New LS 400 owner sa... Oh, I can't keep doing this

[rich1068]

Well as luck would have it I saw @steve2006 today for a socially distanced Lexus/Toyota mini meet and for him to fix the backlights on my stereo. Virtually every part I mentioned I needed he pulled out of a box in his garage. So I'm now the proud owner of both the Battery cover/holder and the trim mentioned above  I'm sneaking back later when it's dark and stealing the saddle brown seats out of his Celsior. Don't tell him.

[rich1068]

Backlights sorted

Battery holder and trim

And a correctly sized rear plate

Job done 

[Spacewagon52]

The backlights look really bright! You have a beauty there Richard.

[rich1068]

20 hours ago, Spacewagon52 said:

The backlights look really bright!

Probably the filter. They match the rest of the console.

I think this car had been stood a while before I got it. Or at least had very little use over the last few years. There are little issues cropping up due to me using it every day. Nothing major but little niggles that take a bit of patience to fix. Or in the case of the backlights, Steve's patience!

[rich1068]

Meant to say, had the big items sorted the other day at Lex-Tek. Cambelt, auxiliary belt, diff oil. Stuff I'd really struggle with. The cambelt was last done in '06 so certainly due and luckily no water pump required. Looked like a new one had gone on last time. Old belts were genuine Toyota and still looked new of course.

Scary pic klaxon

[royoftherovers]

That looks like it was designed by Isembard Kingdom Brunel Rich, have you checked the date on the V5 ?

[rich1068]

It's actually an early version of Babbage's Difference Engine.

[royoftherovers]

2 minutes ago, rich1068 said:

It's actually an early version of Babbage's Difference Engine.

Were you at Bletchley Park with the other code breakers?

[OldTrout]

59 minutes ago, rich1068 said:

It's actually an early version of Babbage's Difference Engine.

DE1 or DE2?

[rich1068]

Oh hello...

Grille badge didn't come out too well because it was already so tarnished so I've ordered another silver one. Also having the ones on the hubcaps done.

[rich1068]

Lacquered and ready to go on once they're dry...

[rich1068]

Got the new PAS pump fitted Saturday. Much better and I'm now just keeping an eye out for leaks.

Also managed to get the freshly gold plated and lacquered badges and emblems on. Looks pretty good even though I say so myself 

As previously mentioned, the grille emblem and hubcap badges were quite tarnished to start with so the results aren't quite as good. Still very happy with them though.

Should tackle this too I suppose.

[Spacewagon52]

Looking really good Richard. Love the photos!

[rich1068]

If anyone's interested in how 2 tonnes of LS 400 is in snow, just ask 

But not until I've had a little lie down.

[cruisermark]

1 hour ago, rich1068 said:

If anyone's interested in how 2 tonnes of LS 400 is in snow, just ask 

But not until I've had a little lie down.

I'm guessing something like this 😃

Lexus LS400 - Snowy Oversteer - YouTube

[Malc]

1 hour ago, rich1068 said:

If anyone's interested in how 2 tonnes of LS 400 is in snow, just ask 

hahahahaha, I've done this in the past, a few years ago mind !

I vowed NEVER to take her out again in snow and / or ice .....  she has a mind of her own and steering just aggravates the issues   ......  literally like being on cloud nine !

 

I do believe that in certain countries where such weather is quite usual that owners have adapted with specialist tyres that do actually make the car roadworthy

 

My mantra is that at the first signs of snow and ice to just leave the dear old beast at home

Malc

[rich1068]

2 hours ago, cruisermark said:

I'm guessing something like this 😃

Lexus LS400 - Snowy Oversteer - YouTube

The slow drift towards the kerb I found particularly err... worrying.

1 hour ago, Malc said:

hahahahaha, I've done this in the past, a few years ago mind !

I vowed NEVER to take her out again in snow and / or ice .....  she has a mind of her own and steering just aggravates the issues   ......  literally like being on cloud nine !

 

I do believe that in certain countries where such weather is quite usual that owners have adapted with specialist tyres that do actually make the car roadworthy

Full disclosure, I do actually have winter tyres on but it was compacted slush that had then frozen. Nothing other than studded tyres would have helped in that situation.

The thing is I realised I was on ice immediately, quite a few others not so much!

[BigBoomer]

Snow tyres help and experience helps, but we get very little of either in the UK. Rear wheel drive can be fun on snow/ice but best practiced in a large empty car park. It's just another skill set you need to learn. Either that, or don't drive when it's slippery,... or wear a nappy 😁

[royoftherovers]

49 minutes ago, rich1068 said:

The slow drift towards the kerb I found particularly err... worrying.

Full disclosure, I do actually have winter tyres on but it was compacted slush that had then frozen. Nothing other than studded tyres would have helped in that situation.

The thing is I realised I was on ice immediately, quite a few others not so much!

Any damage Sir, that one should own up to ?

[hockeyedwards]

1 hour ago, BigBoomer said:

best practiced in a large empty car park.

That reminds me of teenage years, ragging it around the empty Sainburys car park in the snow on a Sunday, mad fun!

[rich1068]

7 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Any damage Sir, that one should own up to ?

Not a scratch 

[Spacewagon52]

Have you tried putting two bags of cement in the boot, as near to the rear wheels as possible. No good for ice but in snow I am told it gives you much better grip on a RWD car.

 

Just a thought!

[rich1068]

UPDATE!!

New tyres.

[Las Palmas]

On 12/29/2020 at 10:38 PM, Spacewagon52 said:

Have you tried putting two bags of cement in the boot, as near to the rear wheels as possible. No good for ice but in snow I am told it gives you much better grip on a RWD car.

My wife once sat on the spoiler of our MR2 first generation to get it up in the garage. Neighbour was hopefully not looking.

 

You have a cassette player in the beautiful car Richard? Once had a Nakamichi in our Nissan 300ZX. Funny thing: no reverse - to listen to side B the cassette needed to be turned around.

[Spacewagon52]

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

You have a cassette player in the beautiful car Richard? Once had a Nakamichi in our Nissan 300ZX. Funny thing: no reverse - to listen to side B the cassette needed to be turned around.

I remember buying, I believe, the very first auto-reverse cassette player - PYE - BIG green buttons as I remember!