Shipped the f here and get your azz moved here and new wife that will solve your problems lolz

 

Wives can't be replaced. Don't listen to Kody. It's more cost effective to find one woman to play with my shift **** than to search for whoever is willing to just get the motor running.

 

so sexy man. love your F

 

LOLZ, CANT EH ? HAVE U SEEN THE DIVORCE RATE ? LOLZ, MARRIED TO YOUR CARS , MARRIED TO A WRONG WOMAN AND HALF YOURS SHIET IS GONE

 

Thanks bud! I really like all the mods you've done to your F. That engine bay was delicious. One of a kid for sure. Can't wait to see what you do next.

Yeah, but marry the right one, and as long as you open doors for her, she'll open something else for you Can't be scaring me away from marriage, bro. We need more women at our gatherings. I was glad to see a fe girlfriends and wives attend some of our functions last year.

 

Won't clog up your thread after this post Brian, promise!

So scuff down the passenger side (drivers side for you lot! lol) isn't that bad.

Think I may be able to polish out most if not all of it tomorrow.

The curbed rim on the other hand is pretty bad sadly.

Going to see my guys tomorrow though to get their opinion. I think they can repair it, but will probably need all 4 refinished to get a good colour match.

Thinking darker anthracite or possibly flat black? Will see what they suggest.

I'd never divorce my wife for something silly like this. How many times have I not done the tedious things she asks me to do!

Just one of those things! It'll all get worked out in the end.

 

It's all good, Peter. We all got each other's backs here.

It is a bit unfortunate with the wheels, but having them professionally done will be the best way to go. Flat black might look a bit dull after awhile, as I vote for an anthracite finish.

haha, any guy who chooses his car over his woman has quite a few problems to work out. It does get me thinking of all the times my significant other has driven my car.

Let me know when you're planning to come to the States, my friend! We'll get together again.

 

Thanks Brian.

I'll let you know when I'm next in LA for sure. Be great to hang out with you guys again.

Think your right on the anthracite finish.

I'll lose the blue band unfortunately.

They can't do two colours apparently, and the process will mean I lose the blue. Should be fine though if they get the rim fixed and the colour right.

 

Is there a way to tape off that blue region in the inner spokes and just powdercoat the rest of the spokes? I remember you wanted that wheel specifically because of the blue accent. It'd be a shame to have to paint over that.

If you're comfortable with that approach, then I think you should go with your gut. But if not, I'd wait and see if there were any wheel finishers to maybe just work on matching the one and make it look as close to a clone as possible to the rest.

 

I drove up from SD at 3AM to hang out with Brian and Daniel =). More from Brian later probably

 

Great friends are able to get me to wake up that early to hang out and shoot cars. Always a pleasure hanging out with you and DL0_IS300. And you know we're going to meet you down in SD for some more shoots and fun times.

And you certainly beat me to it on the post. I was entirely spent from all the driving. But it was definitely worthwhile.

 

As bakalag mentioned, I had a rare weekday off, and what better way to spend it than with some fellow car buddies. Great scenery, great company, and great cars. The best part about meeting up in the early morning was that there was little traffic and cars to get in the way of our shooting.


It might be a good 15 years old or so, but this IBP IS300 still remains one of the iconic color in the Lexus IS history. Sure, there's wear and tear, but more importantly they're badges of honor from the owner's perspective. Not everything needs to be shiny and pretty, but to love a car and to have it for so long- that's more appreciated than simply keeping it clean and tossing it aside after a few years.





The obligatory "booty shot". Everyone will have their preference on which parts to get for their car, but I can without hesitation say that I am glad I waited for these WALD International parts from Japan. I've enlisted the help of few shops and individuals over the lifetime of my owning the IS F, and I still proudly represent and recommend VIP Auto Salon for its efforts and striving to provide the utmost in customer satisfaction.





Eric's FIVE:AD SF:5 Gunmetal wheels complement his 2008 SGM IS350 nicely.





What's visiting the City of Roses without hard parking at one if its more iconic landmarks? Granted, I love the SC/UCLA rivalry, but I've always been a Trojan at heart.





The first three models of the Lexus IS.

2JZ-GE I6 - 2UR-GSE V8 - 2GR-FSE V6




"Oh look, a bridge"...

 

Hopefully someone knew what I meant to transition the shoot location to this next spot.

Anyway, another spot that is famous in the Pasadena area is Colorado Street Bridge, more famously known as "Suicide Bridge". We were there to marvel at the architecture and to have some fun with the bridge in our shots.





Eric and Daniel having a little battle on who has the best wheels. Both are rocking discontinued ones that were once popular back in the day.





I'm still in awe of how much the IS has transformed from the 300 to the 250/350 and F body lines. It's certainly what made this particular model so popular over the years and continues to be a great seller for the brand.





Taking in the scenery....




Our final shoot location took us somewhere a bit less architectural and of a city vibe.

 

No cell phones, no worries about deadlines or work matters, and nothing but the great road ahead. Eric has driven up to LA numerous times from SD, but has never had an opportunity to drive Angeles Crest Highway, so that's what we did. A little leisurely drive with some amazing views. It may be winter technically, but with the temps we've been having, it definitely feels like summer.

The snow can still be enjoyed in So Cal, but not for much longer.





I'm not the type to change things up. The parts I have purchased for my car are what fit my vision, and I have yet to deviate from that.





Respect your elders. You never know what that 2JZ has to go to kick your V8 ***





Love them curves and punish it good. With Valentine's Day approaching, this can be advisable to places beyond the road.





The " we failed trying to position the cars for a group shot because it was so damn hot that we got lazy" shot.





Of the three of us, who do you think attempted to do donuts and burnout a little?




Much thanks to bakalag and DLo_IS300 for wanting to meet up early and get together. It's our time to visit you, Eric. Get ready!

 

A little progress update....

As some of you know, I have been corresponding with Beat-Sonic USA for a viable option to integrate a double din entertainment unit either as a replacement or in conjunction with the factory head unit. I opted to have both the factory head unit working in its normal slot and have the aftermarket double din in the lower section that was once occupied with the audio functions and buttons. For product inquiries, check out our forum sponsor Beat-Sonic at http://www.beatsonicusa.com/mvx-140l.html.

To make this all seamless and integrated, one will need the following:

-an aftermarket head unit of choice (mine was the Pioneer AVIC-8100 NEX)
-Beat-Sonic MVX-140L for the 2006-09 Lexus IS models (IS250, IS350, IS C, and IS F)
-Metra Axxess ASWC-1 Universal Steering Wheel Control Interface (used with certain aftermarket brands)

The entire process was documented, and I'll share that with you all. I know many in the 2IS forum have been looking to do a mod similar to this, and with the entire parts list confined to just one kit, it certainly goes a long way in achieving the finished product.


Taping the areas surround goes a long way to make sure the sensitive materials used to enclose the navigation unit and sides are not easily scratched or marred.





Two screens might be overkill, but I've always wanted to have a fully integrated unit that was more tech advanced than the very dated yet still functional factory head unit.





My friend Eric of Beat-Sonic is quite the perfectionist. Even a slight millimeter off during installation and it is back to square one in aligning and making sure everything is symmetrical. Gotta appreciate friends who take stock in the finer details.





The new panels versus the OEM ones that will surround the new double din.







Once fully bolted and secured, it's ready to slide back into place.




The finished result!




Kudos to Eric for a very thorough installation! Customer service is of the utmost care, and I can easily see their wanting to provide quality products to car enthusiasts like myself.

One project semi completed...I'm actually opening a can of worms by wanting to learn more about car audio and finding ways to enhance the sound while in the vehicle. But the learning never ends, and getting ideas to make the car more personal is what I'm aiming for. I guess that's what makes this car so special. I always want to find little things to change it up and make it even more unique to me.