I’ve got good news and bad news, ya’ll. The SC drift special you saw under the headline for this post on the main page of Club Lexus is not the car I’m writing about today. However, it gives you an idea of what forum member outlaw0209 can do with an SC. He owned that particular car until someone rear-ended him, damaging his SC’s frame rails. He then decided to part ways with the vehicle. Fortunately, outlaw got another SC 300.
Like his earlier Lexus, outlaw’s new machine is going to be a drift monster. The only catch is that it’s not quite done yet. It’s showing a lot of promise, though. It has a 5.3-liter GM V8 with a custom Moroso oil pan, chromoly pushrods, LS6 springs, LS7 lifters, a micro-polished crankshaft, and an upgraded cam, among many other parts. That’s hooked up to a “rebuilt T56 with all the upgrades such as Viper 2nd gear, metal shift fork pads, carbon Kevlar synchros, billet shift forks, etc.”
For some sideways action, outlaw’s “SC530” features a roll cage, modified steering knuckles, a large front sway bar, Stance GR+ coilovers, a welded 4.27 rear diff, and a drifting brake. Its front wheel wells and ABS system? DE-LET-ED.
We can’t wait to see the finished product, outlaw! You’re doing a great job so far. Please keep the updates coming.
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.
