Ben-B's Progress Thread - Mk1.5 Focus
#121
Wahay!! I've lost my Virginity!!
Thread Starter
![Default](https://passionford.com/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif)
And finally the last bit of progress brings us up to date.
Today my Tarmac Eater short shifter arrived.
I have long been on the lookout for the B&M short shifter, but have never managed to find one for sale.
Tarmac Eater Motorsport on eBay sell them, £40 a pop, £50 with a gear knob, so I decided to get one.
It arrived today and so I went about fitting it. Looked at everything in detail, they looked virtually identical in terms of lower-half dimensions, except for the fact that one of the knuckles for the forward/back linkage is about an inch further forward of the stick.
I removed the original and greased up the short shifter, screwed everything back together and connected it. And it felt badly wrong.
It wouldn't return to a central position at all. I disassembled and reassembled everything 3 or 4 times, made sure it was all fitted correctly, that the spring was in the correct place, made sure there was lots of grease in the mechanism, and still it wasn't returning.
Not entirely sure why, I took a chance and swapped over the plastic seat that the bottom of the linkage sits in, and used the original instead of the one that came with the short shifter. This did the trick, when I reassembled it the stick would now spring back to the central position. But no celebrations yet, as it wouldn't go into 2nd, 4th or Reverse.
Due to the fact that the knuckle stuck out much further, it meant the stick needed to be pulled much further back to engage 2/4/R. Only it couldn't because it was fouling on part of the linkage housing. So I disassembled it again and filed down the housing by about 5mm, and then refitted it.
Finally it worked. The new knob that came with it has a bit of a nicer feel and throw, its very slightly heavier, but the difference it made is noticeable. So noticable infact that I quickly borrowed a friends driftworks weighted gear knob and the feel that his offered was amazing, such positive and smooth gear changes, so I have now bought (and waiting for delivery of) a heavy-weighted gear knob, 475g instead of the 165g currently.
Don't worry though, I've not gone for a drifters gear shifter, it looks pretty identical to the new flat-top one I fitted today.
![Name: 1-IMG_1228_zps8fc737ca.jpg
Views: 1012
Size: 92.2 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42003d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-1-img_1228_zps8fc737ca.jpg)
New shiny and anodised short shifter
![Name: 3-IMG_1224_zps5196edf8.jpg
Views: 845
Size: 101.0 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42004d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-3-img_1224_zps5196edf8.jpg)
Old Puma gear knob... 150g
![Name: 4-IMG_1225_zps928a19f0.jpg
Views: 816
Size: 105.2 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42005d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-4-img_1225_zps928a19f0.jpg)
New flat-top gear knob... only 15g heavier but the feel is much better
![Name: 5-IMG_1226_zps1322e64f.jpg
Views: 846
Size: 103.6 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42006d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-5-img_1226_zps1322e64f.jpg)
Old v New gear knobs
![Name: 6-IMG_1227_zps541bf081.jpg
Views: 829
Size: 100.5 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42007d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-6-img_1227_zps541bf081.jpg)
Old v New gear knobs... height from bottom of thread to top of knob is slightly less on the new one, so will sit slightly lower on the threads
![Name: 2-IMG_1222_zpsebfef0a1.jpg
Views: 2566
Size: 124.1 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42008d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-2-img_1222_zpsebfef0a1.jpg)
Old linkage and gear knob
![Name: 9-IMG_1231_zps4fb4b7c6.jpg
Views: 1772
Size: 96.3 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42009d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-9-img_1231_zps4fb4b7c6.jpg)
New v Old linkage, quite a big height difference, 3 inches almost
![Name: 10-IMG_1232_zps894df3b9.jpg
Views: 1016
Size: 77.0 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42010d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-10-img_1232_zps894df3b9.jpg)
New v Old linkage, quite a big height difference, 3 inches almost
![Name: 7-IMG_1237_zps20c153c2.jpg
Views: 812
Size: 85.3 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42011d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-7-img_1237_zps20c153c2.jpg)
New short shifter height
![Name: 8-IMG_1238_zpsa1c006d2.jpg
Views: 809
Size: 92.5 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42012d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-8-img_1238_zpsa1c006d2.jpg)
Old standard shifter height... big difference
![Name: 14-IMG_1236_zps7293f585.jpg
Views: 927
Size: 78.5 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42013d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-14-img_1236_zps7293f585.jpg)
As you can see, the knuckle on the short shifter is much longer than on the original, hence the need to file down the housing in order to engage 2/4/R. Picture makes them look quite similar but the difference is much bigger irl.
![Name: 11-IMG_1230_zps5f0ee6d8.jpg
Views: 868
Size: 70.5 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42014d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-11-img_1230_zps5f0ee6d8.jpg)
Finished look. iPhone camera is potato.
Today my Tarmac Eater short shifter arrived.
I have long been on the lookout for the B&M short shifter, but have never managed to find one for sale.
Tarmac Eater Motorsport on eBay sell them, £40 a pop, £50 with a gear knob, so I decided to get one.
It arrived today and so I went about fitting it. Looked at everything in detail, they looked virtually identical in terms of lower-half dimensions, except for the fact that one of the knuckles for the forward/back linkage is about an inch further forward of the stick.
I removed the original and greased up the short shifter, screwed everything back together and connected it. And it felt badly wrong.
It wouldn't return to a central position at all. I disassembled and reassembled everything 3 or 4 times, made sure it was all fitted correctly, that the spring was in the correct place, made sure there was lots of grease in the mechanism, and still it wasn't returning.
Not entirely sure why, I took a chance and swapped over the plastic seat that the bottom of the linkage sits in, and used the original instead of the one that came with the short shifter. This did the trick, when I reassembled it the stick would now spring back to the central position. But no celebrations yet, as it wouldn't go into 2nd, 4th or Reverse.
Due to the fact that the knuckle stuck out much further, it meant the stick needed to be pulled much further back to engage 2/4/R. Only it couldn't because it was fouling on part of the linkage housing. So I disassembled it again and filed down the housing by about 5mm, and then refitted it.
Finally it worked. The new knob that came with it has a bit of a nicer feel and throw, its very slightly heavier, but the difference it made is noticeable. So noticable infact that I quickly borrowed a friends driftworks weighted gear knob and the feel that his offered was amazing, such positive and smooth gear changes, so I have now bought (and waiting for delivery of) a heavy-weighted gear knob, 475g instead of the 165g currently.
Don't worry though, I've not gone for a drifters gear shifter, it looks pretty identical to the new flat-top one I fitted today.
![Name: 1-IMG_1228_zps8fc737ca.jpg
Views: 1012
Size: 92.2 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42003d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-1-img_1228_zps8fc737ca.jpg)
New shiny and anodised short shifter
![Name: 3-IMG_1224_zps5196edf8.jpg
Views: 845
Size: 101.0 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42004d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-3-img_1224_zps5196edf8.jpg)
Old Puma gear knob... 150g
![Name: 4-IMG_1225_zps928a19f0.jpg
Views: 816
Size: 105.2 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42005d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-4-img_1225_zps928a19f0.jpg)
New flat-top gear knob... only 15g heavier but the feel is much better
![Name: 5-IMG_1226_zps1322e64f.jpg
Views: 846
Size: 103.6 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42006d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-5-img_1226_zps1322e64f.jpg)
Old v New gear knobs
![Name: 6-IMG_1227_zps541bf081.jpg
Views: 829
Size: 100.5 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42007d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-6-img_1227_zps541bf081.jpg)
Old v New gear knobs... height from bottom of thread to top of knob is slightly less on the new one, so will sit slightly lower on the threads
![Name: 2-IMG_1222_zpsebfef0a1.jpg
Views: 2566
Size: 124.1 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42008d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-2-img_1222_zpsebfef0a1.jpg)
Old linkage and gear knob
![Name: 9-IMG_1231_zps4fb4b7c6.jpg
Views: 1772
Size: 96.3 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42009d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-9-img_1231_zps4fb4b7c6.jpg)
New v Old linkage, quite a big height difference, 3 inches almost
![Name: 10-IMG_1232_zps894df3b9.jpg
Views: 1016
Size: 77.0 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42010d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-10-img_1232_zps894df3b9.jpg)
New v Old linkage, quite a big height difference, 3 inches almost
![Name: 7-IMG_1237_zps20c153c2.jpg
Views: 812
Size: 85.3 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42011d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-7-img_1237_zps20c153c2.jpg)
New short shifter height
![Name: 8-IMG_1238_zpsa1c006d2.jpg
Views: 809
Size: 92.5 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42012d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-8-img_1238_zpsa1c006d2.jpg)
Old standard shifter height... big difference
![Name: 14-IMG_1236_zps7293f585.jpg
Views: 927
Size: 78.5 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42013d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-14-img_1236_zps7293f585.jpg)
As you can see, the knuckle on the short shifter is much longer than on the original, hence the need to file down the housing in order to engage 2/4/R. Picture makes them look quite similar but the difference is much bigger irl.
![Name: 11-IMG_1230_zps5f0ee6d8.jpg
Views: 868
Size: 70.5 KB](https://passionford.com/forum/attachments/restorations-rebuilds-and-projects/42014d1501326827-ben-b-s-progress-thread-mk1-5-focus-11-img_1230_zps5f0ee6d8.jpg)
Finished look. iPhone camera is potato.
#122
Wahay!! I've lost my Virginity!!
Thread Starter
![Default](https://passionford.com/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif)
So to date, the full spec list is this:
2003 Ford Focus Mk1 facelift (Mk1.5)
1.6 Zetec
Bought: May 2012 (1 previous owner since new... my dad!)
Mileage: 67,500
Wheels/Tyres
- ST170 17" alloy wheels. Dunlop Sportmaxx RT 215/45/17 tyres. TR412 stub valves.
Suspension/Handling
- Eibach 35mm Pro Kit lowering springs
- Eibach F&R uprated anti-roll bars
- 10mm rear axle "handling upgrade" spacer kit
- Suspension turret covers
Engine/Exhaust
- ST170 airbox with resonator removed
- ST170 snorkel and auto wind deflector
- Piper 4-to-1 exhaust manifold, 200-cell sports cat & stainless steel exhaust system, 3.5" inward rolled tailpipe
- Powerflex exhaust bushes
- 90-degree Lambda sensor spacer
- Denso Iridium sparkplugs
- Magnecor 8mm ignition leads
- Fuchs Titan Pro S ester synthetic 5W-30 oil
- Dimple magnetic sump plug
- K&N free flow panel filter
Brakes
- Focus Mk2 ST "ASBO" front brake kit, 320mm discs
- ST170 rear disc conversion, 280mm discs
- Goodridge Phantom performance stainless steel braided brake hoses
- HEL Performance stainless steel brake bleed nipples
- Motul RBF600 racing brake fluid
Gear/Drivetrain
- Tarmac Eater short shifter gear linkage
- Tarmac Eater heavy-weighted stainless steel gear shift knob
- Slick50 gearbox treatment
- ST170 pedals
- ST170 handbrake lever
Lighting
- ST170 Xenon headlights with 4200k Osram sidelights
- ST170 fog lights
- Focus SVT US rear lights
- ST170 clear indicator side lenses
Exterior
- Debadged boot and wings
- ST170 lower grille
- ST170 spoiler
- Colour-coded front upper grille
- Colour-coded de-locked exterior door handles
- Colour-coded boot strip
- Colour-coded bumper inserts
- Colour-coded door rub strips
- Heko tinted wind deflectors F&R
Interior
- Armster leather armrest
- Focus Ghia variable speed wiper
- ST170 interior door handles
- ST170 Recaro black leather interior
- Focus RS alcantara steering wheel
- Genuine Ford "FOCUS" door scuff plates
Audio/ICE
- Alpine double-DIN headunit with satin silver fascia adapter
- Alpine bluetooth connectivity module
- Brodit active iPhone cradle charger
Other/Misc
- Focus Mk3 heated mist washer jets
- Bosch aeroblade wipers F&R
- Focus Mk2 flip key fob
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
- Eibach camber/caster adjustable suspension top mounts
- Eibach adjustable rear camber arms
- Front upper & lower strut braces
- Rear lower strut brace
- CG Motorsport stage-2 carbon-kevlar clutch
- Ferrodo DS2500 brake pads, front & rear
POTENTIAL PLANS ONE DAY
- Uprated brake master cylinder
- Piper fast road cams & vernier pulleys
- Quaife ATB differential
- Uprated damping-adjustable shock absorbers
2003 Ford Focus Mk1 facelift (Mk1.5)
1.6 Zetec
Bought: May 2012 (1 previous owner since new... my dad!)
Mileage: 67,500
Wheels/Tyres
- ST170 17" alloy wheels. Dunlop Sportmaxx RT 215/45/17 tyres. TR412 stub valves.
Suspension/Handling
- Eibach 35mm Pro Kit lowering springs
- Eibach F&R uprated anti-roll bars
- 10mm rear axle "handling upgrade" spacer kit
- Suspension turret covers
Engine/Exhaust
- ST170 airbox with resonator removed
- ST170 snorkel and auto wind deflector
- Piper 4-to-1 exhaust manifold, 200-cell sports cat & stainless steel exhaust system, 3.5" inward rolled tailpipe
- Powerflex exhaust bushes
- 90-degree Lambda sensor spacer
- Denso Iridium sparkplugs
- Magnecor 8mm ignition leads
- Fuchs Titan Pro S ester synthetic 5W-30 oil
- Dimple magnetic sump plug
- K&N free flow panel filter
Brakes
- Focus Mk2 ST "ASBO" front brake kit, 320mm discs
- ST170 rear disc conversion, 280mm discs
- Goodridge Phantom performance stainless steel braided brake hoses
- HEL Performance stainless steel brake bleed nipples
- Motul RBF600 racing brake fluid
Gear/Drivetrain
- Tarmac Eater short shifter gear linkage
- Tarmac Eater heavy-weighted stainless steel gear shift knob
- Slick50 gearbox treatment
- ST170 pedals
- ST170 handbrake lever
Lighting
- ST170 Xenon headlights with 4200k Osram sidelights
- ST170 fog lights
- Focus SVT US rear lights
- ST170 clear indicator side lenses
Exterior
- Debadged boot and wings
- ST170 lower grille
- ST170 spoiler
- Colour-coded front upper grille
- Colour-coded de-locked exterior door handles
- Colour-coded boot strip
- Colour-coded bumper inserts
- Colour-coded door rub strips
- Heko tinted wind deflectors F&R
Interior
- Armster leather armrest
- Focus Ghia variable speed wiper
- ST170 interior door handles
- ST170 Recaro black leather interior
- Focus RS alcantara steering wheel
- Genuine Ford "FOCUS" door scuff plates
Audio/ICE
- Alpine double-DIN headunit with satin silver fascia adapter
- Alpine bluetooth connectivity module
- Brodit active iPhone cradle charger
Other/Misc
- Focus Mk3 heated mist washer jets
- Bosch aeroblade wipers F&R
- Focus Mk2 flip key fob
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
- Eibach camber/caster adjustable suspension top mounts
- Eibach adjustable rear camber arms
- Front upper & lower strut braces
- Rear lower strut brace
- CG Motorsport stage-2 carbon-kevlar clutch
- Ferrodo DS2500 brake pads, front & rear
POTENTIAL PLANS ONE DAY
- Uprated brake master cylinder
- Piper fast road cams & vernier pulleys
- Quaife ATB differential
- Uprated damping-adjustable shock absorbers
Last edited by Ben-B; 06-01-2015 at 08:44 PM.
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