Rally Spec Focus Build (56k beware)

[ZX3autoxtasy]

Dude, this rocks so much.

Please, when its done, if you could, take a picture of the car flying a few feet in the air?

[gobstopper]

Originally Posted by ZX3autoxtasy

Dude, this rocks so much.

Please, when its done, if you could, take a picture of the car flying a few feet in the air?

+1.

[goosesfocus]

Looks awesome man can't wait till it's done.

[jrssvt]

looks great man

[Silonius]

Originally Posted by ZX3autoxtasy

Dude, this rocks so much.

Please, when its done, if you could, take a picture of the car flying a few feet in the air?

You should come out to Sandblast and take one yourself! It isn't that far away.

ATL to Cheraw, SC

Looks incredible Andrew. Can't wait to see it slideways in the sand!

Who is planning on being at Sandblast? Besides myself (worker) and Mr. BigSandwich and his gorgeous Focus Rally Monster.

[ZX3autoxtasy]

I would, but a tad too far. Whats the date on it? If its during this semester, it's pretty much automatically nixed.



Besides, I gotta set aside time for the Southeast Focaljet Autocross Attack!

[John B]

Originally Posted by Silonius

You should come out to Sandblast and take one yourself! It isn't that far away.

ATL to Cheraw, SC

Looks incredible Andrew. Can't wait to see it slideways in the sand!

Who is planning on being at Sandblast? Besides myself (worker) and Mr. BigSandwich and his gorgeous Focus Rally Monster.

What kind of work do you do there and when is it? I have a year of flagging under my belt, would be cool to do that. If it doesn't conflict with any autocross or road races, I might have to go. Cheraw is only about 1.5 hours from me.

[BigSandwich]

If you are interested in working the event let me know or just check out the website that Silonius posted. No experience is needed to work the event. They have openings for all levels. Plus a lot of times you get the best locations to watch the rally.

[John B]

I'm there. I sent an e-mail to Anders and requested to work with Seth Stepleton or Marcel Ceaskay.

[Silonius]

Excellent!

The easiest job is marshalling. Basically standing in the woods at a road that intersects the stage and make sure no one get onto stage. Lots of down time, take a book, and excellent view of the cars as they come screaming by.

Next up is start control and finish control. I've never worked start and hopefully will get to this time. But it is writing down the time that the competitor arrived at the stage control (penalties for too late and maybe for too early). Finish control is one guy at the flying finish who tells the other guy when to stop the clock. The other guy writes down that car's stage time onto the car's log.

Very easy and lots of help from the always friendly rally folk.

Look forward to seeing you there JohnB! We're staying at the Econo Lodge.

[dcsvt]

JohnB: Just saw where you are going to be at Sandblast, thats great. I meet you last year at the autocross in Columbia (yellow euro svt). Stop by and say hi, I am going to be co-driving with Darrell Pugh in an AWD Eclipse .

Thanks for working the rally guys!!

Andrew , thanks for the updates, looking good.

[John B]

WOW...Sandblast is looking like a varitable FocalJetPalooza!

Cool!

See you there, Seth, Duane, and Andrew! Anybody else from [FJ] going?

[Nliiitend1]

Awesome thread, and kudos on the build.

I wish you the best of luck this season!

[Silonius]

Originally Posted by dcsvt

JohnB: Just saw where you are going to be at Sandblast, thats great. I meet you last year at the autocross in Columbia (yellow euro svt). Stop by and say hi, I am going to be co-driving with Darrell Pugh in an AWD Eclipse .

That's great! I'll be sure to introduce myself.

[BigSandwich]

Time for another update. Here is the DMS I can't wait to get on the stages now that I have seen these shocks. I will have to do a side by sid with the stock stuff you can appreciate how beffy these are.




Check out the full stut look at how long those rally spings are


Close up of the inverted shock. Mmmm 50mm piston


This is one of my favorite parts. The piece that actually goes into the knuckle is a machined bilet chunk of metal. I don't see my self bending struts like some of those wussy road race shocks.


Double ajustable. 20 bump settings and 4 rebound settings.


And last but not least the rears I don't think you can apreciate the rears until you see them next to the stockers. The spring will go in the stock spring location so I will not need to run spacers in the back some of the other rally suspensions out there.


I talked with the cage builder today. He was finishing up the skid plate mounting and the seatbelt mounts. I am going to pick the car up on Saturday morning. Then I just have to see if I can put the car back together in less than a month.

[wrcRS]

That is some sweet suspension components. Those strut shafts are beefy.

[John B]

OMG...








I just wet myself.

Those shocks are filled with the glory of the lord.

[sleeperlove]

Its a land of sweets and joy and ... Joyness!

Pimptacular setup there sir

[dcsvt]

Nice, you're gonna love running on the dms shocks!!

[BigSandwich]

Hello Everyone,

Time for another update. I got the car back yesterday morning and started slaving away on it. I am really happy with the progress that we made. We will probably be putting the motor back in this moring. Still a long way to go after that but encouraging none the less. Here are some pictures.

Another rally guy, Chris Greenhouse came up from Cinci to lend hand.


Here is an action shot of me painting the firewall.


The engine crane waiting patiently


Engine Bay has been painted. Starting to look like a race car.


Here is the wheel well. We decided to save some time by just painting the areas where the welding has burned the paint off.


Tow Hook.


Shot of the cage after a coat of primer. Notice the gusset to the a-piller on the left hand side of the shot.


Cage from the back. We used rustoleum and put in on with brushes and foam rollers. It did a good job but man the fumes tear up your eyes.


Detail shot so you can see how the suspension is supported.



Now here we are at the end of Day 1: 2 coats of paint on the cage and we have started puting the engine bay back together.


Shifter cables and heater core were the first things that have to go back in.


Engine back is starting to look like it is ready for an engine.


Had to put the grill back on since the wiring was in place.


I cut the firewall matt so it would just have the heat shield area. I now need to figure out how to secure the top of the mat, suggestions? I was thinking sheet metal screws or rivits.


Wow it has pedals and everything almost like a real car.


Well that is all from Day 1. I should have another update tomorrow with what we get finished today.

Cheers,
Andrew

[P-51]

Nice! I really like what you did with the rear suspension/cage area. It annoys me to no end when I see people putting rear strut bars and things... Hello, most of the loads go right into the floor, not the strut towers. But you've tied it all together nicely.

I like the white paint on the inside, good idea, but would look better if it was finished.

For the heat shielding... I dunno if you need it at all really? The header is in front of the engine. I think that's more for street cars. You could just get the peel and stick heat shielding from a hotrod store and use that.

[ZX3autoxtasy]

Looks badass dude. I wish I was somewhere near there so I could check it out


If you don't mind me asking, how much where those shocks? Those things would survive the apocalypse.

[BigSandwich]

Hello Everyone,
Ok the final update from this weekend. I think we made great progress. But man am I tired. So onto the pictures.

The engine bay is ready for the motor. I decided the keep the heat shield in place with pop rivits. I think it turned out nice and it will not be going any where. I know it isn't really needed but since my last rally car was unbearably hot on the inside and I am taking percautions to make sure it is comfortable in the cabin.


A shot from the underside.


The motor complete with a new valve cover gasket. Yeah for now more oil leaks.


And this may not look like much but it is the first zip tie that was used on this project. I thought I would take a picture to remember the moment. This one is being used to secure the cruise control wiring out of the way. In case I ever decide I need that feature again.


Don't have a lot of in progess photos of the motor going in but here is a shot of me working on the wiring for one of the O2 sensors. The motor went in smooth and at this point most of th systems are reconnected. Haven't finished the cooling or emissions but everything else is connected and it has a new belt.


Another underside shot so you can see the radiator is in. I had to change the orientation of the horn as you can see so that it would clear the mounting tab for the skid plate.


And this came up in another thread a week or so ago. here is how my front tow hook is mouned. I don't think it is really going any where. you can also see the other mount for the skid plate.


Thats it for now. I will have more as more progress is made.

Andrew

[John B]

Lookin teh sexeh!

Pop rivets is what I would have done in a pinch with the firewall heat shield. Good choice.

The white interior with blue exterior is T I G H T.

[Silonius]

Looking good Andrew! I'm with John on the awesomeness of the blue/white color scheme.

So the tow hook is welded to just below and behind the front bumper? Seems like a good spot. Just make sure you get some big "Tow Here" stickers. Do you have all your vinyl in yet or is that coming later?

I love the rear of that cage and the suspension supporting goodness.

Originally Posted by ZX3autoxtasy

If you don't mind me asking, how much where those shocks? Those things would survive the apocalypse.

Check with Davenport Racing for all your rally suspension needs. Click on the "products" link and check out the Leda and Hotbits suspension stuff too.

Those 50mm DMS's are freakin' gorgeous. BEEFCAKE!