Toyota Celsior (Lexus LS400)

[[ryan]]

Hi,
I did a quick search and came accross nothing, So , I thought I'll start a new thread. I've been looking into VIP cars, as a possibility for a car next year. At the moment my main choice is a Cefiro, however one car has caught my eye as excellent value overall. The Toyota Celsior aka Lexus LS400. Equipment levels are very nice for the price and they look very nice. But, I'd be interested to find out a couple things if anybody could help me.

Model in question is the 1989 model, like this one:




1. I know they're a 4.0L V8, But, Which engine exactly do they use? Is it the same engine as the Soarers?


2. Is a manual conversion possible using the V8 engine, or would the car need to be converted to 1JZ, 2JZ or similar?


Cheers,
Ryan

[de_rift]

1UZFE Quadcam V8

Yes it is the same as the soarer V8

A manual conversion is possible, but it would not be as simple as slapping on a supra box. The auto box is controlled by the ecu (like most autos) so there is some stuffing around to do there and hence there are some problems to overcome when using aftermarket ECUs with auto boxes...

[CalaisClown]

Thats a pimpin car!

[[ryan]]

Originally posted by de_rift
1UZFE Quadcam V8

Yes it is the same as the soarer V8

A manual conversion is possible, but it would not be as simple as slapping on a supra box. The auto box is controlled by the ecu (like most autos) so there is some stuffing around to do there and hence there are some problems to overcome when using aftermarket ECUs with auto boxes...

Thanks for the reply. I realised that i would need ECU, as well as the usual things when doing manual conversion. (new pedals, etc)

Which gearbox & bell housing would i actually be using?

And, Which would be more cost-effective/better value for money - Converting the car to a JZA70 1JZ-GTE & Manual Box, or, converting the 1UZ-FE to Manual?


Cheers,
Ryan

[gianttomato]

IMHO, a big car like that is best enjoyed as an auto. I honestly don't know what you would gain by going manual.

Dellow, Castlemaine Rod shop and Carbontech make a conversion 'kit' to manualize a 1UZFE. They cost about 1K + cost of box and any tailshaft modifications. No idea what you would use as a manual pedal box but that's a minor concern. The electrics would also be a major hurdle.

[funkymonkey]

you can't drive a pimp style car manual... it jus goes against all the esthetics, besidesyou need 1 hand free for the lady in ya passenger seat.

I know the some of the local LS400 came out in manual, maybe you can get toyota to source parts for you? There are a few manual's with 1JZ engines lurking at the USS auctions. I've seen two already. That's the best I reckon, you can tune/mod i and you have ultimate pimpin loox.

[funkymonkey]

you can't drive a pimp style car manual... it jus goes against all the esthetics, besidesyou need 1 hand free for the lady in ya passenger seat.

I know the some of the local LS400 came out in manual, maybe you can get toyota to source parts for you? There are a few manual's with 1JZ engines lurking at the USS auctions. I've seen two already. That's the best I reckon, you can tune/mod i and you have ultimate pimpin loox.

[crx2gen]

i looked at that very car the other day, have a look through the 'sold' models prestige have there, some nice dish rims

[gianttomato]

ALL 1UZFEs came out with an auto.

[80DGY]

bling bling

[jizmstr0]

as others have suggested i would leave it as an auto. If you are after a race car just get a jza70 supra or something like that. If you want a pimpin car go the celsior and just fit an exhaust and listen to the rumble of a quad cam v8!

[Stang]

What are the prices like for these pimpmobiles? Not quite to my taste but they still look cool in their own way.

[darkstar]

I like them a lot as a luxuary car. They would go for around 10-13 delivered i would say + mods to get it on the road.

Great cars..... its a Merc-ota in my books

[Datto-Zed]

$11300 + on roads for the example pictured above.

[Babalouie]

The LS400 is a car I like a lot...and a price in the low-teens is great value. Wot's the typical mileage for the 15-yr cars (real mileage, not what they clock it to)

Also, wot's the spec of the Japanese market Celsiors? Aussie LS400s had coil spring suspensions, and push-button dashes.

...I wonder if (like the Soarer) there was an all bells and whistles spec of the Celsior with airbag suspension and TV-dash, because, like the Soarer, the base spec is preferable, and a lot less trouble.

[Datto-Zed]

There are a few different specs.....not sure ont he specifics of each of them, but the example above like many other celciors I've seen does have air suspension (and an aftermarket height controller ).

[Clown]

mmmmmmmmmmm verry nice

[Babalouie]

Originally posted by Datto-Zed
There are a few different specs.....not sure ont he specifics of each of them, but the example above like many other celciors I've seen does have air suspension (and an aftermarket height controller ).

Mm...I spose it's prolly like the Soarer, where the most desireable/lightest/most reliable base spec is the rarest...

[Datto-Zed]

Have a look at www.prestigemotorsport.com.au they have a few in stock and bunch of sold examples of various specs.

[[ryan]]

Top of the line models with VIP spec stuff go for around 11k on prestige, though, you can get them cheaper.

[[ryan]]

Well I've decided to let my Liscense decide. Since I'm on L's (I'm lazy and didnt get them for quite some time) and my Parent's cars are all Auto, I don't think I'm going to be able to learn manual unless i fork out $ for lessons. But anyway. If I end up getting Manual P's, I'll buy the Cefiro, if i get Auto P's, I'll get the Celsior. =)

I definately like Celsior's interiors better than Cefiro ones though, Cefiro interiors look very outdated.

[Jamx6]

As others know, I'm very keen on the LS400's. There was a fellow in Sydney selling a Celsior about 2 years ago - airbag suspension, rear seat controls (like the latter series of the car) - he brought the car with him from Dubai.

I wouldn't bother with a manualisation of an LS - they are best left auto with the, if you want, arm out the window dush dush dush look

:-)

Some of the Japanese kits are insane (try and get the HyperRev LS400 book...rear exhausts like *&(*& mortar launchers!) but all in all, a great car.

If you are in Sydney, there are always heaps in the paper - best to stick with a simple one (ie coil suspension) for ease of maintenance - the Targa Tassie video's have some shots of LS's with ahem no exhausts (or straight pipes!) and sounds wicked!!!

Try also www.clublexus.com and the forums in there for info

James

[Babalouie]

Manualisation of an LS400 might not be possible IMHO...the right bank of the engine is right up against the firewall (and next to the brake master), and there isn't the room for a clutch master cylinder.

[fatgts]

had one in the workshop last week

lovely cars

power everything and so dam smooth makes the bmw/merc look very bad back in 91

big car would be very nice to put the miss's in

i thought the v8 felt like it had a bit more power than the one that comes in the soarer

cheap and good quality

pete

[[ryan]]

fatgts: So they go OK or are they a total slug?

[Babalouie]

I think Wheels Magazine got 16.4s for the 400m from the Aussie LS400, which is prolly lighter than the all bells n whistles Jap version.

But there's a lot of potential to improve. The Celsior has very tall gearing (140km/h in 2nd gear!), and a very slushy torque convertor. Replacing the 3.6:1 diff with say a 4.3:1 LSD will do wonders (I wonder if the any of the JZA Supras has the right ratio?), and thge Yanks reckon that replacing the torque convertor is good for a 0.5s improvement over the quarter.

As a guide, Wheels got 15.2s out of the 1996 5-speed auto LS400, and that is prolly a good guide as to what it'll do with sensible gearing...a few breathing mods and a flat 15s might be possible

[AJC13B]

Im looking at LS400s! A few nice examples getting around, though I hear the series 1 versions are the pick of them all?

[Babalouie]

IMHO, the first shape is perhaps the best looking, but it isn't the fastest of the LS400s. They are fairly heavy at 1770kg, and have the least power at 184kw. Of the Mark 1s, the pick is the Series 3, which has 16inch wheels to house the bigger brakes.

The first of the Mark 2s were the lightest at 1710kgs (and still with 184kw, but the fastest is the VVT-i 5 speed auto Mark 3, which is 206kw, and probably a faster car than the current LS430.

But my favourite is the Mark 1 on the basis of looks (and yeah, price has something to do with it!). By and large, they drive with very little feel or feedback, but *somehow* end up being quite capable, and for a big car, the handling is quite oversteer-led.

I reckon a Mark 1 with a 4.3:1 LSD, breathing mods (to get that lovely crisp V8 sound), hi-po torque convertor, and a good Bilstein lowered suspension would be a surprisingly fast thing on road and track.

[Jamx6]

When I first started looking at Ls's, I though they were quick but after a while, I realised that actually not that quick off the line but very SVX-like, once moving they have a lot of punch and can be hussled along quite quickly.

The teal green with tan interior is, for my 2.2cents, the best combo in the early series.

But sooooooooooooooo comfy! Unfortunately, only a single car garage now so the SVX lives inside and Camry outside...LS will have to wait.

AJC - what have you seen thus far?

[Jamx6]

Just saw this in a Lexus forum - may be of interest (those wheels are EXCELLENT!! - favourite of mine!)

http://www.alsc.aus.as/messages/1/9242.html?1056004749