Lexus ISF

[RichGS11]

Some more parts were ordered to assist with the swap, something I was going to undertake on the drive. I also took the opportunity to upgrade the top control arms, lower ball joints, rear lower control arm and engine mounts, plus the obligatory O2 sensors, gaskets, etc.

[RichGS11]

Then came D Day, getting the car on blocks and jacked up high enough to work on, laying out all the parts and readying my pen and paper for where each nut and bolt came from!

After 3 and a half hours, the old headers were out and in the garage sitting next to their replacements. You can tell how the OEM units break so easily and why they strangle so much power from the engine! By the end of the first day the new headers were also on board!

[RichGS11]

So Day 2 was a slower day, with the rest of the parts added including what is pictured here (engine mounts, USRS bushings and O2 extenders. The subframe was placed back onto the car and all nuts and bolts torqued to OEM settings.

Which brings me nicely onto day 3, which is right this moment, where the build thread reaches me sitting on my sofa awaiting a brand new transmission mount. Hopefully today will see the cars first start since the upgrade and what I hope to be a successful swap! 🤞🏼

[RichGS11]

A test post to see if I can upload a video file. This was taken a couple of days before the header swap and I will recreate the same conditions post PPE install.

[BillNick]

Can’t believe how lucky you was to find these RHD in the US. Hats off for fitting on your drive too, I’ve done plenty of DIY jobs on the driveway and this just does not compute for me lol, well done.

I’m sure your first start will bring a grin or three 👍🏼

[RichGS11]

59 minutes ago, BillNick said:

Can’t believe how lucky you was to find these RHD in the US. Hats off for fitting on your drive too, I’ve done plenty of DIY jobs on the driveway and this just does not compute for me lol, well done.

I’m sure your first start will bring a grin or three 👍🏼

Yes, luck was well and truly on my side! I still can't quite believe it!

Thank you. It's been a tough process but thanks to the right tools and a great step by step guide by Sikky, on YouTube, I was able to do most of it quite quickly. I never want to take them off mind you! I'll use a ramp or lift next time haha 😄 

[RichGS11]

So some last minute parts added that I've had rattling around in the garage loft space for a while....

 

[RichGS11]

Now the noise....

[RichGS11]

So the verdict....I love it!!!

They say once you drive an FBO ISF, you never want to go back and it's true. The sheer power that comes from it and it's not even tuned yet! So excited for the flash map and work from my tuner to get the car singing.

Alignment next, but the handling with the USRS is night and day already. I'm a little annoyed I didn't do it sooner. The car is so much tighter up front with the mounts and the new bushes. Those USRS certainly give the car a more direct, BMW style feel to the steering. I'm shocked at how different it actually is.

I'm very cynical, I don't try to find the positives, they're either there or not and the changes I've made, even before being dialled in, have made so much difference. It feels like years have been taken off the car!

Next step....tune and alignment 🙏🏽

[BillNick]

Sounds epic! However I don’t think I could live with headers daily without a valved exhaust after hearing your video lol proper racey/rowdy love it!

I also fitted USRS to my RCF and totally agree, so much tighter and totally night and day when breaking hard from speed.

Who is tuning for you?

[BillNick]

Ps does it smell of rotten egg?

[RichGS11]

3 minutes ago, BillNick said:

Sounds epic! However I don’t think I could live with headers daily without a valved exhaust after hearing your video lol proper racey/rowdy love it!

I also fitted USRS to my RCF and totally agree, so much tighter and totally night and day when breaking hard from speed.

Who is tuning for you?

Loi is doing the tuning and helping me get it where I want it. He can tune the gearbox settings too, so I chose him for all his rave reviews.

You're completely right about the noise, the system will be getting valved. The main goal of getting an F was to track it and with the decibel limits nowadays, it needs to be more subtle for cold starts and track days. The car thankfully isn't a daily, so it's something I can live with in the short term, although that said, I have a weeks long trip around Scotland with some fellow car mates in mid September, it could be a long week 😆

[RichGS11]

4 minutes ago, BillNick said:

Ps does it smell of rotten egg?

Not yet. I was prepared for this but I'm happy to say it's all good. Considering the exhausts exited straight into the garage, I was expecting to smell it. Only hot metal for the time being, as the headers settle in. 

[BillNick]

Awesome 😎 

Bet you can’t wait to get out and smash it up to 6/7000rpm 👌🏼

I hear you RE the track days. I had such a great day on my first (Bedford) then I fitted the Invidia and can’t go back there 🙈

[RichGS11]

2 hours ago, BillNick said:

Awesome 😎 

Bet you can’t wait to get out and smash it up to 6/7000rpm 👌🏼

I hear you RE the track days. I had such a great day on my first (Bedford) then I fitted the Invidia and can’t go back there 🙈

Haha yeah my concern is noise, well it was before, now I'm 100% sure I won't get in any track day lol. Are you close to Beds? I'm in Cambridgeshire.

[RichGS11]

So time for a little update....

Over 1,700 miles covered through Scotland and the Lakes and the car didn't skip a beat. The tune has now put the car in the 500bhp area and with the quest for weight reduction, the car has become incredibly competent. I've not driven a Lexus quite like it and I love it. 

To give some context, I had the company of a Gallardo, 599, E63 and DB11. In the dry I was easily able to keep up and even overtake the DB11 (a mix of driver and car). I could also keep pace with the E63 in the wet. To say the least, the crew I went with were impressed with the ISF. By the end of the trip, my confidence with this machine has grown.

A few snaps and clips from the trip....

[BillNick]

This is awesome mate, you should / I would be proud. Sounds lovely too 👌🏼

[RichGS11]

22 minutes ago, BillNick said:

This is awesome mate, you should / I would be proud. Sounds lovely too 👌🏼

Thank you mate.

Time to let the car modifications rest until the new year. I have someone that can custom make carbon now, do expect some one off items on the horizon. He can lay a carbon bonnet or front bumper similar to that of a Zonda, with the carbon joining in the centre and spreading out from there.

Also looking into new front buckets and reteim of the rears to match, a lightweight Battery and valved exhaust modification. 

[Ray Green]

Hi Rich lovely car don’t let her go I too had a 2010 ISF messer red from new kept it Till 2021 47000 on clock but miss it like crazy but well impressed with what you have done to yours.

[RichGS11]

7 hours ago, Ray Green said:

Hi Rich lovely car don’t let her go I too had a 2010 ISF messer red from new kept it Till 2021 47000 on clock but miss it like crazy but well impressed with what you have done to yours.

Hi Ray, thank you very much mate. I very nearly sold it last year, was looking into Porches and the like, but it was my mates that told me to keep it. Oddly the ones with the cars I went away to Scotland with. They've driven my car and the cars I was looking at selling her for, and they told me I'd be silly to sell. They echo your view exactly and I'll be taking your advice! 

[Mr_Groundhog]

This is awesome

Where did you do the underside seal job and how much was it?

[RichGS11]

3 hours ago, Mr_Groundhog said:

This is awesome

Where did you do the underside seal job and how much was it?

Thank you.

The underseal was from a local company to me here in Cambs. Some corrosion has started to come through, so I'm in discussions with them now about sorting it. Not sure if there are better places to go, but I'll update as and when I get it looked at.

[rob_clio172]

Saw this at exclusive jdm full scale, incredible! Love it! So clean, would love 1 of these 1 day!

[RichGS11]

34 minutes ago, rob_clio172 said:

Saw this at exclusive jdm full scale, incredible! Love it! So clean, would love 1 of these 1 day!

Thanks Rob, very kind of you to say that mate. I try to enjoy it and also look after it. Thanks for the photo too.

[Irish ISF]

Hi Rich, how are you getting on with this? I still have not put on the headers as ive been so busy with my house. How much louder than the stock headers are they? I have a Hayward and Scott exhaust and i love the sound of it. I still have my secondary cats in and I will be keeping them in. It's a daily driver in some ways but I really only have to drive it when I want to as I have a 4x4 from work. I leave it parked up for weeks at a time so in reality its an occasions car. Is it ridiculously loud? I've asked this on US forums but I've been to the US and I dont think Americans understand the concept of "obnoxious loudness" as lots of cars there are just insanely loud.