My Lexus LS400 Restoration

[MerchantOfVenice]

Dear friends,

I have been a massive fan of the Lexus brand for a long long time. I joined this club back in 2005 and was going to buy an Altezza back then but ended up buying a 190E 2.5-16.

I completely restored that, which was a pretty big job. Great car but it missed that special something in my opinion.

I always loved the LS400, much more so than than the 430. The purity of design and purpose of the LS400 still holds up today.

A few years ago i came across P305 CCT, a 1997 LS400. I saw pictures of it outside Lexus Edinburgh and fell in love. Unfortunately i missed out on buying it. It came up for sale this year by a very reluctant seller, after seeing it i bought it immediately.

My standards are very high, so i wrote up a list of things that needed doing. Mostly cosmetic. The base was very good it just needed that extra bit to get it right up there with the best.

Here is a list of what i have completed:

• All four road wheels removed
• Wheel arches thoroughly degreased and cleaned
• Wheel arches protected with Dinotrol
• Engine bay degreased and protected with Dinotrol
• Bosch Battery replaced with genuine Lexus Battery, since replaced with correct size Yuasa (made in Japan battery)
• Air filter replaced
• Car washed and clay barred
• All headlights and tail lights cleaned, polished and protected
• Boot thoroughly cleaned
• Boot seal removed and rain channels cleaned and protected
• Interior thoroughly cleaned
• All mats wet vacuumed
• Door seals removed and cleaned
• Rain channels cleaned
• Antenna mast replaced with genuine mast
• Battery terminal covers replaced as originals were broken
• Manifold touched up with correct high temperature paint
• Engine bay thoroughly cleaned and protected
• Rear drivers door seal affixed with 3m rubber adhesive
• New genuine mats fitted in black
• Bonnet struts replaced with genuine new ones
• DHP alloys refurbished with correct paint colour and with polished lip
• Correct metal valves used for alloy wheels
• Wheel bolts refurbished

Here are some pictures, perhaps not in order! The pictures of the outside of the car are from the advert. I will post some more pictures once i have cleaned it again and takn my own pictures.

 

[runsgrateasanut]

Very nice!

[Spottedlaurel]

I can imagine that it must be a wondrous thing to own and drive in that sort of condition, well done for finally getting hold of it.

I fear the list to bring my Mk1 LS400 up to that sort of condition would be somewhat longer........

[steve2006]

Very nice....the fact that you had a decent example to start with helped I think, the one I recently purchased from Phil was in the same condition and to be honest I’m struggling to find anything I can do to improve it.

Nothing like the lawn mower stripes in the carpet and you managed to get that carpet just above the footrest clean.

Did you remove and clean the black coloured outer arch trims as they harbour muck, 4 philips screws with a chubby if the wheels are on.

I had my bonnet gas struts re-gassed at SGS in Derby for £17.00 each retaining originality.

Just checked to find it’s below 50,000? and never had an advisory, never mind a fail on an MOT! Wow.

Care to disclose the price paid, I doubt it was quite the same bargain as mine and tell us more about the “reluctant sale”

[rich1068]

Lovely stuff Zak. Nearly as nice as mine 

Now I've seen the pictures I'm pretty sure I remember the ad. If it is the one I saw I did drool over it once or twice.

Where did you manage to source the mats from?

[Malc]

4 hours ago, MerchantOfVenice said:

The purity of design and purpose of the LS400 still holds up today.

absolutely ..  she looks a fine example ...  are you going to use her everyday and thoroughly enjoy her or are you going to leave that to the next owner to enjoy ?

Doubtless you will try to get an agreed insurance value coz if you don't and suffer the remotest knock / whack, however slight. she'll be a write-off to the insurers

I know from experience ............ as does Bluesman / Mike now methinks probably 

btw are the wheels original ?  not the same as mine, a 1995 car, but maybe they changed OEM a little later on the Mk3

Malc

[MerchantOfVenice]

3 hours ago, steve2006 said:

Very nice....the fact that you had a decent example to start with helped I think, the one I recently purchased from Phil was in the same condition and to be honest I’m struggling to find anything I can do to improve it.

Nothing like the lawn mower stripes in the carpet and you managed to get that carpet just above the footrest clean.

Did you remove and clean the black coloured outer arch trims as they harbour muck, 4 philips screws with a chubby if the wheels are on.

I had my bonnet gas struts re-gassed at SGS in Derby for £17.00 each retaining originality.

Just checked to find it’s below 50,000? and never had an advisory, never mind a fail on an MOT! Wow.

Care to disclose the price paid, I doubt it was quite the same bargain as mine and tell us more about the “reluctant sale”

Hi Steve yes I did remove the four black wheel arch trims and throughly cleaned the inner arch lips and protected with wax.

I contacted sgs to get the originals regassed but they were on the limit so bought new instead.

the mileage is below 50k and never an advisory or fail which is quite something.

the chap I bought it from did not want to sell it as he knew he’d be hard pressed to find another like it. A condition of the sale is he has first refusal if I ever sell it!

[MerchantOfVenice]

3 hours ago, rich1068 said:

Lovely stuff Zak. Nearly as nice as mine 

Now I've seen the pictures I'm pretty sure I remember the ad. If it is the one I saw I did drool over it once or twice.

Where did you manage to source the mats from?

Hi Rich I bought them from Japan but they are 430 mats and actually fit fine even the drivers mat…I’d recommend going for these 

[MerchantOfVenice]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

absolutely ..  she looks a fine example ...  are you going to use her everyday and thoroughly enjoy her or are you going to leave that to the next owner to enjoy ?

Doubtless you will try to get an agreed insurance value coz if you don't and suffer the remotest knock / whack, however slight. she'll be a write-off to the insurers

I know from experience ............ as does Bluesman / Mike now methinks probably 

btw are the wheels original ?  not the same as mine, a 1995 car, but maybe they changed OEM a little later on the Mk3

Malc

It has the dhp pack so the wheels are original to that pack. 
it’s going g to be a daily or something along those lines…

[MerchantOfVenice]

Boot area pics also refurbished wheels on. Sitting high because of the wheel swap

 

[rich1068]

3 hours ago, MerchantOfVenice said:

Hi Rich I bought them from Japan but they are 430 mats and actually fit fine even the drivers mat…I’d recommend going for these 

Good tip. Thank you.

[steve2006]

The ultimate mats are the ones for the Toyota Celsior, twice as thick and heavy as the Lexus versions and 100% wool, these also include the rear transmission tunnel mat as well complete with velcro fastenings to the floor mats.

Unfortunately now as rare as rocking horse **** 

 

[steve2006]

Here’s one for you Zak, the Celsior boot mat, but again try finding one.

[MerchantOfVenice]

Thanks Steve! Will try snd get these but not a priority atm 

[Razor61]

22 hours ago, MerchantOfVenice said:

It has the dhp pack so the wheels are original to that pack.

I was under the impression that the DHP was only fitted to the mk4 97 - 2000 models and not the mk3 94 - 97. My 95 LS400 came with the DHP alloys and the previous owner bought them and fitted them for sure, it also came with the original wheels which I refitted and sold the DHP alloys. Would be interested to know if the mk3 did actually have the option for the DHP.

Beautiful car by the way, I seem to remember seeing it for sale a while back and admiring it but at the time I wasn’t interested in another LS400 but I’ve changed my mind now…….

[MerchantOfVenice]

Mk3 had the option for sure but only toward the end of its life…

[Bluesman]

On 6/22/2021 at 4:56 PM, Malc said:

absolutely ..  she looks a fine example ...  are you going to use her everyday and thoroughly enjoy her or are you going to leave that to the next owner to enjoy ?

Doubtless you will try to get an agreed insurance value coz if you don't and suffer the remotest knock / whack, however slight. she'll be a write-off to the insurers

I know from experience ............ as does Bluesman / Mike now methinks probably 

btw are the wheels original ?  not the same as mine, a 1995 car, but maybe they changed OEM a little later on the Mk3

Malc

Just received a cheque for £2k just looking for a rear door which will come along eventually.. 

[Razor61]

3 minutes ago, MerchantOfVenice said:

Mk3 had the option for sure but only toward the end of its life…

That’s very interesting thanks, I’ve been looking to buy another mk3 LS400 but have discounted any mk3’s with DHP wheels because I thought the DHP wheels had been fitted by someone after. I suppose a call to Lexus with reg/vin would be they way to go to find out if it has the DHP.

[Malc]

1 minute ago, Bluesman said:

Just received a cheque for £2k just looking for a rear door

hey, round to Mike's for champagne  ........  don't bother with the door 

Malc

[MerchantOfVenice]

Engine bay done ✅ 

 

[rich1068]

Lovely stuff. I see you have the genuine Toyota Supra positive terminal cover. Worth 10 brake at least that 

[MerchantOfVenice]

40 minutes ago, rich1068 said:

Lovely stuff. I see you have the genuine Toyota Supra positive terminal cover. Worth 10 brake at least that 

It’s actually a proper one for the ls400 😎

[Herbie]

4 hours ago, MerchantOfVenice said:

Engine bay done ✅ 

 

What did you use to get the engine bay looking so good?

[Spacewagon52]

That is a cracking thread thank you! We love photos and you have provided a wonderful display. What a cracking car.

[MerchantOfVenice]

24 minutes ago, Herbie said:

What did you use to get the engine bay looking so good?

Hi Herbie,

just a bit of elbow grease and time. 
i generally just use water as it’s the least aggressive.
Here is what I did to my 2.5-16 and 507 before and after: