razahyde Posted November 16, 2004 Posted November 16, 2004 Is there anyone here who might know if i can get a face change on my LS 400 1996 to a 98-00 Ls400 i have looked at some pictures and nothing seems to change and i think all i need is the lights, hood, fenders, bumper, grille is there anything i should know because i have a person selling me all that here is his exact quote "headlights 400 xenon 750, hood 300, grill 90, bumper cover 150, sidemarkers 60, fenders 300, total 1650 plus 200 shipping 1850 with xenons or 1500 with regular headlights" so should i go through with this or will i need to do major frame change and etc to get the 98 body to fit * im doing this just for the elegent look the Gen III Ls's have if you have seen them you know what i mean * I also attached some pictures of the cars This is what my current lexus looks like hood - http://i20.ebayimg.com/01/i/02/d7/14/ab_12_b.JPG Driver side - http://i8.ebayimg.com/01/i/02/d7/0e/c3_12.JPG Passenger side - http://i14.ebayimg.com/02/i/02/d7/16/57_12.JPG What i want to change to hood - http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/da/danschmitt/l185.jpg Driver side - http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/da/danschmitt/l187.jpg passenger side - http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/da/danschmitt/l182.jpg
SW03ES Posted November 16, 2004 Posted November 16, 2004 It is definately possible. I believe a couple of internal mounting structures have to be changed and the entire bumper assembly, including the reinforcement bars, not just the cover, have to be replaced. I know someone did it on another Lexus board, I think a body shop charged them $7000 to do it. So if you've got the parts for $1850 and you can find a place to do the tear down and install plus paint I'd say you could do the whole deal for $5,000.
razahyde Posted November 16, 2004 Author Posted November 16, 2004 by internal mounting structures what do you mean??? and can you get me the link to the other board i cant seem to find it
SW03ES Posted November 16, 2004 Posted November 16, 2004 No idea where the link would be, it was a long time ago. By internal structures I mean mounts for the headlamps, the mounting hardware for the bumper, the hood latching system etc.
SW03ES Posted November 16, 2004 Posted November 16, 2004 In all honesty though you might be better off to upgrade to a 98 when you factor in the cost of the job and the negative effect it will have on the value of your car (nobody's going to want a 96 that has undergone massive bodywork to look like a 98). I'm not convinced you wouldn't come out ahead. Plus you'll get the benefit of the increased power and other goodies.
silvermate Posted November 16, 2004 Posted November 16, 2004 i'm sorry but that idea and the #'s you have given just don't ake sense to me..... why don't you just sell your car and buy a Gen 3????????? thats so much trouble and so much money.....plus you would have to find a really good shop to do all of that, and labor on that would be a lot just buy a 98 or so LS and save urself some waisted money....i mean then u would have all the updates other than cosmetics that the Gen 3's have...engine ie......miles, all the updated equipment and everything else.
VMF Posted November 17, 2004 Posted November 17, 2004 why do that and not buy 98 LS instead? if you will do the change it will lower the value of your 96 LS pretty bad, any of those custom modifications lower the value of the vehicle and as major as yours it would be pretty hard to sell later on. just my 5c
SW03ES Posted November 17, 2004 Posted November 17, 2004 If I remember correctly the guy who did that to his gen III had been in an accident and all those components were being replaced anyways.
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