When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi everyone, it's been awhile again, as normal flat out with work and trying to get more done on my car.
Earlier in the year I mentioned I was planning on entering the last round of Time Attack at Snettertion. Well that was on the 24-25th September and I'm glad to say despite all the do negative feed back from a ton of people I made my TA debut. I can say I was welcomed by everyone and I had such a good time despite being a mobile chicane for a lot of cars, but that's part of the fun having different powered cars on track at the same time.
Here's a few pictures from the day
Sleep wasn't my friend on the build up to the weekend
My favourite picture from the day by Eat My Pixels
I have a few video's from my Go-Pro that I'll try and upload at some point. As for next year now time to make a few changes over winter and get ready for the start of next year around April
if you're thinking of going for BC's, hang fire on ordering anti roll bars IMO.
the car will stiffen up massively with the coilovers. I don't feel mine needs the extra stiffness..... obviously depends on driving style i guess.
if you're thinking of going for BC's, hang fire on ordering anti roll bars IMO.
the car will stiffen up massively with the coilovers. I don't feel mine needs the extra stiffness..... obviously depends on driving style i guess.
I'm finding the front is diving to much on braking and general body roll is bad which is where adjustable roll bars will help with set up for wet and dry conditions. BC was my back up plan speak to a different company for some custom spec 2 way dampers
Fair play for having a go. I found my 2 litre very slow, I do not wish to think about only having a 1.6 to play with
The cheap coil overs (sub Ł200) performed remarkably well not sure spending 4 times the amount would be of any real benefit, having good tyres is more important.
I was let down by the straight line speed so less weight and more power is what's required first
Car looks good to me apart from the red borders on the front bumper
Will keep an eye out for updates, gets me thinking, Thanks
just a thought, i wonder if the bars on a ST170 would be any more substancial than the ones you have already?
might be a cheap solution, granted they're not adjustable though
i´ve just read the post, what has finaly happend with the focus??
I also have a 1.6, and nowadays it rides with some srt koni shocks and eibach pro kit springs.
i´ve just read the post, what has finaly happend with the focus??
I also have a 1.6, and nowadays it rides with some srt koni shocks and eibach pro kit springs.
I still have the car, I just haven't found the time to post anything about it in ages due to competing in Time Attack, work and other commitments. I will try and put something up soon. I have a page on Facebook Solar Motorsport where I post everything I do with the car
It's been a while since I posted on here. As you will see the has had a big makeover since the last pictures. Here's a few pictures of the car from Snetterton and Brands Time Attack rounds.
A from Snetterton first, It was the first time since I had chance to drive the car since last year with all the changes made over winter. I warm up I had already matched and beat my time from 2016 and went on to knock a further 6 seconds off by the end of the day and was fastest single round entry in class.
Brands was a big event for me having some of my sponsors attending for the day. It was another good event setting my own personal lap records and having fun with the car, one achievement was only being 6 seconds behind a friends Astra VXR and walking away with fastest single round entry in class again.
My Girlfriend, her Dad and my Dad make a awesome pit crew on and off track.
I will be at Ford Fair for the first time in a few years so if you see the car come say hello. Also if anyone has any track time tickets for sales send me a message as I haven't managed to get any in time
The car looks mighty, I follow you on instagram and really like the updates, especially the new front spoiler/lip
Haha the new front bumper/splitter is for next year, starting to build and soruce parts ready for the winter rebuild and thanks for the follow on Instagram
can you tell us which mods have been done to the "mighty" 1.6?? I'm thinking about a new catback exhaust an a decat, would like to know if you have done something similar.
The car just looks awesome, congrats for the 6 gained seconds, sure you will improve even more.
Sorry If my english is poor, i'm actually from the basque country, here there isnt a huge fan for ford cars, so I end up writting in here.
This is mine
can you tell us which mods have been done to the "mighty" 1.6?? I'm thinking about a new catback exhaust an a decat, would like to know if you have done something similar.
The car just looks awesome, congrats for the 6 gained seconds, sure you will improve even more.
Sorry If my english is poor, i'm actually from the basque country, here there isnt a huge fan for ford cars, so I end up writting in here.
This is mine
Thanks mate. To be honest it's still a very standard engine at the moment just a 4-1 manifold with a custom 2.5 inch exhaust back with no cat and a decent air filter lowered down to get more cold air from the front bumper, it's got a different gear box with Quaife diff and finally drive changed (I can't remember what the ratio's are though) and a 4 paddle sach's race clutch which needs replacing as its been in for a while, and then suspension work using re-valved Eibach coilovers with harder springs and standard bushes, and using ST170 brakes and hell braided brakes lines. Nothing to crazy just enough to make it better on track and reliable. ill post up some pictures of the work carried out over last winter over the next few days
Thanks mate. To be honest it's still a very standard engine at the moment just a 4-1 manifold with a custom 2.5 inch exhaust back with no cat and a decent air filter lowered down to get more cold air from the front bumper, it's got a different gear box with Quaife diff and finally drive changed (I can't remember what the ratio's are though) and a 4 paddle sach's race clutch which needs replacing as its been in for a while, and then suspension work using re-valved Eibach coilovers with harder springs and standard bushes, and using ST170 brakes and hell braided brakes lines. Nothing to crazy just enough to make it better on track and reliable. ill post up some pictures of the work carried out over last winter over the next few days
Does the car fell any faster? Is it more free reving or similar? Have you thougth about ligthweighting the flywheel?? Talking about anti-roll bars there are some rear ones from white-line, if ypu combined them with front one from an st170 it should go as hell. The sway bars of the RS are unable to find and a new ser of h&r are expensive. Hope to find this helpful.
After trying several times to upload a post and it not working for some reason. I'm just going to out up a load of pictures and hope that works as a kind of story.
ST170 front brakes with braided brakes lines and long wheel studs,
Rear disc conversion with made to spec braided lines and long wheel studs,
Painted wings and new front bumper,
New exhaust made to come out of rear bumper and started to wrap,
Never done it before and its much harder then it looks
Sponsor logo's applied,
A quick trip to Combe for spring day,
Time Attack graphic's applied,
While changing to stiffer springs I tried my Yellow wheels,
Polycarbonate windows in,
With a few other changes made to the car it was finally ready for our first round of 2017 Time Attack season at Snetterton,
And a trip to the podium,
There is still loads more in the pipe line to change and develop on the car, I will try and do my best to keep regular updates when I can. I hope you enjoy what you have seen so far and your feed back is always goo to hear.
With all the work that was carried out I have also removed a lot of weight from the car (I can't say how much exactly), I didn't take any pictures of this as I felt it was quite boring removing sound deadening, wiring not required, washer bottle, everything in the doors (window mechanism's and loom's) and in the wiring in the boot lid, the sun roof has also been replaced with a sheet of carbon the list goes on.
I cant remember if I have mention in the past my the also has the battery relocated to the passenger foot well (but needs moving again to behind the passenger seat due to MSA/FIA reg's), a fully plumbed in fire extinguisher and kill switch.
Really like it in the new colour too, how does wrapping cost compare to painting ?
Been checking through your thread and you didn't say where the cage was from ? I presume it's to MSA speck ?
Thanks mate. I got the vinyl from eBay for Ł80 12m x 1.5m roll and just my time in the evening. Don't get me wrong it was a real ball ache and took a long time.
The cage is a Safety Device rear cage for a MK1 RS as it sits higher to the roof just waiting for the front half. It's MSA spec being from Safety Device. Time Attack reg's state I don't need a cage in the reg's but everyone knows it's far safer to have one
This looks great now. Fair play for getting out there and using it properly. It's easy for people to tell you how to do it better, but you're out there and having fun, so good on you. Power certainly isn't everything. A lot of people in the Ford world don't seem to realise that.
Thanks mate. I got the vinyl from eBay for Ł80 12m x 1.5m roll and just my time in the evening. Don't get me wrong it was a real ball ache and took a long time.
The cage is a Safety Device rear cage for a MK1 RS as it sits higher to the roof just waiting for the front half. It's MSA spec being from Safety Device. Time Attack reg's state I don't need a cage in the reg's but everyone knows it's far safer to have one
Could you look up the seller you got the vinyl from bud?
Yes I know its been a while but I will get better at updating one day.
Since Brands I attend Ford Fair with the car and managed to get some track time and take the misses out in the car as she plays a big part in the building the car with me. As well as track time I was parked up with the guys and girls ST170 owners Club, Hopefully you got to see the car in person on and off track and grabbed a Solar Motorsport sticker from me or off the car.
Some pictures from Ford Fair
After Silverstone I had a few jobs to do to the car for the final round of Time Attack held at Rockingham. First of all I finished my new splitter/floor,
Link rod brackets welded to chassis legs
Put some rivnut's into the sub frame to add support at the rear of the floor
Bumper back on,
The only thing I didn't get was a picture of it painted.
Next job was to cut out the spare wheel well, something I've wanted to do for a while (because I could)
All painted
keeping sponsors happy if my bumper came off
The guys from Stuke Designs gave me a diffuser to try, so with a bit of work I made it fit
Time for the final round of Time Attack,
As normal the car passed scrutineering with no issues (apart from my smelly sock left in my boots). The car ran faultless apart from fuel surge and a vibration coming from the driveshaft's. I was able to secure another fastest Signal Round Entry in class, making that 3rd one of the year Snetterton, Brands and Rockingham.
A few pictures from the day,
A great way to end the year on a high,
Now winter is here I'm well under way for plans for next year...... More power from the 1600 and better handling with new suspension. I'll try my best to update over winter when I can. I hope you have enjoyed the update!!!
Read this thread through more times than is healthy, shame I didn't get out and about much this year but planning on putting that right next year.
If you get the chance could you answer a couple of quick questions for me: do the seats and belts have to be in date? and how are you going to get more power?
Read this thread through more times than is healthy, shame I didn't get out and about much this year but planning on putting that right next year.
If you get the chance could you answer a couple of quick questions for me: do the seats and belts have to be in date? and how are you going to get more power?
Thank you
Thanks for reading the thread. At the moment seat and harnesses don't need to be in date just in good working order to pass scrutineering but this might change for next year. My harnesses are in date till the end of the year so I will be replacing them and my seat is a year out of date I think.
As for power, I have been speaking to a few companies about which route to go with power I have a few options just got to decide on which would be best for my budget and reliability but I will post what I decide to do when I have parts in my hand 👍
Thanks for reading the thread. At the moment seat and harnesses don't need to be in date just in good working order to pass scrutineering but this might change for next year. My harnesses are in date till the end of the year so I will be replacing them and my seat is a year out of date I think.
As for power, I have been speaking to a few companies about which route to go with power I have a few options just got to decide on which would be best for my budget and reliability but I will post what I decide to do when I have parts in my hand 👍
Thanks for the answer, at the moment I have a knackered 1.6 focus and trying to decide what to do with it, scrap it (the wife's preferred option) or turn it into a race car(mine) working out the cost to bring it up to a similar standard as yours at the moment and buying new seats is an expense I could do without. I was going to wait until my escort is ready but it could be a good learning curve and it sounds like you need some competition lol
Loving your work mate. Did the splitter help? What suspension set up are you using next year, any ideas on spring rates?
Thank you buddy 👍
Its hard to say how much of a difference the splitter made as I hadn't drove the car for a while but it did seem to not have as much initial turn in understeer, as for spring rates I'm not to sure yet I have a rough idea what I would like to try but will let everyone know once everything is on he car
Thanks for the answer, at the moment I have a knackered 1.6 focus and trying to decide what to do with it, scrap it (the wife's preferred option) or turn it into a race car(mine) working out the cost to bring it up to a similar standard as yours at the moment and buying new seats is an expense I could do without. I was going to wait until my escort is ready but it could be a good learning curve and it sounds like you need some competition lol
If your only going to be a track day car then I don't worry about in date seats and harnesses just the best you can afford even if they are second have.
Im just building my car to a high spec as I can with my knowledge from working on many types of race cars over the years, I just have a much smaller budget 🙈
11-07-2016, 07:31 PM
well done 
