200 Front End Sheetmetal Swap Onto LX570?

[Boston Mangler]

Hey All

During my 200 hunt, i am seeing WAYYY more 570s available around here (SoCal).

I've read all the indepth mechanical differences, etc, and fully understand the differences and quirks of each.

However, i REALLLLLY dont like the look of the 570 front end compared to the 200.

Those that have been around awhile know i like doing some crazy stuff and not afraid to get dirty and make what i cant find...

I have searched and searched and havent found much regarding a swap of the front end sheet metal off a 200 onto a 570.

Hoods seem the same.

So it would likely be fenders, headlights, grille. Bumper will be aftermarket anyway so thats a non issue.

Anyone done this have FIRST HAND experience???

Curious how different the radiator support, headlight brackets, and behind the grille support stuff is.

For those that might say its more headache than its worth, hold my whiskey, watch this...

NOTE: For those newer here, I am one of the guys that first retrofit 80 elockers into my 60 damn near 20 years ago, soooooo

 

[TimCFJ40]

Kurt from Cruiser Outfitters updated their Baja Race Truck Monica from an LX to the latest LC Sheet Metal. @cruiseroutfit may have more info.

 

[CharlieS]

Any feelings about the Cruiser front end with the LX rear cargo side window shape and rear hatch/lights? Seems like it would be a wierd mashup.

And I haven't done it, so I don't know jack, but Kurt and team have shown the LX to LC front end swap can be done. How much time, money and work is another question altogether.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

We‘ve swapped from the LX sheet metal to the older 200 and just recently the newer 16+ 200.

Hood
Fenders
Inner Fenders
Core Support
Headlights
Grill
Bumper
and a ton of little brackets and hardware along the way

 

[Boston Mangler]

We‘ve swapped from the LX sheet metal to the older 200 and just recently the newer 16+ 200.

Hood
Fenders
Inner Fenders
Core Support
Headlights
Grill
Bumper
and a ton of little brackets and hardware along the way

Perfect…. Thank you sir

 

[CharlieS]

@cruiseroutfit
Kurt,

Why does the rear end of Monica look more land cruiser-y?

I thought the 2016+ LX had a more angular rear window and different cargo doors/lights...

Or are you mating a 16+ land cruiser front end sheet metal to an earlier generation LX 570 chassis?

 

[grinchy]

Hey All

During my 200 hunt, i am seeing WAYYY more 570s available around here (SoCal).

I've read all the indepth mechanical differences, etc, and fully understand the differences and quirks of each.

However, i REALLLLLY dont like the look of the 570 front end compared to the 200.

Those that have been around awhile know i like doing some crazy stuff and not afraid to get dirty and make what i cant find...

I have searched and searched and havent found much regarding a swap of the front end sheet metal off a 200 onto a 570.

Hoods seem the same.

So it would likely be fenders, headlights, grille. Bumper will be aftermarket anyway so thats a non issue.

Anyone done this have FIRST HAND experience???

Curious how different the radiator support, headlight brackets, and behind the grille support stuff is.

For those that might say its more headache than its worth, hold my whiskey, watch this...

NOTE: For those newer here, I am one of the guys that first retrofit 80 elockers into my 60 damn near 20 years ago, soooooo

waiting for this thread to appear. go go go @Boston Mangler

 

[Boston Mangler]

waiting for this thread to appear. go go go @Boston Mangler

Ha.. might be awhile, but there will most definitely be a thread covering the conversion if I can’t find the right 200

 

[Boston Mangler]

Any feelings about the Cruiser front end with the LX rear cargo side window shape and rear hatch/lights? Seems like it would be a wierd mashup.

Rear cargo windows and lights, rear end are fine with me.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

@cruiseroutfit
Kurt,

Why does the rear end of Monica look more land cruiser-y?

I thought the 2016+ LX had a more angular rear window and different cargo doors/lights...

View attachment 3274739


Or are you mating a 16+ land cruiser front end sheet metal to an earlier generation LX 570 chassis?

We didn't change the back end to anything... it's still a ~2012 era LX570. The newer LX570 rear is a bit different yet.

 

[82SC]

There are great videos from overseas of places that upgrade old 200 to new 200 face’s.

Looks popular in India and SE Asia.

I bought a non OEM heritage grille from part of a kit from a place called NOX in Puerto Rico or Dom Rep I think.

You might be able to source a kit from one of them.

 

[TeCKis300]

@cruiseroutfit
Kurt,

Why does the rear end of Monica look more land cruiser-y?

I thought the 2016+ LX had a more angular rear window and different cargo doors/lights...

View attachment 3274739


Or are you mating a 16+ land cruiser front end sheet metal to an earlier generation LX 570 chassis?

I might be mistaken as there were at least a few original LX570 baja builds. IIRC, one was rolled. One is somewhere in the middle east. And then there's the build that now identifies as Monica.

This maybe her original form.

 

[CharlieS]

I might be mistaken as there were at least a few original LX570 baja builds. IIRC, one was rolled. One is somewhere in the middle east. And then there's the build that now identifies as Monica.

This maybe her original form.

Cool video!

Kurt answered it - earlier LX chassis with 2016 Cruiser front end.

 

[Boston Mangler]

I might be mistaken as there were at least a few original LX570 baja builds. IIRC, one was rolled. One is somewhere in the middle east. And then there's the build that now identifies as Monica.

This maybe her original form.

The Original Baja Cruiser that rolled during a race was an 80 series…

I know because I drove it for the first 250 miles of the race.

Oh The Memories. (2007)

 

[Boston Mangler]

Also worth noting. @cruiseroutfit (and others) were a HUGE help in that 80 build with parts.

Was all excited to meet the legendary Kurt in person finally a few years ago at Cruise Moab but he decided to go play on an iceberg or some s*** instead and I’m still sad

 

[TeCKis300]

The Original Baja Cruiser that rolled during a race was an 80 series…

I know because I drove it for the first 250 miles of the race.

Oh The Memories. (2007)

View attachment 3274821

Tell us more. Love these background stories that rarely get told. How did you like the 80-series in the Baja?

Joe Bacal definitely also rolled one of the earlier LX570 builds.

Lexus LX Racer Joe Bacal Drives Off Mountain During Baja 500

During the <a href=

lexusenthusiast.com

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Also worth noting. @cruiseroutfit (and others) were a HUGE help in that 80 build with parts.

Was all excited to meet the legendary Kurt in person finally a few years ago at Cruise Moab but he decided to go play on an iceberg or some s*** instead and I’m still sad

We need to solve that!

 

[Boston Mangler]

We need to solve that!

I’ll be back up in the Arctic in September for Aurora and Grizzlies again.

Slide in my DMs all creepy like if any interest in meeting up there

Cruise Moab likely NEXT year
View attachment 3274917

 

[Boston Mangler]

How did you like the 80-series in the Baja?

Surprisingly loved it.

It didn’t do anything amazing, but it did everything good enough.

I got out at the 250 mile mark in 3rd place…. Bone stock motor and tranny with close to 300k on them.

Highlight of the whole thing was coming to a yard sale of TTS and C1s on the backside of Mikes all stuck and on their roofs. Engaged factory elockers and walked right up it without so much as a tire slip.

With disciplined driving, it’s an awesome long distance race option.

Or it was…. Now that the prices have gone full stupid, probably not the best idea

 

[Tex68w]

Ha.. might be awhile, but there will most definitely be a thread covering the conversion if I can’t find the right 200

Wait for the right LC unless you want AHC.