Our third LS400, over 10 years from the last one.

[BodgerBen]

Our first LS400 (1994 MK1 ish) was used as a donor for Mrs BB’s track day car,  it’s engine and gearbox is in our Reliant Scimitar SE6A, I feel a bit rotten about that now, but that’s what happened back in the day, and the Scimitar is lovely.

That LS400 ran so well that we bought another (a 1998 MK iV) and Mrs BB used it as her everyday car; until her commute reduced 10 fold, from over 50 miles a day to about 5, at which time we sold the old girl with 173k on the clock, it now has 273k under it’s belt (just checked using the MOT checker).

Roll on 10 years or so, and I was after a Luxo barge.

Recently, Pistonheads shed of the week highlighted a LS400, and a local one was mentioned in the comments, Mrs BB said just buy it.

So I bought it, and we had a great morning out picking it up from the Isle of Wight, it’s got 150k on the clock and a full service history, but. There’s always a but. It needs a lot of work. All the tyres need replacing, one H rated, two V rated, and one non- extra load. The spare is an original Pirelli DHP 245. So a full set is needed.

I put it into our local valeters ( AK AutoKleen) who spent two days on it, and it needs a lot of paintwork. Boot lip, one rear door repaint, bits of the front wings, front and rear bumpers, both door mirrors, rear inner arches etc. It looks great from 10ft, but it really does need a bit of TLC.

Although it has not had any MOT issues with rot, the suspension looks like something from the Titanic, with suspension and normal paintwork, it must cost me three times the value of the car. 

The good things are that everything I have checked so far has been good, but I’d like it to be superb(ish).

Anyway, I now have my luxo barge, it’s going to be fun getting it back to a superb standard, and I have have had a great time reading lots of comments on this superb web site. It’s been a long time since I contributed and I can hardly believe it was back in 2008 when I joined. And no, I won’t be putting coil overs and LPG on this old girl like I did on our last MKIV (check out my posting history).- This old girl already has LPG, which we won’t be using, as the tank has been removed!

Once again I’ve loved reading up on some fantastic work people have been doing to their LS400’s

 

  

[cruisermark]

Lovely looking car - look forward to seeing it looking superb

I must add your drive and the view also looks superb!

[BodgerBen]

Thanks Mark.

The drive is now great, it’s taken a bit of time to get it where it is now, but it’s been worth it.

[Malc1]

Ben I think we are blessed to understand the " value " of these elderly Ls400s

Had my 2nd one a month now and whilst full of small / tiny ( effectively ) issues overall I shan't be trying to get her pristine ....  I understand the fallacy of that if she's going to be used as an everyday 2nd car even ..  and the effect of other road users doing even slight damage which would cause me some angst ........

other road users don't care a hoot about inflicting even slight damage on others ......... and they'll just bugger off and never leave that honesty to owning-up note .  I know !

Enjoy your Ls400 ......  I use each of mine every other day ..  and my 2006 Honda Legend for ULEZ area driving now

Well done rescuing a brilliant car worthy of more tlc and another 20 years of motoring 😇

Malc

[Boomer54]

1 hour ago, BodgerBen said:

Thanks Mark.

The drive is now great, it’s taken a bit of time to get it where it is now, but it’s been worth it.

I am a novice with cars ,but I have done more property renovation than most people have had hot dinners. So, I will just say that kind of material on a driveway is very prone to movement unless the base has been absolutely nailed.

What you see below is 6" cobble, BUT there is 8" of crushed rubble under the mortar on which it was bedded back in '95. I subscribe to the motto do it right once and you may never have to do it again. Wife's living testimony to that.

[BodgerBen]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Malc - I agree, we are not aiming for concours, but when we do stuff we like to do it correctly.

Stephen - the original part of the drive was down for 20 years and the pavers didn’t move when we had loads of skips during the renovation of the house. We then a fair few lorries carrying 20 tons of rock at a time, not a mark on the drive. There is about 30cm of base. As that base was good we used a rake to lift the old pavers ready to be replaced.

For the new part of the drive, once the rock then type1 was down a vibrating roller the size of a Range Rover shook the whole house compacting the base. We are on sandy soil, and the pavers are laid 10mm high from the edges, then compacted down. The trouble with our sandy soil, rock, type 1, sand and finally pavers is the pavers were shattering as they were compacted down!

I have no issues with full skip lorries on the drive - soil/hardcore etc. so a good 18 ton or more. 

As you say, do it once, do it right.

[BodgerBen]

I might as well add a picture of the Lexus engined Scimitar.

I haven’t updated this page for years, but the car had a full repaint including gel coat repairs at C&S Coachworks, so looks much better now.

Scimitar page

[Boomer54]

10 minutes ago, BodgerBen said:

I might as well add a picture of the Lexus engined Scimitar.

I haven’t updated this page for years, but the car had a full repaint including gel coat repairs at C&S Coachworks, so looks much better now.

Scimitar page

When I was but a callow youth that was my dream car !

[Malc1]

2 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

that was my dream car

Princess Anne had one if I remember ! 

But the  Ls400 ..          " wonderful limitless machine "

Malc

[Boomer54]

1 hour ago, Malc1 said:

Princess Anne had one if I remember ! 

But the  Ls400 ..          " wonderful limitless machine "

Malc

She did, she was in it when she picked me for our first date🙃

[Boomer54]

3 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

When I was but a callow youth that was my dream car !

What I actually got was this....

As we say up here 'a blind man on a fast horse' could hardly tell the difference.

[Boomer54]

1 hour ago, Boomer54 said:

She did, she was in it when she picked me for our first date🙃

Itw was destined not to work out due to a small misunderstanding over Blue Blood. She thought, you know what, and I meant I drink a shedload of....

[Razor61]

On 9/29/2023 at 9:38 PM, BodgerBen said:

It looks great from 10ft, but it really does need a bit of TLC.

Although it has not had any MOT issues with rot, the suspension looks like something from the Titanic, with suspension and normal paintwork, it must cost me three times the value of the car. 

I remember looking at the original advert and thinking it looks nice, plus it's one of the last LS400's and with electric folding door mirrors.
I did laugh at the comment 'the suspension looks like something from the Titanic', I know exactly what you mean. Although the suspension arms etc still 'work' (bushes are probably way past their best though), they can look really really bad, especially the rear arms and subframe.
Regarding the cost of replacing. I reckon for all the suspension stuff (excluding front strut bar arms and shocks/springs) - insulators - top mounts - bump stops - front strut bar bushes - front/rear drop links - arb bushes - tie rods - front lower ball joints - camber bolts - various nuts/bolts/washers - the cost would be around £1700 plus duty and tax etc from Amayama in Japan - if everything is bought at the same time to reduce overall shipping costs. You can at least double that cost and in my view the reality is you can treble the cost for UK prices. 

[Malc1]

When I was buying my Amayama UCAs a few years back the overall delivered cost after all Duty VAT whatever was about 50% of the Lexus/Toyota Main Dealer prices 

Malc

[Razor61]

4 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

When I was buying my Amayama UCAs a few years back the overall delivered cost after all Duty VAT whatever was about 50% of the Lexus/Toyota Main Dealer prices 

Malc

It depends what you buy. UCA's on their own are maybe 50% of UK prices landed. Other stuff is a lot cheaper compared to UK prices.
For example, rear drop links - 48830-22041   LINK ASSY, REAR STABILIZER
Amayama price from Japan - £24.14



UK LPD price - £192.58



plus if you buy a lot or all of the stuff you need, the overall price comes down compared to UK prices because the shipping costs are lower.

[BodgerBen]

Thanks guys.

I have a few odds n sods coming from amayama, the only advisory was for front anti roll bar drop links, so those and a few other bits are on the way.

I took the car to the bodyshop, they will de rust everything they can, which will make my life a bit easier seeing what needs replacing, 2K (ish) for a suspension refurb will be factored in.

The body needs, screen out and repair rot N/S top (just visible - but will have to wait and see when the screen is out), around the boot lip, front and rear bumpers, OSR door (has scratches that will not polish out), both front wings (just starting to bubble on lip), top of N/S B pillar, door mirror covers, inner rear arches (after cleaning you can just see the rot starting) and anything else found when doing that lot. It will go in for that lot over winter.

Our Forester had a similar refurbishment last year, so I know what can be found once you start prodding.

I will re-iterate, this car will be used as our summer cruiser, it will get scraped and scratched as the roads around here are narrow, it’s bound to get the odd ding. But I’d like the car to be reliable and comfortable. I’m not on Facebook, but Mrs BB is, I’ve just asked her to like LSCowboyLS.

Paul and Malcolm - I’ve spent a fair bit of time reading up on your posts, so thank you for all the info you have provided.

[Malc1]

You’re saving a wonderful car for perpetuity   Well done 

Keep us posted 

My 95 Mk3 is a Cat N write-off from some 5 years back   Fought like hell with the insurers to let me keep it on the road …… just a single rear door slightly squashed damage  and simply fixed ….. and kept 

SO take care your Ls400 is kept close to your heart eh ! 
Road Wars happen and silly things happen to undo the best laid plans 

Keep us posted with your progress please 

Malc 

 

[Razor61]

1 hour ago, BodgerBen said:

I’m not on Facebook, but Mrs BB is, I’ve just asked her to like LSCowboyLS.

I presume this relates to having the ECU rebuilt etc. - Relentless Motorsports is another option for the ECU and has a good reputation.

[BodgerBen]

We have had the estimate back from the bodyshop, which was just under my finger in the air guesstimate at 105 hours work plus materials, which I have accepted and I am currently awaiting when we can get it booked in. I’m hoping that they can work on it over winter and we can use it in the better weather next year.

In the mean time, I’ve been looking on amayama etc for suspension bits and bobs, as this is what it currently looks like, please note the shiny new spring 🙂

So whilst in for body work I may drop off a load of suspension bits that can be fitted instead on having to fit them myself. If I order pretty soon the bits may arrive before it’s in the workshop.

 

[Malc1]

105 hours sounds maybe a month’s work ! 
She’ll be with you by Christmas 😄

Malc 

[Malc1]

On 9/30/2023 at 12:35 PM, Malc1 said:

Princess Anne had one if I remember ! 

But the  Ls400 ..          " wonderful limitless machine "

Malc

This my 4th Ls400 in 25 years and Just got back from my Wales 5 day trip  812 miles @ 28.4mpg motorway / country lanes hills mountains and valleys / and today almost swimming thru’ serious flooded roads …… but back safe and to my mind brilliant mpg outcome …… for my “ new to me “   32 year old lady ….. supreme drive comfort and impeccable reliability for this her first major  “ test “ 

and beating the pants off a few Mercs and BMwobblewes t’boot in the process 

Malc