7613 E. Ray Rd. Suite #114 Mesa, AZ 85212
When Douglas Green and Rayna Ferrin brought their 1997 Lexus LX450 to AZ Auto Aesthetics, we weren’t just looking at another luxury SUV — we were looking at years of meticulous restoration work that deserved the same level of care we put into every protection install we do. Full-body PPF on a freshly painted custom build in the Arizona desert? Let’s talk about why that matters, and exactly how we approached it.
Before we get into the protection work, a little context helps here. The Lexus LX450 is essentially a rebadged, luxury-trimmed version of the iconic Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser — also known as the FZJ80. It had a notably short production run, only 1996 and 1997, which makes clean, road-worthy examples genuinely rare. By contrast, the Toyota-badged 80 Series was produced from 1990 through 1997 in the millions worldwide. The LX450’s shorter lifespan, combined with its higher original price point, means you don’t see many of them — and when you do, they’re usually well-traveled.
In 2026, both the LX450 and its Toyota cousin are highly regarded by off-road enthusiasts and overlanders for their durability, parts availability, and unmatched capability on technical terrain. This one had been transformed into something even more special.
This LX450 is not stock in any meaningful sense of the word. Every major system has been gone through, replaced, or upgraded. Here’s what Douglas and Rayna built before it ever came through our doors:
The entire drivetrain was replaced with new OEM Lexus/Toyota components — long block engine, head assembly, exhaust, transmission, transfer case, axle tubes, differentials, hubs, and brake assemblies. Parts were sourced through Earnhardt Lexus/Toyota in Phoenix and Mesa.
The factory roof — including the sunroof — was cut away and replaced with a custom aluminum and canvas pop-up tent manufactured and installed by Eric Lippincott at Campteq. Sound deadening was added throughout the interior. A custom slide-out kitchen was built into the rear: propane stove, small sink, water pumps, and a 40L National Luna refrigerator. The forward cab was re-carpeted with OEM Lexus carpet, a custom steel center console by Delta Vehicle Systems was added, and the seats were restored and re-upholstered in leather from L-Seats.
All four passenger doors, the hatch, and the tailgate were completely disassembled and rebuilt with new OEM Lexus regulators, motors, lock actuators, strikers, and seals. VB2 sound deadening vapor barriers were installed throughout. Door panels were replaced with semi-custom laser-cut aluminum panels fabricated by Orikawa in Flagstaff. Front doors received new OEM glass from Lexus.
A 220-watt solar panel on the pop-top tent roof feeds through a Red Arc Battery Management System into a 200Ah AGM battery bank — chargeable from solar, shore power, or the alternator. A 49-amp Xtreme Air compressor with a 1-gallon reserve tank is wired to a dedicated 50-amp breaker. High-output off-road lights and a Warn Winch are mounted to the front bumper. Dual Red Arc controllers in a custom overhead console manage everything from lighting to pumps.
A 24-gallon Long Range America reserve tank was installed beneath the body aft of the rear axle, bringing total fuel capacity to 45 gallons. Built for serious distance.
OEM Toyota/Lexus steering gear with a 105 sector shaft, King Shocks custom-valved remote reservoir adjustable shocks, Dobinsons springs, Delta Vehicle Systems castor-corrected radius arms, heavy-duty Dobinsons Panhard bars front and rear, a Slee Brand tie rod, and adjustable sway bar end links by LCP (Landcruiser Phil Products). This isn’t a lifted truck for show — it’s dialed for actual off-road use under load.
This is where things get especially relevant to our work. The original cladding was removed, restored, and preserved. All exterior armor, rock sliders, and bumpers were stripped to bare metal, blasted, and repainted. The entire body was sanded to bare metal, prepped, primed, and shot in OEM two-tone Emerald Green using PPG Deltron Color — followed by two coats of clear, then wet sanded and polished to eliminate orange peel. Cladding, armor, sliders, and bumpers were painted in OEM Lexus Moonglow to match.
All door and window seals, gaskets, and hardware were replaced with new OEM Lexus/Toyota parts.
Then — critically — the paint was allowed to cure for more than six months before seeking paint protection film. That’s the kind of preparation that makes our job easier and the end result better. Fresh paint needs to fully off-gas before film goes down, and Douglas understood that.
A custom grille was laser cut from mild steel, plated in black zinc, and painted in two-part satin. The Lexus emblem was custom laser cut and plated in 24K gold. Headlights sourced from Depot; corner markers are original.
When a build like this arrives, the goal is straightforward: lock in what’s been done and protect it for the long haul. Here’s what we performed:
On a stock vehicle, PPF installation follows a known playbook. The panels are factory-spec, the geometry is documented, and pre-cut patterns are available for most makes and models. On a truck like this LX450, that playbook goes out the window.
This is a bulk film install — meaning every panel was cut, shaped, and fitted by hand. No pre-cut templates exist for a nearly 30-year-old vehicle with custom cladding, aftermarket rock sliders, a tubular front crash bar, and a body that’s been stripped to bare metal and refinished. Every surface had to be measured and approached individually. That means reading each panel’s shape — its curves, transitions, recesses, and edges — and cutting the film to flow with it rather than fight it.
The goal with every cut is the same: invisible protection. Film that sits flat, wraps cleanly into edges, and shows no lifting, tension lines, or visible seams under normal viewing conditions. That standard is harder to achieve on complex geometry. A flat hood is straightforward. A curved fender that transitions into a repainted cladding section at a custom body line — with a wrapped edge that has to sit flush and stay there for years — requires a different level of patience and technique.
Longevity is the other consideration that shapes every decision. It’s not enough for a film install to look right on day one. The way edges are wrapped, how tension is managed around corners and compound curves, and where seams are placed all determine whether the film is still performing five or seven years from now. A rushed edge or a high-tension stretch point that looks fine initially will lift over time — especially under the Arizona sun, where heat cycles accelerate any weakness in the install. Every cut on this truck was made with that in mind.
Full-body XPEL 10mil paint protection film was applied across the entire vehicle — every painted body panel without exception. Hood, fenders, all four doors, rear quarters, tailgate, hatch, and all bumper surfaces. The two-tone painted cladding and rocker panels received coverage in full. The front and rear glass (windshields) were also filmed, adding protection against rock chips and road debris at both ends — critical on a truck that will see freeway miles and trail conditions alike.
Beyond the painted surfaces, we wrapped the tubular rock sliders and the front crash bar. These are raw steel components — powder coated and painted, but highly exposed. On an overland vehicle, rock sliders take direct contact with terrain. The front crash bar is the first thing that meets debris at highway speed. Leaving them unprotected would have been a missed opportunity, and both pieces present their own install challenge: film on curved, round-profile tubing requires careful tension management and precise edge placement to lay flat and stay there.
The custom two-tone Emerald Green and Moonglow finish on this vehicle is irreplaceable. There’s no going to a dealer and ordering another one. Every chip or scratch would mean custom refinishing work. XPEL’s 10mil film self-heals minor surface scratches with heat — in Arizona, that happens just sitting in a parking lot. It absorbs rock impact, resists abrasion, and with UV inhibitors built into the top coat, protects the underlying paint from the UV load that degrades unprotected finishes fast in this climate.
The custom 24K gold-plated Lexus emblem received its own dedicated PPF treatment. A one-of-a-kind piece like that warrants the same care we give the rest of the build.
Before any film goes down, the vehicle needs to be in proper shape. We performed a thorough undercarriage cleaning, engine bay cleaning, and interior cleaning as part of the full package. On a truck that’s been used and modified extensively, that prep work matters both for the film install and for long-term documentation of the build’s condition.
We get this question occasionally — isn’t PPF more of an exotic car thing? Not at all, and this LX450 is a perfect example of why.
When a vehicle has been restored to a known, documented standard — specific paint codes, professional body work, custom fabrication — every chip that lands on it is a problem that can’t just be “touched up.” The paint on this truck was laid down in a controlled shop environment with professional prep work and premium materials. It cured for over six months. Replacing even a section of it would require matching a custom two-tone combination on a nearly 30-year-old vehicle.
Full-body PPF locks that in. The film goes on clear, preserves the look and color of the paint underneath, and takes the hits that would otherwise become chips, scratches, and staining over years of real-world use — including the kind of overland travel this rig was built for.
Arizona conditions add another layer to that calculus. UV exposure here is relentless. The sun that makes our winters ideal also degrades paint, cladding, and trim faster than most climates. A quality PPF film with UV inhibitors in the top coat extends the life of a paint job substantially — which on a restoration like this, matters a great deal.
This LX450 is as close to done as a build like this gets. Years of engineering and restoration work are now behind a layer of protection that’s invisible to the eye and built to handle what this truck will encounter. Whether it’s freeway miles getting to a trailhead or actual overland terrain, the paint is protected.
We appreciate Douglas and Rayna trusting AZ Auto Aesthetics with this one. It’s the kind of project that reminds us why we do this work.
If you’ve invested in a restoration, custom paint, or just a vehicle you want to keep looking right for the long haul, we’d love to talk through what protection makes sense for your specific situation. Get a quote at wedetailaz.com/contact or call us directly at (480) 241-9324. We serve Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Scottsdale, and the greater Phoenix area.