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My Name is Roy, I manage a small bodyshop in Austin Tx called Annihilator Customs. Back in 2012 is when i posted my first version of the is300
I Have gone though ups and downs with wanting to sell/keeping the car. You get that bug to start a new project and then realize the decision is harder that you thought.
I came up with a grand idea to rebuild the car once again for Wekfest Houston to ignite the love i had for the is300 once more. The Green paint to me had overstayed it's welcome and i was ready for some change. I wanted something that would be bright and in your face. So i go to the mixing bank and crank out sample after sample to find my color.
With the work load at the shop it left me with three weeks to dedicate my time for the build right before wekfest. I knew i had so much to accomplish but i enjoy working under pressure to test myself. Time to wipe off the 5 month dust and get to work.
With the new look i sold the air and went back to coilovers, I am rebuilding the motor later the year so i wanted to go for a track inspired look, as well as wider tires and less stretch for the 18x12 Ag mesh wheels. I sold the old kit and fenders and wanted a completely fresh look, the new tires didn't fit under the current fenders either. I try to think outside the bun and wanted to continue the track look so i ordered a carbon R35 GTR Diffuser and told myself that i could make this work.
I come up with another genius idea to add more work and design a custom hood to round off the look.
For the Quarter panels to clear the new tires i have to cut and widen the door jam and door... awesome one more major thing to execute. Now i will never say the way i perform my widebody work is better that anyone else. I do metal work, bang and shape it out. It takes forever. I see the cali guys making one entire flare out of metal and i look up to that work. I am like everyone else, i learn and grow from working on my personal car. My project back in 2012 was the first job i designed and did and continue to evolve the process. I am a shitty welder. but i spend more time smoothing it out and reworking the metal to make up for it.
After two weeks of metal work and numerous measurements things are starting to come together, this is my favorite part because throughout the process i keep looking at my shitty metal work and think will this even look presentable once its done ..... note this is 4am in the morning and i am running on 3-4 hrs of sleep each day.
Now at this point and time with 1 week left if i knew what i knew at this moment in time i would have said fuck that diffuser. The amount of time to chop, add, shape and blend was ridiculous, but here it was in the raw, so close to completion. I am going dual exhaust in the future so made two openings as well.
With Three days left she finally hits the booth, Went with a black metallic for the roof and accessories, and the heavyflow Red/gold mixture for the rest.
With two nights left before wekfest i start the assembly and buff. I call my close friends to help knowing i wouldn't have a chance doing it alone. Times like these are just a mixture of emotions, but i am so anxious to see it finished. We leave Saturday night to Houston around midnight, I am dead tired but driving the car for the first time with the new look has me on cloud 9. Its also a ritual for me to break something before any show. Each wekfest since 2012 something has happened :-/
Show day I can finally breath easy...
Next up is going to be the motor build which i am still torn on. I still have some other items i will be adding on to the is300 like canards, Rear wing, gandor mirrors, but i ran out of time to finish for wekfest.
I also retrofitted the jdm altezza lights with Jw speakers, a fun little side project.
Some finished full shots
I Have gone though ups and downs with wanting to sell/keeping the car. You get that bug to start a new project and then realize the decision is harder that you thought.
I came up with a grand idea to rebuild the car once again for Wekfest Houston to ignite the love i had for the is300 once more. The Green paint to me had overstayed it's welcome and i was ready for some change. I wanted something that would be bright and in your face. So i go to the mixing bank and crank out sample after sample to find my color.
With the work load at the shop it left me with three weeks to dedicate my time for the build right before wekfest. I knew i had so much to accomplish but i enjoy working under pressure to test myself. Time to wipe off the 5 month dust and get to work.
With the new look i sold the air and went back to coilovers, I am rebuilding the motor later the year so i wanted to go for a track inspired look, as well as wider tires and less stretch for the 18x12 Ag mesh wheels. I sold the old kit and fenders and wanted a completely fresh look, the new tires didn't fit under the current fenders either. I try to think outside the bun and wanted to continue the track look so i ordered a carbon R35 GTR Diffuser and told myself that i could make this work.
I come up with another genius idea to add more work and design a custom hood to round off the look.
For the Quarter panels to clear the new tires i have to cut and widen the door jam and door... awesome one more major thing to execute. Now i will never say the way i perform my widebody work is better that anyone else. I do metal work, bang and shape it out. It takes forever. I see the cali guys making one entire flare out of metal and i look up to that work. I am like everyone else, i learn and grow from working on my personal car. My project back in 2012 was the first job i designed and did and continue to evolve the process. I am a shitty welder. but i spend more time smoothing it out and reworking the metal to make up for it.
After two weeks of metal work and numerous measurements things are starting to come together, this is my favorite part because throughout the process i keep looking at my shitty metal work and think will this even look presentable once its done ..... note this is 4am in the morning and i am running on 3-4 hrs of sleep each day.
Now at this point and time with 1 week left if i knew what i knew at this moment in time i would have said fuck that diffuser. The amount of time to chop, add, shape and blend was ridiculous, but here it was in the raw, so close to completion. I am going dual exhaust in the future so made two openings as well.
With Three days left she finally hits the booth, Went with a black metallic for the roof and accessories, and the heavyflow Red/gold mixture for the rest.
With two nights left before wekfest i start the assembly and buff. I call my close friends to help knowing i wouldn't have a chance doing it alone. Times like these are just a mixture of emotions, but i am so anxious to see it finished. We leave Saturday night to Houston around midnight, I am dead tired but driving the car for the first time with the new look has me on cloud 9. Its also a ritual for me to break something before any show. Each wekfest since 2012 something has happened :-/
Show day I can finally breath easy...
Next up is going to be the motor build which i am still torn on. I still have some other items i will be adding on to the is300 like canards, Rear wing, gandor mirrors, but i ran out of time to finish for wekfest.
I also retrofitted the jdm altezza lights with Jw speakers, a fun little side project.
Some finished full shots
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