(I was here a few years ago... and I've been a long time lurker)

The goal here is to see how silly I can get with the entire car for a total of $2k. Right now I'm in day 2, at $1090 total

Ok, I feel like maybe I'm posting prematurely, but I have a couple Q's, so I'm gonna go ahead and post, and toss out some eye candy to justify it

QUESTION 1) I need some trim pieces.... The 'chrome' pieces that go above the plastic trim on the front fender, and the rear wheel well lower rear section. If anyone can steer me in that direction I would greatly appreciate it... as I have not been able to locate them.

QUESTION 2) If anyone can steer me in a direction for properly mounting the top edge of the Duraflex skirts, I would greatly appreciate it... not sure how to go about it quite right... they don't sit flat.... gonna need some love.... I had initially thought of just glassing the kit in, flushing it out... .but I'm thinking this may not be a good move.... instead, I'll seran wrap below it, and between body gaps, start 'filling' and flushing, that way it will come back off and be a perfect fit..... but again... the top edge of the skirts is gonna be a challenge....

I got the car for $800 - rear passenger door for $140 - Body kit for $150 ($250, then got $100 for my old plastic)... not my first choice of kit, but, for the money I'm into it lol...
Right now I'm in the car for $1090 - 201k miles, runs and drives perfect (knocking on wood.... hadn't moved in over a year, drove it an hour and a half home), no warning lights blessing the dash. Interior is black leather and clean

I'm going to get a 1/4 Panel section and section that out.... OR... maybe.... MAYBE pull it out and mud it if I can get it close enough, but I'm leaning toward sectioning....

Gonna be a plastidip:
I'm thinking charcoal body with black hood and wheels (18's probably... I want some rubber on it, but the budget goal may dictate this).
OR
maybe the metalics in aluminum with anthracite hood and wheels

ANYWAY - if anyone would grace me with some pointers on the duraflex skirts (top edge) and the trim... I would greatly appreciate it

Photos (The photo with the front bumper is the car it came off... I haven't started mounting that yet)

 

Whooah! Shorty yes welcome back to the lexus family!!! Glad you got the gs, and I know with your resto experience you'll shape up that beast of scratch on the side. Ha ha! I will say those skirts are meh but that's just me. Good luck with awesome. I Will inform anyone here that doesn't know shorty, he can do more in one day than I can do in a week. I vouch for him with any sales as well.

Oh and change those wheels!

 

Quick Update....

Installed new drilled and slotted rotors and pads.... painted calipers and brackets black.
Installed new front lower ball joints. Ordered new front Upper Control Arms.
Tie rod ends were done about 30k miles ago, but might just order those and do those too.

Installing new Radiator, Timing Belt, Idler, Tensioner, and Water Pump Tomorrow.

Scored a 2005 GS300 Rear Differential with 75k miles on it for $108 today. Might throw that in tomorrow.

Thinking of doing all the rear bushings..... anyone have a suggestion for which bushings to buy?????

Getting all this basic mechanical done, then moving on to body work and wheels.

 

Just finished swapping timing belt, water pump, idler, tensioner, and radiator.

Off to replace the rear diff with the one from the '05

Scary old timing belt...

Cant wait to be done with this general mechanical so I can get to the bodywork

 

how many miles on that belt

 

I don't know.. just got the car and have been tackling all the odds and ends that have been let go for too long.

Is there a way to tell? Wondering if some of the print on the belt might contain a Date Code... it is a Toyota belt

I CarFax'd the car, and it is a MN car, I am second owner... has just over 200k on it... I called the dealership that had been doing the work on it and they had no record of the timing belt having been replaced.

Might be original

 

I didn't do the rear diff today.... I'll do it right away in the morning.

I did open it up and clean it out... which was nearly pointless.... that joker was clean. Gears are pristine.

I've got some Permatex Ultra Copper here... never used it for a diff cover before, but it's beefier than the black stuff that is 'recommended' for that purpose, so I think I'll just use it... Probably hold up a bit longer that way anyhow... little more effort to redo it next time, but so what... easy job anyway

I think I'm gonna do all the bushings in the front and rear.
I did the front lower ball joints that were obviously bad, but I still have a mild clunk up there....
I have the front upper arms on order....

I searched, and found a TON of results, and an overwhelming amount of info.... maybe someone could chime in and steer me to a couple options.... say cheap, and moderate kits?

 

I would guess that's probably an original belt.

 

Dang that belt has seen better days !

 

No kidding right? Hahahhhaaa

Replaced the differential today. Dropped one in with 75k on it.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nearly 70, so I'm gonna start some fiberglass work on this body kit....

Looking forward to getting this thing into paint, but this kit fits like crap!
hopefully within 2 - 3 weeks TOPS (time and weather restraints) I can be ready to shoot the car.

 

how hard was the rear diff install? hope you had a lift. seems pretty hard if working on the ground

 

I was on the ground. Not bad really.

10mm Allen, 12mm Allen, 17mm wrench and socket, 10mm socket ... forget what size the two largest ones are at the front diff mounts....

I chose to leave the exhaust intact. That made it take WAY longer, but I wasn't ready to pull it yet... not till I'm ready to do exhaust work.

Having a low profile jack helps a lot if you're on the ground.

 

yea i just bought two from Harbor Freight... they come in handy... but i'm not slammed.... i would think it would a difficult job... unbolting the axles etc....

 

The axles bolt in with 6 of the 10mm Hex (Allen) bolts.... Very easy to pull. Remove the bolts, and rotate and hammer the axle end and it will pop out of the cup. Easy peasy

I had the entire rear end up and the back end on jack stands, so when breaking them free, or tightening, helps to have a block of some sort you can wedge to a tire to keep the diff from spinning.

If I had dropped the exhaust the entire job would have been cake... Instead I fought with it a bit.
My exhaust bolts are rusted up pretty good.... no way they were coming off, and I didn't want to try to deal with grinding/drilling em from the ground.... So I opted to work around it.

Anyone that feels like the diff is a tough job should really pull the exhaust if they can... honestly, it was easy aside from fighting around the exhaust. I think anyone that could do brakes could tackle the diff. Nothing special about it... just have the right tools (the ones I listed). Also, I recommend doing the diff seal and fluid before it goes in for good measure.

I have a buddy across town with a lift, so when I get ready to do exhaust (If I do exhaust), I'll be taking it over there for that. I honestly don't mind the stock exhaust, so until something fails or plugs, I'm gonna leave it.

 

Welcome to (or back to) the 2GS to a fellow Minnesotan!

Tony, differential isn't too bad like Shorty said, I worked around the exhaust as well to drop it when I installed the poly bushings a while back, just unhooked the exhaust at the mufflers and supported it. Not as difficult as you'd think.