PepperRed

Hi guys I'm not new here in terms of reading about your cars... But I've never shared mine. It is nothing special I assure you. Not yet anyway. so I'd like to introduce you to my car. His name is smithy. It's a 1.6lr Ford Focus. Pepper Red In colour. We are based in the midlands of England currently but home is down south near London.

Here is my car on the day I bought it.





Being a motorsport BSc student I knew I was getting a bargain when I bought this car for £650. 7 months later, passing MOT with no minors, and no issues whatsoever, I can confirm that I was right.

Since I have bought it I have lowered it with Coilovers and also stuck on Kei Force 10 alloys (17inch) on avon Rubber.



Since the suspension has settled, the car has lowered itself slightly more.

However, there are a few niggles which I need sorting out which I require some advice with.

First, I need the correct front bumper, but I have been searching for months to no avail.



(The above is not my car, but has the front bumper I require.) I would also like ST170 headlights to go with it. Does anyone know any Ford parts or breakers yards in the midlands (Fairly flexible on how far away they are) who might have the parts I am looking for.

Second, over the winter some minor rust patches have grown a lot more than I'd have liked. Soon I will need my rear arch done and my door panels by the wing mirrors. As the paint is beginning to bubble/flake off.

Does anyone know anyone/a paint shop who will sort this out or give me a rough estimate. I know it is a fairly common problem for the Focuses so if anyone has had any experience, any advice is welcome.

Once I move past these niggles, I can start to focus on some more technical modifications (although I'm not sure where I want to take my car yet so any suggestions would be welcome.)

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

By the look of your car its a late registered car so its got the right front end on.

If you wanna change your head lights you will. have to rewire them.

MJ_RST

Yeh, as above, the bumper you require is the facelift mk1.5

The headlights are avail on ebay for £80 ish and you will need to get hold of the mk1.5 headlight wiring or just hard wire it in

PepperRed

Ah thanks the wiring and stuff isn't a problem I won't struggle with that it's just finding the parts I need. Such as the front bumper.

MJ_RST

Theres heaps on ebay. New and used.

PepperRed

Yes but I know I can get it a lot cheaper if I wait for it to become available in a breakers yard. Maybe not the headlights. I've never seen an ST170 in a scrappy.

Big AL

There's plenty of scrap / breakers 170's on eBay. You can get the normal chrome headlamps and split and spray them, as for the wiring I'm sure you can use bits from a golf, have a look on ffoc or focusowners for the diagram / how to.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

I used to have kei force 10 alloys on my old st170, they were awful, 2 cracked in the first few months, they were replaced with 2 new ones, one which cracked again. If you start getting a slow puncture then check the inner bead area very carefully for cracks as the wheels are very weak!

PepperRed

Thanks for the advice I don't think I'm keeping them on for long. I have a question. My focus is 02, but has the pre facelift front bumper and headlights. I've now got a bumper which I picked up for a relatively decent price, but I need the headlights.

When were the pre- facelift models stopped. I know that wiring up a pre-facelift model is a pain in the arse and I don't know which mine actually is. It's an 02, which makes me believe it's post facelift, but then it has the old face. Any suggestions?

SmudgerByName

There is a breakers yard in Birmingham by the Birmingham City ground that deals with mostly Fords. Where in the midlands are you? I am looking at doing some similar things to my estate when I can get round to it.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

There are pre-facelift 02 plates and even facelift 51 plates knocking about. It's not really when they were made, more like when they were registered. Some cars can sit in compounds for years before they are registered, yours was one of them.

Prime example of this is the escorts. Production of them was stopped in 98 'S' reg when the Focus was released, but they were still being registered and sold as new up to X or maybe even Y reg.

So you have just got a pre-faccelift that was hanging around a long time before it was registered and sold.

PepperRed

@smudgerbymidlands I'm based in stafford. So Birmingham is probably the best place for me in terms of distance from what I've found so far.

Thanks for the reply also RichieST did not know this but that makes some things a little simpler. I know I will have to do a mk1 1.5 conversion with the wiring. Apparently a pain of a job.

SmudgerByName

I've been looking into the same conversion for my Estate and from what I've found you can use a VW part for it as well to make it easier. However there are a few things you can do to get the conversion working.

Like I said there are a few breakers in Birmingham so looking around will find what you need to. Is there anything in particular you're after? I've recently got a breakers looking for a ST170 front and rear hub/brake set ups and Interior. Hoping they get back to me with a good price

But what I really want is a 1.5 Focus Front Bumper with Fogs in Light Sapphire Blue (I think)

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

I did the conversion many years ago on my focus, I bought some adapter looms that someone was making on a focus forum. They did use vw plugs!

PepperRed

I've been trying to find something similar on ebay don't think they are common to come by. If anyone knows of any adapter looms/people who make them, It'd make my life a lot easier . As for what I'm looking for,

currently, one of the black plugs that holds the indicator bulb in place for the facelift headlight, and a boot door hatch in my colour. Do you have a name for the ford breaker in Birmingham? I'm itching to get these lights ready to mount.

I'd also quite like these alloys, although in a different colour

rs220bhp

Ill be breaking a focus soon that's got st170 head lights. Can supply them with the wiring. Pm me if interested for pictures.

jay0420

Nice colour. Here my pepper red focus might give you some ideas

PepperRed

Ah nice that looks awesome. Have you sprayed the insides of your headlights?