Confession: I’ve loved cars since I was a little kid, but back then, I never had the patience to put a model kit together. I didn’t even have enough of an attention span to remove all of the parts from their molds. Painstakingly gluing each piece together, painting them evenly, flawlessly applying decals? Forget it.
I can’t even imagine having the amount of focus needed to produce the full-size custom Lexus creations you all showcase on this forum, such as the 1992 SC 300 member CatManD3W personalized.
He swapped out, refreshed, or improved nearly every part on his L-badged coupe. CatManD3W replaced the original straight-six with a 2JZGTE and extensively dressed up the engine bay. He also upgraded the clutch and brakes, among many other components.
That’s the kind of stuff I’m used to seeing – and being impressed by – in builds. I’m not used to seeing interiors gutted, carpets dyed, the colors of plastic and leather parts changed, or vinyl cut and stretched to recover parts of the cabin.
I saw all of that in the laborious process that brought about CatManD3W’s car. I also saw how sweet his SC looks sitting lower on a set of coilovers…and that CatManD3W is nowhere close to finished modifying his Lexus.
Keep up the great work, man! Your patience and determination has really paid off.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
Where do you go for answers when you have a Lexus with a gorgeous leather interior but are not sure about how to maintain that luxurious look? The "Club Lexus" forums, of course.
