This three-point cross member...
This three-point cross member brace ties in the front underpinnings by replacing the existing bar. The construction of the unit is high quality.
The most recognizable part of the car has to be the taillight treatment, which we nailed as a future trend in our Tokyo Auto Salon coverage. Today, reproduction Altezza taillights have been constructed to fit a number of U.S. imports, from Toyotas to Hondas. The other cool part of the car is its gauge cluster, which is designed to mimic a chronograph watch.
The Lexus rolls on attractive 17x7 five-spoke aluminum wheels and 215/45ZR17 performance rubber and is surprisingly agile. With its stiffened sport suspension and low-profile rolling stock, the 3,270 lb. sedan provides exhilarating handling, while the highly responsive chassis delivers good ride quality. The first thing we did was further capitalize on the car's handling prowess, while also enhance its looks. The goal was to get the look with as little impact on ride quality as possible. We contacted Toyota Racing Development (TRD) and asked about its coil-over suspension kit. The package uses a civilized shock/strut with four-position adjustablity over rebound and is offered without pillow ball mounts, which should minimize ride harshness. The coil-over set-up also gave us a great deal of freedom in selecting the proper ride height. We took delivery of upgraded sway bars and some trick under-chassis cross member braces as well.
Installation was handled at TRD in Tustin, Calif. where TRD technician Jimmy Mullinax worked the air tools. With the car on a lift and the front tires removed, the first order of business was removing the daylight running lamps relay box on the passenger-side upper fender. Then the 12mm upper shock bolts were taken off. Moving inside the fenderwell, the ABS line was unbolted to ensure it would not be damaged when the suspension rebounded during the procedure. It should be noted that this line is electric (providing the pulse for the ABS system) and contains no fluid.
Next, the 14mm bolts that connect the front sway bar to the mounting link are removed on both sides. This allows the bar to be pivoted out of the way. The 17mm lower shock mount bolt is removed and the assembly is turned outward for better access. Then the shock body is "shaken, rattled and rolled" to remove it from the car. The upper body support from the OE unit is retained and put on the TRD coil-over. It is positioned within the fenderwell. An upper shock tower bolt is used to secure the unit in place, while the wheel assembly is turned back to pointing forward and the lower 17mm shock mount bolt is tightened to OE spec. The ABS line is re-secured and the upper tower bolts are installed to spec. It should be noted the relay box did not re-install as before, so we postioned the box's mounting plate under the shock tower bolts. The sway bar can be re-secured unless you are upgrading them as well. The procedure is the same for the driver's side, with the exception that an igniter is positioned where the relay box was on the other side.
The rear is a four-point cross...
The rear is a four-point cross member brace and it replaces body support arms that run from front to rear on each side of the vehicle. The brace ties all the rear suspension together and adds to the stiffness and responsiveness of the chassis.
This is one of the body support...
This is one of the body support arms that must be removed to make way for the TRD four-point rear cross member brace.