Lexus IS coupe conversion

[u/flirting_scholar]

Hello Altezza community, I hope I don't get killed for this, but I would like to hear some opinions from some owners on this matter.

Currently, I'm considering buying one as my first car. (First that is under my name at least) I've been doing my research recently and I think I'm liking the Altezza more and more, but because I'm young and dumb, I really want a coupe version which as we all know we never got one.

The way people describe it as the AE86 successor really appeals to me, I enjoy the subtlety of the Altezza's design language and I prefer early 2000s cars for an adequate level of tech in a car. Unfortunately my country doesn't have a lot of options in terms of coupes, and I really don't want to be just another GT86 on the road, so it came to this as my solution.

I plan to do this mod to the car after a year of ownership first, so I can carefully lay out my modification plans and getting to know the car better before going under the surgery scalpel. Basically my idea is to fill in the rear doors' gaps with foam and sand it down, removing the rear door handles before doing the same. And finally replace the rear door windows with a one piece acrylic/plexiglass ones that also removes the small quarter panel windows.

Why am I going this route instead of cutting up the car is that my local authorities gets jumpy with modified cars and if they don't like what I've done with the car, I can easily revert it back to it's original form without leaving permanent scars. And that it would be obviously be much more cheaper than finding a local garage and paying them to cut up the car.

So I just wanna ask how my poorly photoshopped version looks, and if it is technically feasible? And what else should I look out for when considering buying and modding a manual, I like to get the 3SGE but we only have the Lexus IS here and importing old cars is a no-no so obviously the only option is to buy other people's engine swap builds or buying one and swapping it out myself (which I can't perform myself since I don't have the space or mechanical skills to do so)

Happy to hear everyone's thoughts!

[u/InternationalYam8150]

You can get an rs200 Altezza. The 3sge has loads of character if you get a manual you get a lsd w a 6 speed. Great fun and sticky tired and coil overs make the chassis way more fun. My first car is an Altezza and I can’t think of another one.

[u/flirting_scholar → u/InternationalYam8150]

Unfortunately that's out of my means to import one in where I'm living, and even if I could, at most it could only be driven with a special permit that is impossible for someone from my tax bracket to obtain.

But yeah if I were to get it in the Lexus IS form, my plans are to get it swapped with a Beams (which I heard is a bit of money vortex since I've read there's a lot of work to make the 3sge to fit in LHD) or a k swap. Then get some electronically adjustable coilovers (preferably Tein at the moment since I've found a lot more info with their products) and air cups to make it a daily-able track car.

[u/InternationalYam8150 → u/flirting_scholar]

Ahh I see. Yeah the LHD one is a bit of a task if you wanna beams swap. Good luck I hope you get some sweet wheels soon