The Lexus IS 300 of which has been modded, or riced, out by Senior Alex Tran. Photo by Vinh Nguyen.By Theo Vuong, Staff Writer
Amidst the numerous Hondas and Toyotas that adorn our school’s parking lot, one particular Lexus IS 300 stands out. Whether it’s the flashy holographic stickers that catch your eye or the roar of its engine that resonates in your ears, senior Alex Tran and his vehicle are one in the same, bound to catch your attention wherever they go.
“Ever since I was in middle school, I’ve had an interest in cars. Watching shows like Initial D and movies like Tokyo Drift really sparked my passion for cars,” said Tran.
Tran purchased his used car in September, when he was a junior. It initially had no modifications and the previous owner kept it very good condition.
The first modifications were purely cosmetic. On his 17th birthday in December, Tran received a new “lip” and “grill” as presents from his close friends. Unfortunately, he lost the lip and had to find a replacement. Now, his lip remains bolted to the bumper.
Four months after his first modification, Tran began work to improve the performance of his vehicle. He changed his closed air intake system to a cold air intake system. It changed the throttle response, allowing the car to accelerate faster. Afterwards, Tran purchased coilovers to lower the suspension of his car. His goal was to lower its center of gravity and improve handling.
“Driving with these modifications makes the overall ride extremely smooth and clean. The silly thing is though, my car is rather low and I really have to watch myself over speedbumps. I’ll go from speed demon to a grandma’s speed,” said Tran.
The stereotypical roar the vehicle stems from Tran’s use of a custom exhaust system, which increases the overall noise of the car, but allows better regulation of the engine. Following this purchase, Tran upgraded his set of wheels for a sleeker appearance and even tighter handling.
With all of the performance modifications out of the way, Tran then looked towards improving the looks of his car. He switched out the driver’s seat for a bucket chair, similar to the ones used in real racecars and drift machines. Plastered on his windows are “slaps” from Never Content, which depict cartoon figures or feature phrases written in Japanese kanji.
While the car is definitely modded out, Tran seeks one last addition to his ride.
“The thing that would complete this car is the switch from automatic transmission to manual. It would be so cool to drive just like the movies,” said Tran.
Catch Tran and his IS 300 tearing up the streets of Fountain Valley or simply cruising in the parking lot. Just be careful not to damage it or face the wrath of one passionate car owner.
