1998 Lexus GS300: A Sleeper car Built for Speed

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Marcus Sims - 1998 Lexus GS300

Instagram: @Kobaltgixxer

Photographer: Wayne Hunter

Instagram: @Hunterseyephotography

Performance Stats:400hp

The Roots of My Automotive Passion

My name is Marcus Sims, and I’m from Cumberland County—a small, rural area just outside of Richmond, Virginia. This quiet and humble place is where my lifelong passion for cars was born. Growing up surrounded by car culture, I was heavily influenced by my dad, Reggie Sims, and my late uncle, Bredell Sims, who worked as a mechanic at a local dealership. They were all about muscle cars. My dad owns a 1966 Pontiac LeMans with a small-block 400, while my uncle had a ’66 Chevelle SS with a 396. For my brothers and me, just hearing those cars fire up and roar down the road was pure magic. The burnouts, the revs, the pulls (in Mexico, of course)—that’s what sparked it all.

From go-karts and four-wheelers to dirt bikes and eventually our first cars and motorcycles, speed and performance were always at the center of our world. We’d spend hours performing basic maintenance and installing performance mods—cold air intakes, exhaust systems, and whatever else we could manage. There were long nights spent working on our cars, even on school nights. I remember working on my car past my usual bedtime in high school. My dad and uncle had a determination to finish every job, no matter how difficult or time-consuming. They might take a break and walk away, but they would never give up. I think that’s where I get my determination to this day.

My First Car Experiences

My older brother Chris’ first car was a 1991 Nissan 300ZX, and I loved that thing. I first saw it on Gran Turismo, and Chris always said he would get one. My friend Jamar and I would often talk him into letting us take it to local car meets. Behind the wheel of that Z, we felt unstoppable, and this experience ultimately got us into imports.

My real deep dive into modifying cars came with my 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse GST, which my parents bought for me after I lost my first car—an ’85 Nissan Maxima—in an accident. That DSM was my pride and joy. I tuned it into a little rocket, even though my dad would joke that it had a "little washing machine engine." But he wasn’t laughing the day we met at a red light, and I left his Jaguar S-Type far behind. My younger brother Malcolm followed in my footsteps—his first car was also a second-gen Mitsubishi Eclipse GST.

I've always had a love for drag racing, and Friday night runs at the local strip became a ritual. I remember one night making 13 passes in a row, just chasing faster times. My friends and I would race anything—even minivans. If it had an engine, we were going to race it.

The Transformation of My Lexus GS300

When I first bought my Lexus GS300, it was sitting on flashy 22” chrome wheels, which weren’t really my style. I swapped them out for 19x9.5 MRR HR3s and lowered it on BC Racing coilovers. It became my go-to cruiser for a few years, but everything changed after a visit to Japanese Classics’ open house in Richmond, VA.

A friend introduced me to Mike, the lead mechanic at Japanese Classics, who also owned a GS300—but his was packing a 2JZ-GTE with a big single turbo and a manual transmission swap. After the event, Mike pulled his car into an open lot and did a burnout that shook the ground, and I was sold. That very day, I bought a 2JZ-GTE from a Toyota Aristo that Japanese Classics had imported. Mike, being a master of the platform, did the swap for me. I dropped the car off on a Friday, and it was done by Sunday. That blew my mind.

We kept the OEM twin turbos and added a cat-back exhaust and a catless downpipe. I wanted to enjoy the OEM twins first before going big. I also added a Torsen LSD from an MK4 Supra. The car ran strong for a couple of years, bringing back the same thrill I felt with the Eclipse.

Earlier this year, my friend Corbyne introduced me to Niced Up Motorsports in North Carolina, who had previously built his MK4 Supra. I reached out for basic maintenance, but CJ there pitched some tempting upgrades. That conversation led to a full single turbo swap. Now, the GS300 is running a Precision 6266 ball-bearing turbo, a custom 3” exhaust and downpipe, a Walbro 342 fuel pump (still on stock fuel), and it puts down around 400hp at 14 psi. It sits on 19x9.5 and 19x11 Leon Hardiritt Waffe wheels wrapped in Continental SportContact tires and rides smoothly on BC coilovers.

The Thrill of Driving My Lexus GS300

I've loved owning this car. It's been super reliable and fun to drive. I consider it a total sleeper—being a four-door sedan, but when you step on the gas, it comes alive. When it hits full boost and the wastegate opens up, it's like an animal coming to life. It’s a fantastic car to cruise in.

1998 Lexus GS300: Performance Specifications

Engine:

2JZ-GTE, Walbro 342 fuel pump, Gates timing belt, Precision 6266 billet Gen 2, Precision 46mm wastegate, SPA cast manifold, TiAL blow-off valve, 3” custom exhaust, 3” downpipe

Exterior:

TTR front lip, Custom acrylic taillights, LED headlights, corners, and fog lights

Interior:

OEM Blackwood interior, AEM wideband, Pioneer head unit, Rockford Fosgate T1650 6-1/2” 2-way speakers, Rockford Fosgate T400 4-channel amplifier, Alpine Type R 12” subwoofer, JL Audio JD1000 mono amplifier

Wheels:

Leon Hardiritt Waffe 3-piece wheels, Front: 19x9.5 +25mm | Rear: 19x11 +22mm

Suspension and Brakes:

BC Racing BR Series coilovers, Megan Racing front camber kit upper control arms, Megan Racing rear arm kit, Sage RCAs, MK4 Toyota Supra TT front brakes with EBC brake pads

I purchased the engine from Japanese Classics in Richmond, VA, and their lead mechanic Mike installed it. Niced Up Motorsports in Greensboro, NC, installed the single turbo setup and custom exhaust.

Future Plans for My Lexus GS300

I plan to upgrade to a full standalone ECU, such as Haltech, along with a completely upgraded fuel system and injectors for E85. I also want to install a built transmission, a torque converter, a lighter wheel setup, and a shift kit. My ultimate goal is to achieve 700whp while maintaining the sleeper status of this four-door sedan. This car isn’t going anywhere—it’s staying in the family, just like my dad’s LeMans. Speaking of family, my cousin recently restored my uncle’s Chevelle in his honor.

Shout Outs

• Japanese Classics: Instagram

• Niced Up Motorsports: Website | Instagram

• Photographer Wayne Hunter: Instagram

Dream Car

My dream car is the Porsche GT3 RS.

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