IS 350 Build Evolves from Mild to Bangin’ Over Eight Years
Purchased as a replacement for Club Lexus member’s old S2000, 2008 IS 350 build now looks like the badass it is underneath the surface.
Did you know the Club Lexus Forums have build sub-forums for nearly every Lexus ever built? We’ve got sub-forums for rides from the LS to the IS. If you’re looking for ideas, or want to share yours, these sub-forums are the place.
One build we recently found is of a 2008 IS 350 owned by member bakalag. The thread may be short, but it’s packed with enough flavor to season your thoughts for days.
“Updated the first post since four years. And finally back to modding after two years of nothing new,” he wrote in late July 2017, over four years after first posting in March 2013. “More goodies for the car in the next few weeks/months.”
The builder originally purchased the IS 350 as a new daily to replace his old Honda S2000. Right away, he dropped some plasti-dip on his badges, stiffened the ride with a set of Swift springs, and upgraded his exhaust. Overall, nothing too wild in appearance. This would all change over the next few years, though.
By December 2017, the IS 350 sprouted some wings under its chin, plus some ground effects out back. The builder also knocked out an updated version of his custom x-pipe exhaust, adding side-branch resonators to reduce the drone. The front and rear splitters were then trimmed in red for more zazz; he made the splitters himself, too.
The biggest challenges to the build involved finding the right wheels, and dealing with his lights. Of the former, he switched between stock and aftermarket before settling on RAYS Gram Lights in GunBlue. He didn’t want to do a matte finish or a gloss black again, but other colors required big orders to make happen.
Meanwhile, the tail lights are mixed up due to electrical gremlins. The Vland units shorted his brake light three times before removal. The inner lights remain, since they’re not causing problems. However, the builder couldn’t get Vland to fix the outers under warranty. For now, the OEM outers will do.
Still, this is a stunning build. As bakalag told Marty Motoring in 2019, he built his IS 350 “with the track mindset, not VIP mindset.”
Photos: Club Lexus Forums/bakalag
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