Forum member SCereal is taking his time modifying his 1997 Lexus SC 300, which is why he calls it “Project Snail’s Pace.” Despite how slowly he thinks he’s moving, he’s making quite a lot of progress.
For instance, SCereal’s already fitted his car with the brake discs of an IS F, the front brake calipers from a Corvette Z06, and the rear rotors and calipers from a twin-turbo Supra. Those parts alone leave no mystery as to how fast he ultimately wants his SC to be. SCereal said his goal is for his coupe to ultimately pump out 750 whp on e85 fuel.
Helping him get closer to that mark is a 76-mm turbo, a 90-mm throttle body, and 48-pound injectors as well as a slew of other parts.
SCereal’s even gotten a lot of cosmetic things done. He’s painted some of his interior trim black, had his headliner and rear deck covered in sexy black suede, swapped out his steering wheel for an attractive leather-and-wood RX wheel, and switched from a linear to a gated shifter (not pictured). He also added a sleek Popformance climate control, gauge pod, boost controller, and wideband unit.
We enjoy seeing your updates, SCereal. No rush on your future upgrades. We know good things take time – and we’re willing to wait for this one.
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.
