1996 Lexus LX 450 Makes the Perfect Project SUV

Worthy Fixer Upper

In recent years, older SUVs have become incredibly popular - and incredibly expensive - among enthusiasts. It's pretty easy to see why, however - these older rides are simple, easy to work on, and incredibly capable in many cases, and that certainly applies to the Lexus LX 450. Recently, Brett Evans of Motor 1 was able to purchase a 1996 example of the full-size SUV from his brother, who scored it at auction and has since set about fixing its flaws.

Photos: Lexus

Love at First Drive

As is often the case, the seller didn't disclose some of the things that were wrong with this particular LX 450, but Evans immediately fell in love with it upon his first minute behind the wheel. But that's to be expected for a handsome machine that's also the only Lexus with a solid front axle, let alone the luxury and reliability that the brand is famous for.

Photos: Lexus

Not Perfect

Ultimately, even with some flaws, the $11k that Evans paid for this rig certainly seems like a fair deal, particularly in today's crazy market. However, any vehicle with 200k miles on the clock is going to need some work, and that's also the case here. Upon further inspection, that list grew to include the oil pan and valve cover gaskets, a leaky front axle, and some other gripes.

Photos: Lexus

Various Issues

Evans and his buddy also discovered that their new purchase needed control arm bushings, wheel bearings, an airflow sensor, and spark plugs, not to mention new tires, while the seats had some tears and the paint was far from perfect, too.

Photos: Lexus

DIY Projects

Obviously, some of these things can be fixed by essentially any shade tree mechanic, and that's precisely what Evans plans to do while letting his Toyota specialist friend handle the more complicated stuff. Once that process is complete, it's on to the fun stuff - modifications.

Photos: Lexus

Worth the Effort

The planned list of upgrades for this project include a new set of Firestone rubber, an OEM front bumper, a lifted spare tire carrier, a front seat re-cover, new speakers, and a head unit that offers Apple CarPlay capability. Even though it got off to a bit of a rough start with around $2k in needed maintenance, it's still fair to say that this LX will be worth the effort, because they simply don't make 'em like this anymore.

Photos: Lexus

>>Join the conversation about this Lexus LX project right here at ClubLexus.com.

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