Lexus IS F $125 Raffle Car Transformed for the Track

Lucky Win

It's hard for us to imagine what we'd do if we ever won anything. Mostly because, well, we've never won anything. But at least we can live vicariously through Club Lexus member illwillem, who recently scored a Lexus IS F for the paltry sum of $125 in raffle tickets. 

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

What To Do?

Lots of people would probably just flip something like this for a profit, and admittedly that thought initially crossed illwillem's mind. But the more he learned about the car, the more he realized that it was the perfect candidate for a fun track day car. 

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

>>Join the conversation about illwillem's IS F right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Love at First Track Day

The IS F did come with its fair share of issues, but the engine was in good shape, at least. And much of the broken stuff (like shocks, exhaust manifolds, etc.) were going to be replaced anyway. Shortly after illwillem got the IS F all sorted, he took it to the track and immediately fell in love.

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

>>Join the conversation about illwillem's IS F right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Perfect Compromise

So you could say that the build soon got serious. Illwillem set out to strip as much weight as possible from the Lexus, beefing up the suspension, but not really doing anything in the way of power adders. The idea was to build something he could drive to the track and enjoy without tearing out the A/C or stereo like an all-out race car. 

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

>>Join the conversation about illwillem's IS F right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Going on a Diet

Thus, the first steps were to add PPE headers, an RR Racing tune and MAF, new brake rotors and pads, and a full complement of Figs suspension components. Next, a set of 18" TC-4 Advan wheels saved some cash over 19s. And since the IS F now weighed nearly 4,000 pounds with driver, it was time to put this Lexus on a diet. 

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

>>Join the conversation about illwillem's IS F right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Trimming the Fat

Perhaps the coolest thing about the build is that illwillem even took the time to fashion his own functional carbon fiber aero bits. He used some of that savings to spring for a lightweight Greddy Titanium exhaust, however.

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

>>Join the conversation about illwillem's IS F right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Weight Loss

The next step was to fashion up some custom cooling solutions for the front end, which turned out pretty awesome. Then illwillem stripped virtually everything out of the interior, including the airbags, rear seat, and even the sound deadening in the name of losing weight.

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

>>Join the conversation about illwillem's IS F right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Adds Up

The sound deadening alone saved a whopping 30 pounds, which is pretty amazing. Overall, he saved a considerable amount of weight with these changes, which obviously makes all the difference at the track. 

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

>>Join the conversation about illwillem's IS F right here in the ClubLexus forum.

First Test

With the car all buttoned up, illwillem took advantage of a very hot day to test out his cooling system. And amazingly enough, he was able to commute to and from the track and make a few laps with no issues whatsoever. 

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

>>Join the conversation about illwillem's IS F right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Keep Shaving

He also managed to strip out roughly 500 pounds of weight altogether. But that won't stop him from exploring other ways to shave even more. So be sure and head over here to stay tuned as this bargain-basement racer continues to get lighter and faster! 

Photos: Club Lexus Forums

>>Join the conversation about illwillem's IS F right here in the ClubLexus forum.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section right here on the forum.