaning - so of course all the biggun' SUV dudes want a taste    Let me heal from that one and if you have a warm-ish garage to use I'm sure we could figure something out (I kicked my parents out of their garage for that one).  In fact, Taylor offered to help tow the FD up to the shop I hope to visit in NJ next year (<3) but if I have too much parts'n'stuff boxed up to fit in his 4Runner/if he sells it, I'd trade you, Jake, a detail for a ride in that pimpy enclosed!  

You didn't happen to take the FD out for a cruise on Sunday did you? If not, you have a doppleganger running around the Manassas/Bristow area. 

Nope, wasn't me - would be so cool to run into another one on the street, but I'd probably be taking the bus for some reason if that ever happened (pretty sure it's some weirdly specific curse with me and Mazdas; when I had my Miata I never saw another one (a Miata ffs!) when driving it - when in the daily, hordes of 'em.)

Car looks great, you had me hesitating looking them up.  My $2k SC400 was actually a really nice daily back in the day.

Soooo trip down to Mooresville for a weekend or two to knock out a swap?

I remember how much of a sofa on wheels that thing was, so good.  Lemme give you a shout in like 18 months and we can scheme up some plans : )

[Jake]

In fact, Taylor offered to help tow the FD up to the shop I hope to visit in NJ next year (<3)  but if I have too much parts'n'stuff boxed up to fit in his 4Runner/if he sells it, I'd trade you, Jake, a detail for a ride in that pimpy enclosed!  

Yeah man, we'd have to find a space to leave the E36 (your garage for the day?) but that'd be an easy drive up to Joisey.

[Senor_Taylor]

Dobby is a free elf!

Sounds a lot less sketchy than a Uhaul trailer.

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