INTRODUCTION
Welcome to my build thread! This thread documents the build process of my 2007 Toyota Camry LE. This car was the first car I owned and was given to me by my father in 2011. The car holds a lot of sentimental value to me and represents my growth as a car enthusiast. Many lessons were learned using this car, and I do not intend to ever sell the car. I've divided this thread into sections so you can read about major parts of the build process.
If you would like to follow my build on Instagram, you can follow me @kanmuridavid.
![Image]()
![Image]()
![Image]()
EXTERIOR
In 2021, the car was featured in VIP Style Magazine. VIP Style Magazine is the leading magazine for VIP-style cars in Japan. My car was featured in the VIP in the US section, which showcases VIP-style builds in the United States.
![Image]()
ORIGINS
This car has been in my family since day one. My father picked up the car from a dealership in Maryland in 2008 before driving it back to Connecticut, where I lived at the time. I learned to drive and received my driver's license using this car. When I graduated high school in 2011, my dad gifted me the car as a present, becoming my first car.
![Image]()
![Image]()
In the summer of 2013, I became very interested in car modification after watching some Mighty Car Mod videos on YouTube; however, I knew nothing about cars at the time. Therefore, the majority of modifications I did had questionable taste and functionality. In my sophomore year of college, I brought the car to Texas, where I began to meet fellow car enthusiasts who mentored me through my car journey. In 2014, I decided to remove the modifications I had done and start from scratch.
![Image]()
![Image]()
THE CONCEPT
The idea for the Camry as it is seen today started with a photoshop that my friend Sonny created. We had jokingly edited together pictures of Lexus front bumpers over the Camry's front bumper. One of these photoshops really stood out. It was a picture of the Skipper Japan GS350 F Sport photoshopped over a Camry. We played around with a concept for the rear bumper using an Aimgain International rear diffuser for an RC350 F Sport.
![Image]()
![Image]()
I was sold on the concept; however, the trouble was finding a shop that could create this idea. I was able to find a shop in McKinney, Texas called Jose's Auto Body that has done many similar projects in the past. The first step before we could begin was parts collection. I used exclusively authentic parts. The bumpers were OEM parts from Toyota. I also purchased authentic Skipper Japan and Aimgain International aero pieces from Japan.
![Image]()
THE BODYWORK
Both the GS350 F Sport and Camry bumpers were cut in half and riveted together so they could be molded together. Although these bumpers are made of polyurethane, we reinforced the back of the bumpers with fiberglass. The bumpers are still able to flex like stock bumpers. The width of the bumpers were perfect. The bumpers did not have to be extended or shrunk to match. This meant the GS F Sport lower grille fit perfectly with no modification. To match the bumper to the wide body, a new fiberglass tab had to be created.
![Image]()
The rear bumper was much easier. The OEM SE rear lip, which did not originally come on the car, was molded to the bumper. The bumper was then cut to fit the fiberglass diffuser. An opening was created to allow for a quad-tip exhaust. Similar to the front bumper, the back of the bumper was reinforced with fiberglass. The bumper light openings were custom made with fiberglass.
![Image]()
The hardest part of the project was the widebody. All panels were widened using metal. The entire car was widened by approximately 1.5 inches. To provide sufficient clearance for the tires, the fenders were cut a few inches up from the current fender line. The trimmed sheet metal was then used to create the basis for the new fender line. Sheet metal was then welded by hand to create the widened flare.
![Image]()
![Image]()
The rear quarter panel required much more work because it required modification to the door. To allow the car to have as neutral of a rake angle as possible, the rear quarter panel was radiused to allow the rear ride height to sit lower. Sheet metal was then handcrafted to create the shape of the door and flare.
![Image]()
![Image]()
THE ENGINE SWAP
In 2018, I was able to obtain the rare 2GR-FZE engine. This engine is a supercharged 3.5L V6 rated for 323 BHP. This engine was originally only available in the TRD Aurion, a TRD factory vehicle sold only in Australia. A total of 537 TRD Aurions were made. The 2GR-FZE engine was later available in the Lotus Evora S. The engine features an Eaton TVS supercharger developed by Harrop Performance.
![Image]()
The TRD Aurion and the XV40 Camry share the same chassis. Despite this, no one had ever done the swap on a Camry. I came upon this engine when browsing Australian eBay. The car was listed for sale by a wrecker who had pulled it from a rear-ended TRD Aurion. Luckily, I was able to arrange freight shipping from Australia to Houston, Texas. However, it was not without headache, but that's a story for another time.
![Image]()
While the engine was out of the car, we did a complete service of the engine. In addition, we reconditioned parts of the engine. The engine had done approximately 90,000 miles. The following was completed prior to the swap:
![Image]()
Because no one had done this swap before in a Camry, it was unknown if the engine would bolt into the car without modification. Furthermore, we were not sure if the ECU from the TRD Aurion would plug into the body side of the Camry's harness. Luckily for us, the swap was extremely straight forward. It was basically plug and play. The only other thing we had to do was reset the immobilizer.
![Image]()
To reset the immobilizer, we put the key in the car with the ignition on. On the OBDII port, we bridged pin number 13 to pin number 4 (ground) using a paperclip. This initialized the reset. Then we waited 30 minutes, and after those 30 minutes, the immobilizer was paired to the immobilizer chip in the key placed in the ignition. The car started after doing this.
![Image]()
Welcome to my build thread! This thread documents the build process of my 2007 Toyota Camry LE. This car was the first car I owned and was given to me by my father in 2011. The car holds a lot of sentimental value to me and represents my growth as a car enthusiast. Many lessons were learned using this car, and I do not intend to ever sell the car. I've divided this thread into sections so you can read about major parts of the build process.
If you would like to follow my build on Instagram, you can follow me @kanmuridavid.
EXTERIOR
- Custom 1.5" metal wide body, including widened rear doors and rear quarter panel radius
- Custom 2011-2015 Lexus GS F Sport front bumper graft
- JDM 2011-2015 Lexus GS F Sport fog light garnishes
- Skipper Japan 2011-2015 Lexus GS F Sport front lip
- Sarona Design eyelids
- Custom rear bumper graft with molded OEM Camry SE rear lip
- Aimgain International 2015-present Lexus RC200T/350 Type II rear diffuser
- OEM 2007-2011 Toyota Camry trunk spoiler
- ABS plastic roof spoiler
- WeatherTech window deflectors
- Piano black door pillars
- OEM 2007-2011 Toyota Camry SE side skirts
- OEM 2007-2009 Toyota Camry SE upper grille
- 2011-2015 Lexus GS F Sport lower grille
- Authentic metal TRD Japan badge
- 2GR-FZE engine from TRD Aurion (1 of 537)
- TRD Aurion ECU
- Frankenstein Motorworks headers with PTP Turbo Blankets Lava exhaust wrap
- Custom 3" TIG-welded stainless steel exhaust
- Vibrant Performance Ultra Quiet resonator
- Dual Vibrant Performance STREETPOWER mufflers
- K&N Typhoon short ram intake system
- 19x10 +4, 5x114.3 bolt pattern, 60.1mm center bore, R disk Work VSXX step lip with polished hardware
- 245/35/19 Toyo Proxes Sport tires
- Airforce Suspension fully adjustable, 36-way dampening air struts with pillow ball mounts
- AccuAir E Level management
- AccuAir VU4 valves
- Dual 3-gallon aluminum air tanks
- Dual 444C VAIR air compressors
- Dual water traps
- 3/8" air lines
- H&R camber bolts
- OEM Camry SE rear seat brace
- Ultra Racing trunk brace
- Lucky Brakes 8-piston front calipers
- Lucky Brakes 6-piston rear calipers
- Lucky Brakes 380mm two-piece front rotors
- Lucky Brakes 356mm two-piece rear rotors
- StopTech braided stainless steel brake lines
- OEM 2007-2011 Toyota Camry SE black interior swap
- TRD Aurion cluster
- JDM Auto Club carbon fiber steering wheel
- Toyota Aqua GR Sport shifter
- Pioneer AVIC W8500NEX head unit
- JL Audio HD900/5 amplifier
- JL Audio 12W6V3 subwoofer
- Morel Hybrid 602 component speakers
- BlackVue DR900S-2CH dash camera
- Uniden R3 radar detector
- Sprint Booster throttle controller
- Backstopper rear parking sensors
- Morimoto XB LED fog lights
- Bi-Xenon Morimoto Mini H1 7.0 HID projectors
- Morimoto XB35 HID bulbs
- VLED V3 Triton LED turn signal bulbs
- Diode Dynamics SmartTap CF18 flasher relay
- CG Distribution LED rear tail lights
- iJDMTOY 2015-present Lexus RC200T/350 LED reflector light
- Full exterior LED conversion
- Odyssey Extreme Battery
- Stinger Electronics digital battery terminals
- Toyo Tires
- Odyssey Battery
- Lucky Brakes
- BlackVue Dash Cameras
In 2021, the car was featured in VIP Style Magazine. VIP Style Magazine is the leading magazine for VIP-style cars in Japan. My car was featured in the VIP in the US section, which showcases VIP-style builds in the United States.
ORIGINS
This car has been in my family since day one. My father picked up the car from a dealership in Maryland in 2008 before driving it back to Connecticut, where I lived at the time. I learned to drive and received my driver's license using this car. When I graduated high school in 2011, my dad gifted me the car as a present, becoming my first car.
In the summer of 2013, I became very interested in car modification after watching some Mighty Car Mod videos on YouTube; however, I knew nothing about cars at the time. Therefore, the majority of modifications I did had questionable taste and functionality. In my sophomore year of college, I brought the car to Texas, where I began to meet fellow car enthusiasts who mentored me through my car journey. In 2014, I decided to remove the modifications I had done and start from scratch.
THE CONCEPT
The idea for the Camry as it is seen today started with a photoshop that my friend Sonny created. We had jokingly edited together pictures of Lexus front bumpers over the Camry's front bumper. One of these photoshops really stood out. It was a picture of the Skipper Japan GS350 F Sport photoshopped over a Camry. We played around with a concept for the rear bumper using an Aimgain International rear diffuser for an RC350 F Sport.
I was sold on the concept; however, the trouble was finding a shop that could create this idea. I was able to find a shop in McKinney, Texas called Jose's Auto Body that has done many similar projects in the past. The first step before we could begin was parts collection. I used exclusively authentic parts. The bumpers were OEM parts from Toyota. I also purchased authentic Skipper Japan and Aimgain International aero pieces from Japan.
THE BODYWORK
Both the GS350 F Sport and Camry bumpers were cut in half and riveted together so they could be molded together. Although these bumpers are made of polyurethane, we reinforced the back of the bumpers with fiberglass. The bumpers are still able to flex like stock bumpers. The width of the bumpers were perfect. The bumpers did not have to be extended or shrunk to match. This meant the GS F Sport lower grille fit perfectly with no modification. To match the bumper to the wide body, a new fiberglass tab had to be created.
The rear bumper was much easier. The OEM SE rear lip, which did not originally come on the car, was molded to the bumper. The bumper was then cut to fit the fiberglass diffuser. An opening was created to allow for a quad-tip exhaust. Similar to the front bumper, the back of the bumper was reinforced with fiberglass. The bumper light openings were custom made with fiberglass.
The hardest part of the project was the widebody. All panels were widened using metal. The entire car was widened by approximately 1.5 inches. To provide sufficient clearance for the tires, the fenders were cut a few inches up from the current fender line. The trimmed sheet metal was then used to create the basis for the new fender line. Sheet metal was then welded by hand to create the widened flare.
The rear quarter panel required much more work because it required modification to the door. To allow the car to have as neutral of a rake angle as possible, the rear quarter panel was radiused to allow the rear ride height to sit lower. Sheet metal was then handcrafted to create the shape of the door and flare.
THE ENGINE SWAP
In 2018, I was able to obtain the rare 2GR-FZE engine. This engine is a supercharged 3.5L V6 rated for 323 BHP. This engine was originally only available in the TRD Aurion, a TRD factory vehicle sold only in Australia. A total of 537 TRD Aurions were made. The 2GR-FZE engine was later available in the Lotus Evora S. The engine features an Eaton TVS supercharger developed by Harrop Performance.
The TRD Aurion and the XV40 Camry share the same chassis. Despite this, no one had ever done the swap on a Camry. I came upon this engine when browsing Australian eBay. The car was listed for sale by a wrecker who had pulled it from a rear-ended TRD Aurion. Luckily, I was able to arrange freight shipping from Australia to Houston, Texas. However, it was not without headache, but that's a story for another time.
While the engine was out of the car, we did a complete service of the engine. In addition, we reconditioned parts of the engine. The engine had done approximately 90,000 miles. The following was completed prior to the swap:
- AC Delco Supercharger Oil
- Gates Micro V Drive Belt
- NGK Iridium IX Spark Plugs
- OEM Engine Mounts
- OEM Power Steering Pump
- OEM TRD Aurion Bypass Valve Hose Fix
- OEM TRD Aurion Engine Cover
- OEM TRD Aurion Supercharger Badge
- OEM Water Pump
- OEM Lotus Evora S Metal VVTI Oil Line
- OEM Lexus Metal Oil Cooler Lines
- Mobil One 5W-30 Oil
- Toyota WS Automatic Transmission Fluid Flush
Because no one had done this swap before in a Camry, it was unknown if the engine would bolt into the car without modification. Furthermore, we were not sure if the ECU from the TRD Aurion would plug into the body side of the Camry's harness. Luckily for us, the swap was extremely straight forward. It was basically plug and play. The only other thing we had to do was reset the immobilizer.
To reset the immobilizer, we put the key in the car with the ignition on. On the OBDII port, we bridged pin number 13 to pin number 4 (ground) using a paperclip. This initialized the reset. Then we waited 30 minutes, and after those 30 minutes, the immobilizer was paired to the immobilizer chip in the key placed in the ignition. The car started after doing this.
