1990 Lexus LS400 - Donegal or bust!
Discussion
Like most (if not all?) of us here at PH, cars are an addiction for me. It was something that was inevitable, as my family has been in the motor trade for over 100 years spanning back generation after generation. So of course, this addiction has taken hold again...
My current fleet is:
'99 Accord Type R (the weekend looney)
'07 Volvo S60 T5 manual with 442hp (looks like a grandad car. Goes like proverbial off a shovel)
'10 Lexus RX450H (Fantastic car. Does all our towing and kid duties with ease)
'93 R32 V-Spec (Currently in Japan)
...and then an assortment of various parts cars and motorbikes. A varied taste, one might say
One thing that I have been really hankering for lately however, is a big old wafter, and another thing I am a sucker for is cars that need saving - "stop buying bloody strays" as SWMBO says
So imagine my delight last week when I'm doom scrolling on FB marketplace and see this.
Up for a suspiciously cheap price compared to what they usually make, I made contact with the seller - who turned out to be an absolute gent - and went to go see it.
A very early 1990 LS400, in arguably the most desirable spec. Black on Black bodywork, cream extended leather, no air suspension (troublesome), no traction control (also troublesome) and no sunroof (guess what I'm going to say?). Only 80k miles on the clock, with 1 owner for the majority of its life. The underbody is very clean with no rot, and the bodywork whilst needing a good clean and polish, is actually in very fine order. The deal also includes a whole heap of spares, which may or may not come in handy.
A couple of days later the seller put the original wheels back on and got it ready for transport:
And today it's been picked up and is on the way to my workshop as I type this out:
I'll have more updates as and when the car arrives and I work on it, but you may ask what's the point in making this thread? Well, I'm going to use this thread to document all costs involved as well as showcase the work done to the car, as eventually I'm going to sell it. The current plan is to get it back on the road within 4 weeks ready for something in Ireland called Donegal Rally - for those that don't know, Donegal Rally is a single weekend every June, that turns a small town in Ireland into Japan. For that weekend, you'll see all the best cars come out of hiding from around the country. Couple that with watching rally cars take huge leaps over the rolling hills of Donegal, copious amounts of alcohol with your friends, and very questionable sleeping arrangements that get you in the local paper, you're guaranteed to have one hell of a time!
So, back to the LS400 - What does it need?
Timing belt kit and waterpump
Full service and checkover
New tyres (I've already bought some cool wheels and tyres from a mate)
A full detail inside and out
NCT
...and I'm hoping that's mostly it! As I said, it does run and drive, but I won't know until it's fully legal to go on the road, however the engine was running truly beautifully. So smooth!
Costs:
Car - 5000 (before you wince, remember it's not 2018 anymore when these were picked up for a bag of Haribo and a firm handshake)
Transport - 350
Wheels and Tyres - 300
Timing belt kit and waterpump from Toyota - 578
Full service kit plus miscellaneous other preventative maintenance items - 725
Total: 6953
There's gonna be some other costs like NCT etc, but I'm hoping to have it all said and done for around 7500.
More updates to come!
My current fleet is:
'99 Accord Type R (the weekend looney)
'07 Volvo S60 T5 manual with 442hp (looks like a grandad car. Goes like proverbial off a shovel)
'10 Lexus RX450H (Fantastic car. Does all our towing and kid duties with ease)
'93 R32 V-Spec (Currently in Japan)
...and then an assortment of various parts cars and motorbikes. A varied taste, one might say
One thing that I have been really hankering for lately however, is a big old wafter, and another thing I am a sucker for is cars that need saving - "stop buying bloody strays" as SWMBO says
So imagine my delight last week when I'm doom scrolling on FB marketplace and see this.Up for a suspiciously cheap price compared to what they usually make, I made contact with the seller - who turned out to be an absolute gent - and went to go see it.
A very early 1990 LS400, in arguably the most desirable spec. Black on Black bodywork, cream extended leather, no air suspension (troublesome), no traction control (also troublesome) and no sunroof (guess what I'm going to say?). Only 80k miles on the clock, with 1 owner for the majority of its life. The underbody is very clean with no rot, and the bodywork whilst needing a good clean and polish, is actually in very fine order. The deal also includes a whole heap of spares, which may or may not come in handy.
A couple of days later the seller put the original wheels back on and got it ready for transport:
And today it's been picked up and is on the way to my workshop as I type this out:
I'll have more updates as and when the car arrives and I work on it, but you may ask what's the point in making this thread? Well, I'm going to use this thread to document all costs involved as well as showcase the work done to the car, as eventually I'm going to sell it. The current plan is to get it back on the road within 4 weeks ready for something in Ireland called Donegal Rally - for those that don't know, Donegal Rally is a single weekend every June, that turns a small town in Ireland into Japan. For that weekend, you'll see all the best cars come out of hiding from around the country. Couple that with watching rally cars take huge leaps over the rolling hills of Donegal, copious amounts of alcohol with your friends, and very questionable sleeping arrangements that get you in the local paper, you're guaranteed to have one hell of a time!
So, back to the LS400 - What does it need?
Timing belt kit and waterpump
Full service and checkover
New tyres (I've already bought some cool wheels and tyres from a mate)
A full detail inside and out
NCT
...and I'm hoping that's mostly it! As I said, it does run and drive, but I won't know until it's fully legal to go on the road, however the engine was running truly beautifully. So smooth!
Costs:
Car - 5000 (before you wince, remember it's not 2018 anymore when these were picked up for a bag of Haribo and a firm handshake)
Transport - 350
Wheels and Tyres - 300
Timing belt kit and waterpump from Toyota - 578
Full service kit plus miscellaneous other preventative maintenance items - 725
Total: 6953
There's gonna be some other costs like NCT etc, but I'm hoping to have it all said and done for around 7500.
More updates to come!
Edited by NateWM on Friday 22 May 13:56
Lovely.
I hated these when they came out but over the years that view has changed.
A 1995 one went through the classic auction at Errol last weekend and part of me wishes I'd taken a chance on it, although the thought of having to sleep in the garage when I brought it home tempers that feeling a bit.
I hated these when they came out but over the years that view has changed.
A 1995 one went through the classic auction at Errol last weekend and part of me wishes I'd taken a chance on it, although the thought of having to sleep in the garage when I brought it home tempers that feeling a bit.
Always had an interest in rallying then in 1983 I picked up a hitchhiker on the M5 motorway who was on his way to the Donegal Rally . He gave me his set of regs and I was hooked , did it in 84 and spent the next few decades and a small fortune on the addiction . Great cars the 400 and perfect for your intentions . Meeke for the win btw 
Great cars, engines are a work of art! I bought mine 2.5 years ago to do a 2 to 3 day per week commute and ferry the kids around, and just done over 30k miles in it during that time and costs have been £800 to date, plus fuel. They look a bit dated but certainly don’t feel it. A comfy and quiet ride, and not a bad turn of speed either!
I often think of replacing it to buy something more modern but it does what I need it to do so well, and with no fuss
I often think of replacing it to buy something more modern but it does what I need it to do so well, and with no fuss
Thanks for the kind words chaps!
So an update as promised...
The car was dropped off into the yard around 5pm yesterday:
Moved it into its spot for now. Will soon go into the workshop once I've made room.
First port of call was getting it up on axle stands, wheels off, and a thorough clean and inspect....I also removed those ghastly chrome arch covers
Happy to report that no nasty surprises were found so far. No rot, infact underneath is incredibly clean. Some very minor bubbling on one of the arches, and the paintwork needs one hell of a polish, but I'm not worried about that for now. Bushes and everything else looks good, but time will tell once I get behind the wheel. Once running and driving, I'll get it on the ramp and underseal all the arches, paint the brakes and suspension etc - a freshen up in general.
Main focus today was sorting the spares it came with, and get into the timing belt job....the car has literally came with enough spares to build another LS400 so I'm fairly confident I'll have spares needed in future.
Strip down went fairly smoothly. Distributors and rotors are both corroded and cracked, despite how well it runs - I bought new ones in anticipation of this:
But most surprising, was when I double checked the timing before removing the belt:
That is the cam sprocket on bank 1 a tooth or so out
easily done I suppose, but still surprising how smooth it ran
Anyway, got everything stripped off:
And then all back together (timing wise) with genuine Toyota stuff
my wallet is still crying.
And that's all she wrote for today. Timing has been triple checked and it's perfect, so fingers crossed that tomorrow should hopefully be the first start!
So an update as promised...
The car was dropped off into the yard around 5pm yesterday:
Moved it into its spot for now. Will soon go into the workshop once I've made room.
First port of call was getting it up on axle stands, wheels off, and a thorough clean and inspect....I also removed those ghastly chrome arch covers
Happy to report that no nasty surprises were found so far. No rot, infact underneath is incredibly clean. Some very minor bubbling on one of the arches, and the paintwork needs one hell of a polish, but I'm not worried about that for now. Bushes and everything else looks good, but time will tell once I get behind the wheel. Once running and driving, I'll get it on the ramp and underseal all the arches, paint the brakes and suspension etc - a freshen up in general.
Main focus today was sorting the spares it came with, and get into the timing belt job....the car has literally came with enough spares to build another LS400
so I'm fairly confident I'll have spares needed in future.Strip down went fairly smoothly. Distributors and rotors are both corroded and cracked, despite how well it runs - I bought new ones in anticipation of this:
But most surprising, was when I double checked the timing before removing the belt:
That is the cam sprocket on bank 1 a tooth or so out
easily done I suppose, but still surprising how smooth it ran Anyway, got everything stripped off:
And then all back together (timing wise) with genuine Toyota stuff
my wallet is still crying.And that's all she wrote for today. Timing has been triple checked and it's perfect, so fingers crossed that tomorrow should hopefully be the first start!
Really splendid stuff, these are fantastic cars. The black is just perfect and the paint quality was so good when new I suspect it will come up a treat.
I picked up a grey on dark grey one when I was 24 and picked my parents up fron Heathrow in it with a chaffeurs cap - she still tells that story!
Like you I gave it a good service and proper tyres, never caused me any issues and did 2 years and 15k.
Thanks you for taking of the chrome sheel trims - I trust they were flung over the horizon.
Does the steering column automated memory position still work, and did you get the Lexus classical music CD yo test the sound system?
I picked up a grey on dark grey one when I was 24 and picked my parents up fron Heathrow in it with a chaffeurs cap - she still tells that story!
Like you I gave it a good service and proper tyres, never caused me any issues and did 2 years and 15k.
Thanks you for taking of the chrome sheel trims - I trust they were flung over the horizon.
Does the steering column automated memory position still work, and did you get the Lexus classical music CD yo test the sound system?
Spinakerr said:
Thanks you for taking of the chrome sheel trims - I trust they were flung over the horizon.
Does the steering column automated memory position still work, and did you get the Lexus classical music CD yo test the sound system?
Next time you see a shooting star, you'll come to find it is instead those chrome arch trims re-entering the atmosphere! Bloody awful looking things....As for the sound system, I did indeed check it out and unfortunately nearly every single speaker is blown Does the steering column automated memory position still work, and did you get the Lexus classical music CD yo test the sound system?
and I don't mean "amp is dead" blown, I mean literally frazzled apart. Disappointing, but I have some upgraded ones on the way for not a lot of money. Electric steering column still works though! Palmela said:
I've always liked these Lexus saloons, although mine was a 430. Yours looks to be in pretty solid nick.
Your purchase price did make me wince though, despite your correct comment on post-Covid pricing.
The 430 was a great car. Thankfully yes, the underside of this one is solid - just needs a little tickle with some paint and underseal Your purchase price did make me wince though, despite your correct comment on post-Covid pricing.
I know what you mean about the pricing. I did ponder for a second whether I spent too much, but low mileage rot free examples rarely come up for sale here in Ireland, and when they do, they're easily selling for 10k+. The plan is to eventually find a good home for this one. Part of the fun for me is saving them and getting them back on the road. 
UPDATE:
I spent bits of the weekend tinkering away, and am happy to announce that it's alive and running delightful!
Pictured there was just after a quick initial start. I've since put on a few ancillaries and the radiator so that I could get it upto temp and check for leaks - all good
Of course, like any car that hasn't (legally) seen the road since 2012, there was some hiccups consisting of:
1. I received the wrong distributor caps and rotors
hence the reason I didn't bother putting all the covers and trims back on. Correct ones are on the way.2. Charging voltage is low. Seeing around 12.5v to 12.8v when running, so not ideal. I haven't checked voltage at the alternator yet, so fingers crossed it's a circuit issue. Thankfully I can have this one rebuilt for not alot of money or even buy one off the shelf, but I have to do more checks.
3. Niggly annoying electrical issues - Nothing insane, but none of the door electrics work, the drivers seat only slides back and forth (I have spare seat internals if needs be) and the headlights stay on high beam when turned on. Not too concerned about any of this for now.
4. Fan clutch is making an absolute racket. It did quieten down a bit after a while, but I suspect the one way clutch is fubared. A replacement is on the way as well as a new pulley due to a snapped stud.
The good news, is that the engine ran so good! Even with the nasty rotors and Dizzy's back on due to being supplied the wrong ones, it didn't stutter or misfire. It just ran so smooth, so quiet
and sounds very very healthy. Transmission goes into gear fine. No smoke or concerning noises from the engine, no leaks, nothing! The proper test will be after a good drive, but so far I'm very happy I gave the car a full service except for the engine oil (I'll be throwing a flush into it first) but judging from the condition of all the fluids, plugs etc, it was clearly a well cared for car - it also has a great amount of paperwork with it, which funnily enough I found in the boot behind the untouched and clearly never used original toolkit!
Things are going well. Next step whilst waiting on parts is investigate the low voltage and electrical gremlins.
Oh and for any bikers amongst us, I thought this was pretty cool:
Midway through working on the Lexus, this lovely bunch turned up out the blue seeking tyre repairs (I own a motorcycle restoration business) - they came all the way from Australia to tour Ireland, then they're heading off to India and farther afield! The jealousy I felt was tremendous
I don't know much about Lexii but that looks lovely.
There's a chap near Dublin who has a couple of 1990's Alfa saloons (166es) and the road tax is eyewatering.. out of interest, what's the annual rate for yours? I wonder if the tax cost was part of the story behind it falling into disuse?
There's a chap near Dublin who has a couple of 1990's Alfa saloons (166es) and the road tax is eyewatering.. out of interest, what's the annual rate for yours? I wonder if the tax cost was part of the story behind it falling into disuse?
courty said:
I don't know much about Lexii but that looks lovely.
There's a chap near Dublin who has a couple of 1990's Alfa saloons (166es) and the road tax is eyewatering.. out of interest, what's the annual rate for yours? I wonder if the tax cost was part of the story behind it falling into disuse?
Only 56 euro a year due to being vintage. If not, it would be upwards of €2000 p/a. My current daily is a 2.4 litre Volvo and that's nearly €1500 There's a chap near Dublin who has a couple of 1990's Alfa saloons (166es) and the road tax is eyewatering.. out of interest, what's the annual rate for yours? I wonder if the tax cost was part of the story behind it falling into disuse?
UPDATE:
I'd hoped to do more over the bank holiday weekend, but other priorities got in the way.... HOWEVER!
Reggie (as he is affectionately now known) finally hit the road!
First job was get all the covers and most of the engine bay together:
I left off the front cover to keep an eye on that radiator fan after my repair. All seems well so far.
I collected the "new" wheels over the weekend:
They're in decent nick. No bends or buckles, but the faces need a lick of paint which I'll sort soon. Tyres it came with are decent with lots of life, but will eventually be changed for something more premium.
Next was getting all the covers on, lubing all the brakes, slap in the trade plates and go for a spin!
A careful eye was cast on the gauges, and all was good. The gearbox shifted perfectly, no abnormal noises other than a slightly grouchy strut mount on full lock, and my goodness....how smooth and quiet it is! Not a single squeak or rattle from the interior.
Not all was plain sailing however! After a few miles and with a bit of temperature in the car, I was greeted with an engine light and a rather grumpy engine at low revs/slight throttle. I was already intending to get fresh fuel, so diverted to my local garage and threw in 3/4 of a tank of fresh juice, as well as some petrol system cleaner. I then headed for home, driving like my hair was on fire most of the way....well if I'm gonna test it, it needs some Italian throttle input, no?
Thankfully this cured it, and to be sure, I immediately changed the fuel filter (which was absolutely diabolically bad and looked original!!) and then went out for another blat....50 or so miles of mixed driving, with not a single hiccup. No misfires, no stutters, even the engine light went out! Fingers crossed it's all good, but I will be plugging in the diagnostic computer to clear any old codes and check again after another drive.
Feeling happy with myself, I tied the evening off with a couple of "test spots" of polishing the paint:
And then tucked away until tomorrow:
So the mechanicals are mostly done and technically, it can now go in for NCT.
Next step is sort the faulty headlight switch and windscreen washers, then onto cosmetics!
Oh I forgot to add, but from my last update:
1. I received the wrong distributor caps and rotors hence the reason I didn't bother putting all the covers and trims back on. Correct ones are on the way. Sorted! New and correct ones are now on. HT leads were tested and passed, so kept the originals on.
2. Charging voltage is low. Seeing around 12.5v to 12.8v when running, so not ideal. I haven't checked voltage at the alternator yet, so fingers crossed it's a circuit issue. Thankfully I can have this one rebuilt for not alot of money or even buy one off the shelf, but I have to do more checks. A few heat cycles and taps of a hammer seem to have resolved this Maybe it was sticky brushes from lying up, maybe it's starting to die....will have to keep an eye on it, but for now it's charging.
3. Niggly annoying electrical issues - Nothing insane, but none of the door electrics work, the drivers seat only slides back and forth (I have spare seat internals if needs be) and the headlights stay on high beam when turned on. Not too concerned about any of this for now. 3 loom connectors were disconnected on the doors. I suspect this from from the PO when he replaced the door lock - but that solved my issues with locking the car. Seat and headlight switch still need fixing.
4. Fan clutch is making an absolute racket. It did quieten down a bit after a while, but I suspect the one way clutch is fubared. A replacement is on the way as well as a new pulley due to a snapped stud. Managed to repair the original fan and pulley and so far all seems well - I'll keep the replacements close by and depending on their condition may just change them.
1. I received the wrong distributor caps and rotors
hence the reason I didn't bother putting all the covers and trims back on. Correct ones are on the way. Sorted! New and correct ones are now on. HT leads were tested and passed, so kept the originals on.2. Charging voltage is low. Seeing around 12.5v to 12.8v when running, so not ideal. I haven't checked voltage at the alternator yet, so fingers crossed it's a circuit issue. Thankfully I can have this one rebuilt for not alot of money or even buy one off the shelf, but I have to do more checks. A few heat cycles and taps of a hammer seem to have resolved this
Maybe it was sticky brushes from lying up, maybe it's starting to die....will have to keep an eye on it, but for now it's charging.3. Niggly annoying electrical issues - Nothing insane, but none of the door electrics work, the drivers seat only slides back and forth (I have spare seat internals if needs be) and the headlights stay on high beam when turned on. Not too concerned about any of this for now. 3 loom connectors were disconnected on the doors. I suspect this from from the PO when he replaced the door lock - but that solved my issues with locking the car. Seat and headlight switch still need fixing.
4. Fan clutch is making an absolute racket. It did quieten down a bit after a while, but I suspect the one way clutch is fubared. A replacement is on the way as well as a new pulley due to a snapped stud. Managed to repair the original fan and pulley and so far all seems well - I'll keep the replacements close by and depending on their condition may just change them.
Gad-Westy said:
Love this. I keep half an eye out for early LS400 s. There aren t many around. Or at least not for sale. That polishing is going to make quite a difference isn t it?!
Thanks!Yes LS's as a whole have gone very scarce these days. In Ireland, lots were butchered for their engines for boyracers and their IS200s
thankfully for owners though, this resulted in values on good LS400s going up, and they're progressively on an upward scale especially now that they're vintage and cheap to run....except for petrol Looking forward to finishing the polishing. Single stage paint is always my favourite to work with. I'm just glad the mechanicals are OK....the misfire and lumpyness it has yesterday due to old fuel did make me nervous as to whether it was the ECU leaking it's capacitors, which is common on these, but thankfully it seems happy and it was just down to old fuel and a fuel filter full of rust!
Great progress there Nate.
I also have a soft spot for LS400’s, and am guilty of putting a 1UZFE in my SE6A.
So am responsible for the demise of one old LS400, but I think it was worth it.
My current luxobarge is a 1999 LS400 that is superb.
This is a great thread and good luck getting the car finished
I also have a soft spot for LS400’s, and am guilty of putting a 1UZFE in my SE6A.
So am responsible for the demise of one old LS400, but I think it was worth it.
My current luxobarge is a 1999 LS400 that is superb.
This is a great thread and good luck getting the car finished
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