Daily Slideshow: How to Fit 1,100hp in a Lexus IS
You too can top 1000 horses in your very own Lexus IS (hint: it's boost).
1. Lawn Mower Man
Remember those stories about Bill Gates and Steve Jobs working on their mini-bikes and go-karts as youngsters? If you're drawing a blank, that's probably because those stories don't exist. Maybe if they had then we'd all be driving Microsoft and Apple cars, or at least something like the 2003 Lexus IS300 you see here. The vehicle pictured above is proof of what happens when kids grow up fixing lawn mowers instead of computers because working on mowers is how this car's owner, Matt Owen, got his start growing up in Texas. It wasn't long after Matt's adventures with mowing machinery that he graduated to swapping a turbocharged engine into a Honda Civic del Sol in his mother's garage.
>>Join the conversation about this LC9 IS300 right here at the LS1 Tech Forum!
2. Of MR2s and GT-Rs
It was a short hop from Matt's mom's garage to a gig at a Toyota performance specialty shop in his area. That shop instilled a sense of appreciation for all things Toyota in Matt, so much so that he's owned nine Supras and 30, count 'em 30, MR2s, and needless to say very few of them where anywhere near stock. So where does the man who has every Toyota everything go from there? Nope, not the IS... yet. He found himself building engines and fabbing-up 1,8000 horsepower Nissan GT-Rs at a shop called T1 Race Development. But like we said, Matt's a Toyota guy, and he has a soft spot for IS300s in particular.
>>Join the conversation about this LC9 IS300 right here at the LS1 Tech Forum!
3. Vee Eight
As much as he loves the classic and capable 2JZ engine, hanging around 1,000+ horsepower machines all the time rubbed off on Matt and, though Toyota's 6 is certainly capable of making those numbers, he developed a knack for installing GM LS V-8s into IS300s. He executed his first swap in 2010 and has done a number of them since then. It was when Matt ran across this bare-bones, cloth-interior, sunroof-less IS chassis—on Craigslist, naturally—that a lightbulb went off above his head.
>>Join the conversation about this LC9 IS300 right here at the LS1 Tech Forum!
4. Down to Business
That lightbulb said "racer." Or more accurately, "LS-powered Racer." Matt bought the car and gave himself a target to help spur the job along—he'd take it to the next Tx2k event in Houston. The engine Matt selected was an aluminum 5.3 liter LC9 built by Watt's Shop in Lavon, Texas. Watt's Shop packed the V-8 with premium parts, including Wiseco 11.5:1 pistons on Scat connecting rods, and a custom-ground EPS camshaft.
>>Join the conversation about this LC9 IS300 right here at the LS1 Tech Forum!
5. Serious Business
It took more than just a hot cam to make the numbers Matt was looking for though. Huge custom headers turn upwards, and run forward between the valve covers and strut towers, to twin Precision 6266 turbochargers assisted by a custom-built Garrett A2W intercooler. The whole system is controlled by a MoTeC M150 engine management package and Matt has measured 1,162 horsepower and 936 lb-feet of torque at the rear wheels.
>>Join the conversation about this LC9 IS300 right here at the LS1 Tech Forum!
6. Serious Power Transmission
Matt likes the hands-on experience, so he opted for a manual transmission over an automatic. The IS is running a six-speed Tremec TR6060, which transmits power rearward via a custom-built carbon fiber driveshaft. With over 1,100 horsepower, Matt played it safe by going with a 9-inch rear end, sourced from The Driveshaft Shop. Included in the conversion are AFCO drag coilovers fitted to custom lower control arms.
>>Join the conversation about this LC9 IS300 right here at the LS1 Tech Forum!
7. Serious Results
Matt's 9-inch puts power to the ground via 275/60R15 Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial Pro tires on Weld RTS wheels. Other than those sticky tires, other cues that something funny is going on are the ginormous intercooler peeking out from behind the expanded-metal grille, and those suspicious cut-outs in the fenders for the wastegate exit pipes. Other additions include Japanese market Recaros inside and a custom-fit fuel cell keeping the relocated battery company in the trunk. What's the result of all this hard work and muscle? Merely some pretty photos and envious looks at shows? Not hardly. Though the video labels it a 2002IS 300, you can see Matt's Lexus run an 8.78 at 166 mph, six-speed and all, here. We'll take that over a pretty photo any day of the week.
>>Join the conversation about this LC9 IS300 right here at the LS1 Tech Forum!
For help with service of your car, check out the how to section of LS1Tech.com.