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Hey everyone; I hadn't really introduced myself or my meager build-threads... just lurking and drooling over all the stuff I can't get. Here's some of my endeavors: an '05 Lexus IS300 and my '03 Focus ZX3. It always starts fairly normal, but it's just a good place to start. You know what I mean?!
This is, unfortunately, the earliest picture of my Focus before I starting changing everything. See it tucked in waaaaaaay in the back there?!?
It quickly lost the ugly black body cladding & mirrors in favor of the SVT pieces (which I had an employee discount on at that time). The headlights I got from a customer that came back to see me after his focus got smashed-up to give me first crack at the parts.
I ran this thing at auto cross events up and down the Mid-Atlantic until the warranty expired and parts started breaking. I bought it to beat on it, and this project has carried me through so many years and jobs before I actually become a technician. Because nobody's workin' on my car but me from now on.
Here's some of the pics from along the way... and some other random projects too.
It's a whole lot more V8 and Ford vs. Chevy over here; this continent is just now finding out you can make ridiculous power with a two-liter... but we like checking yours just as much!
Some in-between type stuff... I was gonna cut & paste this build thread from one of my other domestic forums; but it's like replaying a video game: I really can't get interested in doing the same thing all over again!
So here's to the smashed bag-of-ass that this thread is sure to devolve into!
I've been getting back into doing my AutoX'ing and focusing less on the car show circuit so I can get my kicks at-speed. The interior quarter trim didn't fare too well over the years, what with broken retainer clips/posts, and the cheap vinyl peeling away from the corners. So I gutted it. It's a tad louder now.
and then made a crappy little load floor to truck my stuff around with
I have mates that live over there and I do get it the ford vs chevy guys, pretty much same here as ford vs vauxhall, fuel here is so much more expensive than you have so not that many have mopars or big v8s on the road except going to shows etc
I've gotten some rewiring done... all it took was saddling $30k for school debt to work up the nerve to do it myself. I cut & added the extra circuits to run your tail light and bumper setups (I still need to get EDM crash bars, I'll just teach myself to weld).
I'm teaching myself the principles of turbo on this, so admittedly I'm dragging ass. The Roush kit I picked up (used) was missing a couple pieces and I'm finding them only when I reach the steps that call for them!
It's hurry-up-and-wait with this thing. At least I haven't blown it up yet!
Good job going the turbo route, this will show v8s a thing or two I'll bet!
You know it, baby. I'll finally be able to do some straight-line stuff against larger foes; I already own my fair share of V8's in the twisties! They ain't want none up in the mountains.
Originally Posted by Glenn_
Cool matey. Nice size garage you have.
GOD, I WISH that was my garage... that's a good friend's who's trust I feel I've exploited. I warned him how trepidatious I was about embarking into new territory (boost-newbie) in a shop that isn't my own! I tried to tell him.
Originally Posted by PaulinhoT
Do you have any additional information about these rear bars ? are they custom made or bought.
Car looks good
Thanks a lot! I like to say this is how I would've built the car had I been moneyed in my twenties! I actually sold this thing to myself and I've been dumping money into it ever since (and taught myself to be an automotive technician with it... all 'cause that last bastard that took my $, didn't address why I went to them, and then yelled at me about how all that aftermarket junk probably did it).
The harness bar is a member-created piece from the U.S. based forum FocalJet. They're called a CodeSVT Harness bar after the username of the creator (iirc). The other neat feature of those bars is the fit & finish in a full interior: it's made to fit with the b-pillar trim and rear seats still installed!
The problem with these harness bars: they're not made anymore so you have to snap 'em up when they appear in the forum B-S-Ts (buy-sell-trade sections). This one will eventually be removed when I cage the thing.
This looks great! How did I miss this build or do you not have anything going on the US forums?
Thank you! Quite an honor considering how far yours is being taken, though...
I am pleased as punch to hear that, Sir!
I have been keeping a lid on progress just to go against the trend of posting every damn thing on FB and not keeping up on the Forums! It's been up on Focus Fanatics the entire time under my "Battle Thread" between my tech school buddy Keefer (or QweeferQ36 on FF).
I figured if I posted on the forums I could at least blab to someone and no one I wouldn't want seeing it/the community at-large would see it coming together; looks like the exodus away from the forums has kept my secret! You gonna be at Focus Rising 2016 this summer, Thielt?
With Gents like you to study and emulate; honored! I can't help but think how much I still have to learn!!! I'm looking to cut up a Merkur for the trans tunnel so I can one day do a YB/RWD swap. Those cars are so random and rare I need to find a special car that ISN'T salvageable as a whole, but still has a reuseable tunnet/floor to cut up.
I also work in dealerships over here, so I'm grooming myself in the way of "the only way is the right way" mentality. Cutting corners is for other people, and we don't do this because it's easy! Right?!?!
So in other news; that sensor in the intake section is from the Terminator engines... I had to call the Eastern Seaboard's mecca of Focus tuning (McNew's Automotive) for some other details.
WELP; I just so happened to switch dealerships to a joint close to home that houses the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram dealer I work at AAAND a Ford dealer! So, My lunchbreak started by a short walk up the hill to find this bad-biddy!
I already stopped by the garage and it does indeed fit! Now once the GReddy PRofec power connector I ordered comes in I can finish the electrical install and reinstall the rest of the interior.
Thank you! Quite an honor considering how far yours is being taken, though...
I am pleased as punch to hear that, Sir!
I have been keeping a lid on progress just to go against the trend of posting every damn thing on FB and not keeping up on the Forums! It's been up on Focus Fanatics the entire time under my "Battle Thread" between my tech school buddy Keefer (or QweeferQ36 on FF).
I figured if I posted on the forums I could at least blab to someone and no one I wouldn't want seeing it/the community at-large would see it coming together; looks like the exodus away from the forums has kept my secret! You gonna be at Focus Rising 2016 this summer, Thielt?
I mainly watch focaljet which is why I missed some of the progress.
I don't even bother with FB unless it is to buy or sell.
I am going to try and make Focus Rising this year as long as it doesn't conflict with my race schedule.
I managed to get the battery squeezed back in up front
I got some extra bungs, exhaust tubing to play with, and heat wrap ordered... hopefully in the home stretch now! *once that controller pigtail shows up*
Sooooo... I've reused some abandoned mounting points for the catch can's mounting bracket. Hopefully I didn't remove anything crucial to not putting holes in engines.
I had to cancel my first order on that boost power connector/harness. Found another place and awaiting another order on that piece! I'm headed over to put coolant back in and prep for this Saturday's welding fiasco that's about to ensue. That downpipe WILL be created as will the flex pipe section!
General question: two o2 sensor bungs or three o2 sensor bungs for this downpipe fab?! Anyone have a link or better yet; experience?
I got another Saturday off so I went to the salvage yard for a few things. I actually had a good score; spent $74 for trim pieces and fifteen pounds of weird specific body screws and hardware. GOTTA LOVE LOCO RAYMUNDO'S!
I snagged a replacement A-Pillar harness to the dome lights. Mine is still glued to the headliner I traded at the Lake Redman meet in PA last fall.
This is finally in
I also snagged black sun visors for the new headliner. No dice on the grab-handles, though. Yet... It's really starting to come back together!
The bestest part, though...
The downpipe has been figured out!!!!! It's gonna have to do until I get it finished and tuned. Someone is bound to tell me it can be done better, but I can't get one person that would make the thing to begin with!
I was spinning wheels for days trying to get the chop saw figured out (cutting it opposite the way I was cutting it the first eight times gave us true straight cuts whereas it was cutting a funny angle on the fulcrum side of the saw). An inclinometer was too large to fit up there so it took my engineer buddy using cardboard tubes to get my vision oriented properly
^^^A bit of a nod
I also got around to repairing the Rieger (hopefully) in a permanent manner! I'm almost set to send this and the rest of the body stuff out, but I have to cut up & modify a rear valance before then.
Prepped. Kinda...
After forty minutes
Just a couple spots in there need filling before leaving me
I need to get back over there to weld, so this week is gonna be a tad busy, but ultimately have me on the flatbed to the tuner's faster.
It's just a Focus.
lets have some car chick pics lol
