Will a Lexus SC 300 appease my mid-life crisis ?

I just ordered my first major mod parts...JDM buckets seats from a Supra (or Sourer as they're called in Japan).

My head hits the roof of the SC300. I checked into the problem before I bought the car. Supra seats from the same year bolt right in, and lower my head 2 inches (according to my research). By using seats imported from Japan, I'm getting a manual adjust 'bride seat' on the driver's side. I'm shedding 50 lbs, exactly where I need to, in my quest to counter-balance the driver's weight.

I recharged the AC and it's working great. The whole climate control system is superior to any vehicle I've ever owned.

I'm luvin' this car.

Seats are the most underrated part of a car IMO. My Wrx seats are great stock I'm pretty sure they are OEM recaros.

When I had my integra I swapped in Honda s2k seats! Fun project and they bolt right in, going from cloth garbage to leather with the contours that grip your body, its a great feeling for spirited driving

Not my car but it was exactly like this in my 98 integra gsr

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I would figure that a '69 Corvette Sting Ray L-88 in 1972 Corvette white with a blue Pearl and blue interior would be a good mid-life crisis motivator.


Better yet...

1967 Corvette 427 450hp (under rated, closer to 500hp.) 4-speed. Hey, it'll only set you back six-figures. I see you have a nice white shed you can live in the rest of your life...

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The JDM bride's seat weighs about 1/3 of the original. There's a full inch between my head and the ceiling now. It's much more comfortable. I need to swap the pins in the electrical connectors.
 
It's been a year, and I've put 16,000 on it. It performed flawlessly, until two weeks ago.

I replaced the valve cover gaskets shortly after I bought it, 'cause they were leaking. The distributor o-ring and all the front seals were leaking, too. I bought a timing belt/water pump kit (all OEM parts) a year ago, but I didn't get them installed.

The oil leaks killed the alternator, and I discovered the rubber was gone in the harmonic balancer, too.

So I took the front off the motor. I'm putting it back together now. It's a boat load of work. The crank bolt took a 4 foot cheater bar to break it loose.

I installed a fresh air intake kit, even though it already had a K&N filter in the original air box. The kit looks cool and it removes, complete with the MAF unit (one bolt and one clamp). Much better access for working on it.

So far the only stupid thing I've done was close the hood in the dark. The dizzy cap was on top the motor. So it gets a new dizzy cap and rotor as well.

I bought the high dollar radiators hose, HPS brand (red silicone). I hope they work okay, they looked biotchin'.

Back to work on the car; in the dark again. I may get it started tonight.
 
Well heck.

I completed the water pump/timing belt/oil seal job.

It started on the first turn of the key and was running really well. I did not burp the cooling system (I filled it with distilled water to check for leaks, and flush the system). I drove to the gas station (about 2 miles). Everything looked great, so I drove it another 8 miles, thinking the cooling system would burp itself. It did not get hot according to the gauge.

I got home and the head was making a gurgling sound, and it started to run rough. I do believe I blew the head gasket or damaged the head.

At 140k, it's time for a headgasket, anyway.

I think I better have a pro do this one.
 
I already had a little oil showing up in my over-flow tank. I was hoping it would go away when I replaced the seals.

When I took it apart, it looked like the cam seal was dripping oil just above the water pump o-ring. The water pump o-ring was shot. I had been losing a little coolant, too, but it wasn't going into the oil pan.

I thought the seals would do the trick. Not so.
 
I had it towed to the best (and most expensive) mechanic in the county.

They ran a dye test with something in the coolant. It said "no combustion gases in the coolant". They think the head and gasket are okay.

They're going to take the front off the motor and check my timing belt install. I checked it three times, but I guess they want to see for themselves.
 
Oh Hell No !

They found a bad plug wire. No doubt from when I crushed the dizzy cap.

Not sure if that's the only problem. I told them to do an engine vac (de-carbon trick) if the plug wire makes it run smooth.

Jeez. Hundreds spent on wires, and I don't even get to pick which ones I get.
 
well at least now you can replace headgasket once you've saved up for a built bottom end!!

funny how the brain always assumes the worst when it comes to cars that are for "spirited driving"

I had a similar scare about month ago

I had major oil consumption on my sti and blue smoke out the tailpipe, assumed the worst aka ringland failure on cylinder 4 .

when I did compression test cyl 4 down 25psi compared to rest, indicating hairline crack and start of failure. 5k miles later oil consumption is about 1qt per 1k miles, I spend about $3k on parts and a down payment on a built block- made arrangements for the build, break in, dyno tune.

ends up my compression test was invalid, the engine was super healthy. my bpv was kinked and I was blowing what was supposed to vent to atmosphere back into my turbo.. turbo seals blew and that's why oil consumption was that bad. got a rebuilt vf48 turbo for 700 and car is running like a champ.

all the goodies I bought will wait till next summer to hit my 370whp goal.
 
Kind of rule thumb on these. When you do the timing belt, you generally change the water pump. You're already doing all the labor and the pump (even from a dealer isn t that much
 
$425 to have them find the bad plug wire and put new ones on. They put new plugs in, too. NGK iridium, just like the ones I'd put in 5K miles ago.

I had visually inspected the wires after I crushed the cap on Tuesday. I would have suspected a wire, except it ran fine until the motor warmed up.
 
My car is doing great.

I mentioned I was given two verbal warnings for speed. Finally got popped for going 91 in a 75. I put 850 miles on the car that weekend, not a single issue.

Here's my rant today:

About six weeks ago I saw this on my door. I knew it happened at my local diner, a place I frequent for breakfast. I could tell by looking at it, that the person that did it left his door planted in my door when he got out of his and stood up.

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This morning, same time of day, same location, I saw an elderly gentleman getting out of a mini-van after planting his door on my car.

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It's the exact same height of the first one.

(The black splatters are road tar). I wrote down his tag number, but I can't bring myself to say anything. He's in his late eighties, with a handicap tag. He has trouble walking, and he has that same look in his eyes, like my dad. Dad has Alzheimer's/Parkinson's.

Jee Whiz.
 
OUCH!

If handy sand and paint it with matching touchup. Might not be 100% but then again presentable.


Barney
 
What Barney said.

It's quite the quandary. Saying something to an elderly man who might have meant no harm, or trying to get square on obvious damage.

I think letting this slide might be the prudent thing. Maybe a body shop can touch that up for you on the cheap.
 
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