Aristo83

HI guys, my name is Alex. It's nice to be a member here to meet everyone. I hope everyone's had a great holiday. I am new to this forum but hopefully won't be a newb for long. I currently drive a 1990 525i that's dying on me and I am looking into a 2000-2001 GS300 to convert into an Aristo with supra mk4 engine swap and converitng the GS300 from auto tranny to manual. However, I don't think the GS300 in the US comes in a manual transmission. I currently reside in Vancouver, BC, Canada and importing an Aristo from Japan would be out of the question due to our stupid, strict car laws. Therefore, I am wondering how many of you guys have done the automatic to manual transmission swap before unloading the supra'z 2JZ-GTE I6 into the engine bay. The guys who have gone the VIP aka Bippu style, did you end up keeping it in automatic tranny to preserve the luxury style or have some of you guys changed your's to manual for exotic street racing style? Details of how the swap was done from auto to manual would be excellent and most importantly the costs. I have driven an automatic car all my life and now that I'm planning in doing an engine swap, especially with a supra engine, I feel that I can get more out of it by driving it with a manual tranny. Maybe I am wrong about this, or the idea of getting a manual tranny, after-all Im a newb. BTW, if this helps, I'm going the VIP Bippu-styling in terms of the Aristo exterior.

By they way, do you guys know of any mechanical problems in the 2000-2001 Lexus GS300 models or if you guys know which year between 1998-2004 the GS300 models were most reliable, please let me know.

I was also wondering what were the most significant changes from the 1998-2004 GS models aside from the tail-light differences. Are the bodies between the GS300 and the GS430 models pretty much the same?

If you guys have any suggestions or past experiences and the costs, I would greatly appreciate it!

Sorry for all the questions, I really want my ride project to go well and hope to acquire some good advice from all the experts here.

Again, it's a pleasure to meet all of you guys!

Kosoku4lfe

I drove stick for the first 8 years of my driving career and now have been driving auto ever since. Dunno just got tired of sitting in traffic constantly having to push in the clutch.

LEXUS_KID

iTrader: (4)

This is easy Auto

RX729

automatic...

Solo_D33A

Auto and in fact, all your questions' answers can be found by search in the 2GS forum and welcome to CL and welcome another CL Canada member.

kuWuPt

iTrader: (13)

BIPPU styling would mean automatic.. and I wouldnt change from the auto to a manual. The manual supra tranny is expensive and you can get a 2JZ GTE VVTI motor, tranny, harness and ECU setup for around $3000.. if you are going for high horsepower you can get a boostlogic tranny, recently rode in an automatic supra with the boostlogic tranny and it was great... good luck with everything.

TRD911

Aristo83 welcome to CL.. You seem like your deep thinking. I have been on the warpath about putting a manual into my GS4. I really WANT a manual.

See the following... https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=275332

There seems to be several folks that have done it but, there are an apparent lack of pictures available. I am concerned with the clutch pedal.

You commented and I am a bit confused by the Aristo. Did the 2nd Generation Aristo like our 2nd Gen Gs share the same body AND if they did was the Aristo ever offered in a manual? The reason why I ask that is if they did offer a body style like our 2nd Gend GS then there is a clutch pedal / master cylinder that you know will work.

I say go manual if we can get the answers to the few questions about the pedal and ECU that will come about.

BP