Ok first off hello, im new to the forum and extensively know nothing. But this seems to be the place to be if you're playing around with the 1UZ so here I am
So the scoop is this. I got married a year ago to my lovely wife who knew at the time I was a car guy. Soon after I met her I fixed up a little old crx for her to drive to work and take to the track every now and then to play in. Recently we just found out that we have our first child on the way. We are both really excited to have our first baby, but she brought up the problem of not having a back seat in the crx.
So no back seat means a new car. We went back and forth about this as she wanted something with crazy modern amenities like air conditioning. And I am a jerk and won't let a boring car sit in our driveway. So we drove out to new york and picked up a very nice looking LS400. We got it from the son of its first owner who purchased it in his retirement and obviously loved it as it was immaculately upkept.
But again im kinda a jerk, and wont let us own a slushomatic either.
So the plan is: with a baby coming in 7 months now as the final deadline, I have to swap out the transmission for something respectable, put some non-grandpa suspension under it and buy some race rubber.
I will focus the build around the transmission swap as it seems to be the tough hurtle with this car.
Currently all I have done is jam the car into my tiny rented garage, buy a R154, and just a few minutes ago ordered the toyota v8 Rxx series swap kit.
Please if anyone has any insight about what it is im getting myself into, I would very much appreciate input. Has anyone successfully or unsuccessfully put a manual in an LS400 or better yet the 154? Anyone know what is tough about doing this swap?
Anyway I'll do my best to update this thread as stuff happens. Im looking forward to this build even though I already feel the pressure of time coming down upon me.
So the scoop is this. I got married a year ago to my lovely wife who knew at the time I was a car guy. Soon after I met her I fixed up a little old crx for her to drive to work and take to the track every now and then to play in. Recently we just found out that we have our first child on the way. We are both really excited to have our first baby, but she brought up the problem of not having a back seat in the crx.
So no back seat means a new car. We went back and forth about this as she wanted something with crazy modern amenities like air conditioning. And I am a jerk and won't let a boring car sit in our driveway. So we drove out to new york and picked up a very nice looking LS400. We got it from the son of its first owner who purchased it in his retirement and obviously loved it as it was immaculately upkept.
But again im kinda a jerk, and wont let us own a slushomatic either.
So the plan is: with a baby coming in 7 months now as the final deadline, I have to swap out the transmission for something respectable, put some non-grandpa suspension under it and buy some race rubber.
I will focus the build around the transmission swap as it seems to be the tough hurtle with this car.
Currently all I have done is jam the car into my tiny rented garage, buy a R154, and just a few minutes ago ordered the toyota v8 Rxx series swap kit.
Please if anyone has any insight about what it is im getting myself into, I would very much appreciate input. Has anyone successfully or unsuccessfully put a manual in an LS400 or better yet the 154? Anyone know what is tough about doing this swap?
Anyway I'll do my best to update this thread as stuff happens. Im looking forward to this build even though I already feel the pressure of time coming down upon me.