WINNER of March NFOTM: WTF? I Thought This Was FOCUS of the Month!

[Ataru]

The Competitors


The Winner:

Ray

"Thank you, FocalJet. While the Merkur wasn't a Focus - the fact that the build thread had such great support shows the quality of the character here. Since the beginning - when the car didn't run, was filthy, and seemed overwhelming - you all kept me going. I really do appreciate that.

In the beginning, the XR was funded by sales of parts from my wrecked zx3. Sold here, on Focaljet. Several Jetters (some of which i met on focaljet) donated several hours, long days, and their own blood to this project. You guys know who you are - you're the best. Several other Jetters helped me figure out problems, troubleshoot, plan, design, and locate parts to use. You are also the best, and know who you are.

Each small cut, drop of blood, drip of sweat, and burn from welding is now only scars, for now. Dont worry. The project will continue, albeit slower than before. I have some more blood to donate."


Where to start?
My mother got this car in 1993. It was this oddball car, some german ford or something. I was young. 12 or 13. I liked the car. I liked the car a lot. My father said i couldn't have the car when i turned 16, as it was too fast for me. Still, when i was 14/15 he brought me to some big empty lots (precursor to autocross?) to learn how to drive manual, in this vehicle. I fell in love.

In october of 1995 the engine overheated, warping the head and burning the number 4 exhaust valve. At the time, we didn't know what was wrong except that it lost compression. My father was in the process of building a 1938 plymouth coupe street rod and decided to "keep the merkur" to use the seats in the street rod. Little did i know he never wanted the seats, but he wanted me to have the car once i "proved myself". The car was put in the back yard on cinder blocks and forgotten.

9 years later i'm graduated from college and i own a supercharged zx3 that i also autocross. It's now may 2004, and i convince my dad to let me "have" the merkur. I knew a lot more about engines than i did when i was little, and i was sure i could get this car running. In october 2004 a friend of mine with a trailer brought the car from my parents to my house.

3 weeks later the car ran. New head, head gasket, hoses, belts, etc etc etc etc etc and she ran. Sure, the timing was off. Sure, this and that. Whatever. She ran! On disassembly i was shocked the car was in as good condition as it was. Well, except the interior. 9 years of mice left me removing the insides with a full face respirator and latex gloves. Ever get mouse crap in your eye? I have.

After cleaning up the car and interior and getting it running, i offered it to my mother in 2005. She said "no, it's yours now, and ... well, i'd just break it again."

Okay.

Fast forward to 2008. the car now sits on a fully customized suspension, with a hodgepodge of parts from things that really only fit because i bought myself a welder and a sawzall. (inside joke).

A "mod list" doesn't apply here, at least not in "bolt ons". Not much on the car is a bolt on, and not much on the car is actually made for the car. The funny part is... thru research and planning, it WORKS.

So i'll attempt a mod list.

Inside:
Removal of about 4lbs of dessicated mouse crap.
Removal of 3 or so dessicated mice.
Removal of about 45lbs of sound proofing, give or take.
Removal of most interior pieces (rear seats, carpet, trim, head liner, drivers seat).
Replacement of drivers seat with a momo start (14 lbs)
Custom fabbed seat rail using the oem slider so i can still have front / rear slide control.
Crow 3" 5pt camlock harness.
Autopower 4 pt rollbar, modified with extra steel to have a harness bar, diagonal brace (to rear shock tower), and welded (not bolted) in.
Very lightweight triangulated aluminum rear shock brace.
Stitch welded floorpan (most of it)
I also had to resolder some of the circuit boards.

Gauges:
Wideband o2 sensor
Big fat tach (it was cheap and used)
Oil pressure
Oil Temp
Water Temp (oem didn't work, even new they sucked)
Voltage (lets me know when something isn't right)
Boost

Redline tuning shifter boot (yes, the first one made for a merkur)
Fire extinguisher (it's still a merkur)
Ford Focus Shifter knob (different tranny than stock = different shift pattern.)

Under the hood:
fully clean and repainted most of the parts.
new hoses, wiring out the friggin' wazoo, etc.
3" turboback exhaust
3" dump under pass side door with block off plate for non-track stuff.
front mount intercooler (3" x 20" x 6" core, bar and plate)
intercooler tubing i welded up myself
lightly ported / polished e6 turbo manifold
stainless braided oil feed to turbo line
stainless braided fuel line
turbojoe's high flow fuel rail
proform adjustable fuel pressure regulator
fuel pressure gauge
thermostatically controlled oil cooler (from a 1988 rx7)
summit racing oil filter sandwich plate (for oil cooling)
stainless braided oil lines for oil cooler
mustang v8 oil filter (shorter than stock, so it fits)
esslinger underdrive pulley (crank, water pump)
upgraded the **** out of the ground wires (i didn't want any chances with sensor stuff)
LA3 ECU
Big VAM (from a turbocoupe)
air charge sensor (wired to ECU)
3" stainless turbo inlet pipe
K&N cone filter in a custom made 20ga galvanized steel heat shield with a decal of winnie the pooh holding a knife dripping blood in one hand, and piglets severed head in the other.
New head (kind of a big deal i guess)
felpro 1035 head gasket

Drivetrain:
tremec type 5 trans (t5 for short)
mustang (1986 i think) v8 driveshaft
adapter for driveshaft to differential
european 7.0" limited slip diff
spec stage 3 6 puck clutch
clutch cable from a non-hydro clutch mustang
oem speedo cable with different end gear in trans (wrong ratio, btw, it's like 14% off (too fast ))

Brakes:
full flush of brake fluid once per year
oem rear brakes (replaced all hardware, and painted drums black
fronts have handmade adapter brackets for the following:
ford focus SVT rotors
2003 mustang GT calipers
ford focus SVT brake lines (required a rethread of calipers to fit new lines, they're 1/8 npt if you're interested)

Suspension

this is where the car got expensive. mc2racing helped tremendously with advice and parts supply for this portion of the car (as well as other portions)

Front:
Hypercoil 500lb/in springs, coilover
helper springs
coilover sleeves on koni adjustable dampers
nylon steering rack bushings
polyurethane sway bar bushings
polyurethane inner and outer TCA (control arm) bushings
i also chopped the top off my strut towers, fabricated new tops, and welded them on to fit:
mustang QA1 camber plates with spherical bearings.
a crazy amount of adjustment now.

Rear:
Hypercoil 325lb/in coilover springs
QA1 carerra 4/4 aluminum threaded body racing shocks
custom fabricated lower shock reciever
redone and reinforced upper reciever (a lot of welding)
mc2racing polyurethane rear diff mount
nylon inner and outer STA (control arm like) bushings
polyurethane rear beam bushings

Wheels / Tires
mustang pony wheels painted white to match car with silver lip to hide wheel weights
225/50/16 falken azenis RT 615's
i also have some oem 16" focus wheels with hoosier rubber on them but i haven't used that in a while.

Exterior:
Cleaned, claybarred, waxed car
handmade fiberglass cossie replica grill
reshot the trim from grey to white to match car
cossie style hood vents
tinted tail lights
some decals to support my local businesses, and friends
magnetic numbers and class stuff for autocross.
some rust fixes here and there.


For a timeline build with all the pics and full commentary, please view all the pages here:

http://forums.focaljet.com/team-rigz...1-14-08-a.html

I've lost count of the hours in this car. More spent working on it than driving it, but if you know me, you know that i absolutely love this car. I had to sell one toy, and ... sadly, the focus is for sale. I cant part with this car. It means a lot to me. Too much, probably.






first event:


cutting the tops of my shock towers off...


no, i really DONT trust the factory gauges... (mostly because they dont work that well)


motormounts, wideband, 3" wrapped dp...


best pic i have of the front suspension


rear suspension (still sorting this out)


respect.


fun.


fairly recent engine shot


prettiest pic i have

[j20000]

Congrats Ray. Tremendous transformation

[Devanmc]

wow just wow, that is a car built that demands some respect. that is amazing work

[02AllBlackSVT]

Congrats Great looking car man.

[staunton]

nice car
the last picture is awesome

[Dev]

Congrats Ray. Because of you I now have a lust for the Merkur... When the time comes you are doing my car!

[HotRodKristina]

Awesome.

[bigdaddyzx3]

You deserve it.

[Nickgt40]

Color match those door handles!!!

Haha, looks great, completely transformed and perfect execution

[brads03zx3]

Much respect and admiration to you sir. Very nice project.

[Spatakula]

Nice Ray! Way to go man.

-spatakula

[Ray]

needs tints and a drop and color matched door handles.










***

oh, wait. that's my car? ****ing sweet! woohoo!

[Ataru]

[belacyrf]

Nice job Ray!!! Congrats man, well earned!

[hksvt_03]

congrats Ray!

Alex

[bluefociZX3]

CONGRATS!!! merks > all

[hEaT]

Congrats Ray!

[lowlifestyle]

Congrats Ray. This was a KICK ASS focus of the month, thanks Ataru.

[Ray]

You still owe us those videos of your five and dime.

I love that car.

[SVTADAM]

Cool. Congrats.

Hey thats me grinding the strut tower!

Ray made it...and I helped!

[lowlifestyle]

Originally Posted by Ray

You still owe us those videos of your five and dime.

I love that car.

Yeah, Mr. Blue is editing it for me and, well, he's been busy lately so it will be up when he gets time. On a side note though, I got the alternator to work yesterday and I actually fired it and reved it, turbo sounds are awesome with nothing but a downpipe. Me and Omni should be trailering it to the exhaust shop in the next week or two so then it will be MOSTLY street legal, definately not safe to drive yet though.

[01focuszx3]

Alot of hard work put into this car. Mad respect, looks good and congrats!

[Ray]

shed a little blood today... but i shaved almost 7lbs out of the car.

lightweight low draw starter installed, oem solenoid removed, oem wiring removed for starter, new wiring installed (shorter, less weight)... of course then i PET nylon sleeved the wire, heat shrunk it, and all that, but i have my "weight" limits when it comes to wiring.

car fired right up. later this week i'll get to fabbing my new lightweight battery tray (gonna make an aluminum riser and tie downs). that will kill another 18lbs.

[wunzx3]

I love the miata

[Lifeguardjoe]

Congrats brodda! I know I shouldn't have won because my acceptance speach would have gone something like this...


"Thanks!










I pay way too much per month for the car.












It's pretty.









It's kinda fast.











So....thanks"