After exclusively pursuing the European theme on our project vehicles for the first 2 ½ years, we decided it was time to try our hand at something new and explore the Japanese side of sport tuning. Since our specialty niche in the aftermarket world is catering to high-end luxury and sports vehicles, we wanted to stick with a familiar brand that fits in well with our company's personality and style, as well as a having a strong aftermarket following. With these criteria in mind, there was only one right answer - Lexus. After researching the various current models, we decided to opt for the sporty, yet luxurious SC430. Our search led us to a 2002 model with only 12K miles, finished in Millennium Silver with a Saddle interior. We found this combination to be quite striking (and also quite rare), so a deal was finalized, and the project was about to begin.

As with all of our previous project cars, the first issue to be addressed was the suspension. For this, we contacted our longtime friend Henry Wang at Options Auto Salon, who recommended a CS-series coilover from TEIN. TEIN is one of Japan's leading manufacturers of sport and race suspension components, so we knew the parts would be of the highest quality. Also, they had just released an application for the SC430, making it a perfect choice. The new suspension was subsequently installed and adjusted to a ride height of 1.5" lower than stock.

Next up on the agenda was the rolling stock, and in true Wheel Experts' fashion, HRE was contacted to handle the wheel issue. We ended up choosing a set of the 549R style wheels, measuring 20x8.5 up front and 20x10.0 out back. We felt that the brushed aluminum finish really complemented the silver exterior well, and the results speak for themselves. The polished outer rims, measuring 2.0" on the front wheel and 3.0" on the rear, provide an aggressive, staggered look, which really brings out the best in the SC430's wide stance and rounded styling. The wheels were fitted to Bridgestone's award-winning S03 Pole Position tires, measuring 245/35/ZR20 fore and 285/30/ZR20 aft. Even with this aggressively-sized tire and wheel selection, it was not necessary to modify the body of the car in any way, shape, or form.

Now that the wheels were installed, we turned our attention to the body. We wanted to add something to the car that would complement its soft lines, rather than overdo or overshadow the rest of the vehicle. WALD USA came up with the perfect solution: its "executive line" styling package, consisting of an add-on front spoiler lip, side skirts, and an add-on rear spoiler lip. Since we had such great success with the fitment and quality of WALD products in the past thru our dealings with our clients, we knew this would be the way to go. The entire package was expertly prepped, painted, and installed by Ron Harvey and his staff at Midtown Auto Care & Auto Body.

Wheel Experts would like to thank all of the vendors and sponsors who have made this project possible - the entire staff at HRE Performance Wheels, Jon Pek at WALD USA, Bridgestone USA, Henry from Options Auto Salon, Midtown Auto Care, and Eric from TWCompetition. Future plans include a Brembo "Gran Turismo" big brake package, as well as some interior and exhaust upgrades. The car is slated to make its debut at the 2004 SEMA International Auto Salon, to be held in Los Angeles during the 1 st week April, so if you are in the area, please feel free to stop by and say hi. In the meantime, enjoy the picture gallery, and keep your eyes peeled for our next project, scheduled to debut sometime in late 2004.