When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I spent almost 8 months looking for my "perfect to me" IS-F.... and found a 1 owner 19k mile '08 USB that has never seen rain! All of the OEM paint protection film available in 2008 is still installed and the rest of the car is ceramic coated. Engine oil only 5W30 Royal Purple from the start. The previous owner also did not have the recall done that causes the brake pedal to disabling the accelerator (useful for drag strip burnouts?).
After driving from Portland down to San Diego, it is now at 21k miles.
Build goals...
Sound good
Look good
Comfortable - '08 Stock comfort level or better on the street
Sharp, communicative steering on canyon roads
Reliable for 3-4 track days per year
Mid to high 11 sec qtr mile
CARB SMOG legal
Car show worthy
My main focus will initially be on weight reduction, the CCS-R reduced 300kg (661 lbs!) from stock but it is a fully gutted race car. So I will set a long term target of removing 500 lbs of weight, that should meet the acceleration target I am looking for without need to add power. Weight reduction should help with steering and track as well.
The IS-F only came with a couple of mods, a billet aluminum oil cap and a billet aluminum foot rest. It also came with the trunk mat and net as well as the iPod connector replacing the satellite radio.
Here is a picture after the first wash, fully stock exterior with backwards facing wheels as pointed out in another thread.
The wheels on the early ISFs are corner specific. The wheels on the right side of your "F" are on the wrong side, so assume the same with the left side if all are OEM.
Awesome, so it looks like I just need to swap sides and not swap tires on and off. Thank you for the graphic.
Originally Posted by sickpuppy
The wheels on the early ISFs are corner specific. The wheels on the right side of your "F" are on the wrong side, so assume the same with the left side if all are OEM.
Don't start ripping apart the car and trying to make a race car out of it.
Definitely not going to rip apart the car and try to make a race car. That goes against some of the goals I listed (comfortable as OEM, show car worthy...). I'm looking for the right balance, like "OEM+".
Originally Posted by MisterSkiz
If you do anything to the interior to save weight, put in new seats, but keep the originals bagged up and put away nicely.
On interior, I researched seats before buying the car but the OEM seats are very nice (and look brand new) so the interior is likely the last place I will look to remove weight. Maybe get racing seats just for race day but that might be about it.
Originally Posted by MisterSkiz
The OEM exhaust is super heavy too...that might be something to look at.
The exhaust is also something that I may swap out down the line but would need to get a valved exhaust to replace it and would need to keep all cats for California smog...
Originally Posted by MisterSkiz
Find a Lexus Torsen diff, or put in an OS Gikken replacment - it totally changes how the 08/09 cars handle.
This was ordered last week, I'm awaiting confirmation from the seller that the former RC350 F-sport rear diff includes the 3.133 gear set as well as the OEM Torsen LSD. Would like the OSG gear set but not sure who around here would build it and I'm basically getting the Torsen for free when adding the gears.
Lightweight battery arrived today (AG-24-40-RS), the 40ah one for an extra margin of safety. I don't want to risk it. It weighs 15.6lbs compared to an OEM weight of 42lbs. Will install this weekend, should save 26 lbs... so only 474 more pounds to go!
Lightweight battery arrived today (AG-24-40-RS), the 40ah one for an extra margin of safety. I don't want to risk it. It weighs 15.6lbs compared to an OEM weight of 42lbs. Will install this weekend, should save 26 lbs... so only 474 more pounds to go!
I have the 24 Ah in the IS F and the GS F for over 2 years in the IS F and about a year in the GS F. Never had any issues with them even when we had single digit temps at Christmas time.
I have the 24 Ah in the IS F and the GS F for over 2 years in the IS F and about a year in the GS F. Never had any issues with them even when we had single digit temps at Christmas time.
I saw that on the other thread, they actually didn't have that one in stock. My stock battery was about to die so it made the decision easy.
Bad luck... I paid for a diff off of eBay but turns out it did not have the Torsen installed as the part number indicated. Took 5 days for them feedback with pics before I cancelled the order. The hunt continues... I'm really thinking just to jump to an OSG, maybe this was a sign?
So on to the good luck... I found a unicorn this week!
I'm planning to do a set of daily / show wheels and a set of track wheels and I found the daily wheels and bought them immediately. A Volk dealer in L.A. was saving them for his Supra but plans have changed,. These are 15 year old (2008 production date) brand new in box Volks! Definitely a wheel worthy of going on an IS-F that has not seen rain. Now to research lugs, center caps and tires...
Bad luck... I paid for a diff off of eBay but turns out it did not have the Torsen installed as the part number indicated. Took 5 days for them feedback with pics before I cancelled the order. The hunt continues... I'm really thinking just to jump to an OSG, maybe this was a sign?
I got my 3.13 diff from a 2015 IS350 F-sport and it did not have a torsen. I'd just do an OSG-TCD and call it good!
I'm learning more before I make a decision on suspension and the wheel/tire install will have to wait until then.
Speaking of weight... I removed the jack, tool kit, spare tire, spare tire screw and two foam inserts... -45lbs.
In it's place is added the IS250/350 F-sport spare tire delete foam insert that was made because the F-sport brakes do not fit with the IS250/350 spare tire. It's part #PTR5500103 and runs about $200.
So the current weight savings is... 26lbs (battery) + 45lbs (spare tire kit) = 71lbs. Off to a good start! With a target of removing 500lbs... only 424lbs left to go!
01-03-23, 10:53 PM
An IS-F build starting in 2023
