Nope - it's not a Miata, but I thought you guys might be interested in this. This week I picked up a new daily driver - a Lexus IS300 with an LS3 V8 stuffed under the hood. I found the car on Atlanta craigslist while searching for an LSX RX7. Despite the fact that it wasn't exactly what I was looking for, now that I've had it for a few days I'm realizing that I would much rather have this car than a LSX RX7 - it's more unique, more practical, and very well built.

The car put down 459hp/ 425tq on the dyno, but has since had some changes to the exhaust (addition of cats and resonators) and a swap back to the stock cam, so power is probably closer to 400hp currently. The aftermarket cam and open X pipe exhaust came with the car, though, so I can swap them out if I'm looking for more power somewhere down the line.

Some pics...

https://picasaweb.google.com/nickt93/LexusIS300LS3#











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I couldn't be more happy with the car - all I want to do is drive!

Here's the build list for the car from the previous owner:

Engine:
2008 L92 Block (50,000 miles)
2010 New LS3 heads
EPS 236 242 .600 lift Camshaft (not currently installed)
Ls7 roller lifters
Comp hardened pushrods
Comp dual .650 lift valve springs
Hardened Seats
Titanium Retainers
All New GM seals and gaskets
New LS6 oil pump
Billet double roller LS2 timing chain
160 degree T-Stat
Nick Williams 92mm throttle body
2010 Vette intake manifold and 42 lb injectors
Dedicated Motorsports 1 3/4 Swap headers 3 inch collectors
DM mount kit
DM modified Ls2 oil pan
DM Power steering line kit
DM Shifter
DM two piece Driveshaft
DM clutch hydraulic kit
LS7 clutch and steel flywheel (4000 miles)
T56 transmission (58,xxx miles)
Koyo Radiator
MsD spark plug wires
Billet power steering pulley
ARP harmonic balancer bolt
Walbro 255hp in tank fuel pump
-6 prolite fuel lines
Trickflow (black) fuel pressure regulator
Ready for nitrous or boost
100% stainless custom dual exhaust with X-pipe

Suspension/brakes:
KW variant 3 coilovers (worth every penny)
Hotchkis sway bars
New front ball joints
Figs Traction bars
Figs Rear Toe links
Figs solid steering rack bushings
DM Solid Diff bushings
DM 1 off spherical rear lower control arm bushings
Professional Alignment by Pro tuning performance
Figs Supra rotor brake brackets
DBA slotted rotors
Hawk HPS pads front and rear
Motul brake fuild

Electronics:
Hp Tuners Pro running LS1 ems
Dakota digital tack converter
Scan gauge obd-2 code reader and muilty gauge (very cool)
PLX wideband loging with Hp Tuners
Pioneer 7 inch in Dash DVD player
Taylor Battery box in trunk with New Lexus battery


So, what's next for the car? Here's my "to do" list:

- New wheels and tires. The previous owner had 275 drag radials mounted on ASA AR1s. Right now the car has some 235 Dunlops - not quite enough section width.
- Have the open X pipe exhaust flanged so that it can be swapped out with the current setup that has cats and resonators.
- New stereo; shopping for a nice double DIN head unit with iPod control right now.
- Front end respray - there are quite a few chips on the hood and fenders that I'd like to fix.

 

Looks like a great addition to your amazing toy collection. Congratulations and I'm jealous. Any more info on how the swap was done such as motor mounts and such? Build thread anywhere?

 

When will you stop getting cool cars? I am somewhat jealous

What was the cost of something like this, if you don't mind posting?

 

Sure - the previous owner runs a company called Dedicated Motorsports that sells many of the parts needed for the swap. Check them out: http://www.dedicatedmotorsports.com/

This thread has links to several build threads on the car. The build is really well documented, and it's clear that a lot of care and time went into it. That made the purchase decision a whole lot easier.


Thanks man The car was posted on CL for $18.3k. I ended up trading him my LS430 and some cash.

 

Very very cool. What exactly do you do for a living if I might ask?

 

*open thread*
...
"hmm, clean little lexus is daily"
...
*scroll down*
...
...
OMGWTFBBQSOUS

 

The wife has to be bangin' too!

 

I ******* HATE YOU I want!!!

 

I work for Home Depot. Our corporate headquarters is here in Atlanta.

One of the funnest things about this car - accidentally selecting 3rd gear from a standstill instead of 1st and having enough torque that it doesn't even matter. Word.

 

sonofabitch

Exactly the reason I sold my turbo miata: to have something that does that

 

I'm here for the pictures

 

Home Depot.. I was there at HQ last year selling you guys some stuff. Darn it, we could have met up :(

BTW I saw your green miata in GRM last month!

It was the internet.hot.rod.of.the.month Funny thing is, I looked all over the GRM site to find something to link to for the forum and got nothing :(

 

thats awesome! never seen ls setup on a lexus before

 

Whoa, awesomeness.

 

That looks like a 1st gen. IS300 and if I'm not mistaken it came with a 2JZ. While thats not the first car I'd pick to put my spare LS engine into, its still a pretty bad *** car.

 

**** me that is rad as hell. Sleeper to the max..I bet the conversion alone and mods cost almost as much as much as he was asking for the entire car

 

and DM=??

Id like to see what the mount kit costs and such

 

Dedicated Motorsports? He listed them once, for the headers, so I'd assume that's why he abbreviated it after that.

 

Holy cow that's the coolest swap I've seen in a while. Sounds pretty damn amazing too.

 

Yep - as mentioned above DM is for Dedicated Motorsports. You can check out all of the swap parts here: http://www.dedicatedmotorsports.com/

All of the parts are reasonably priced - the LS1 mount kit is $600.