Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 1:27 pm
As mentioned in my newbie thread my one off focus
this is the earliest photo ive got of my car owned it from new. started the project when it had only 10k on the clock.
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/DSC00134.jpg[/img]
after a few mods i went on the hunt for a new engine in 2007
where i found a written off FRS and i met the big andy who did all the work
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/11052007091.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/11052007086.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/11052007083.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/11052007079.jpg[/img]
thanks to my dad driving as i couldnt at the time due to health we bought the loom engine gearbox suspension all the goodies. boxed it all up and it sat in the garage for a wee while. in th emeantime i fancied some more mods so i fitted lambo doors.
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/03082007303.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/03082007302.jpg[/img]
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 1:28 pm
and ford fair 07 where my dad drove again as i couldnt
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/05082007310_2.jpg[/img]
the day befor eit went in had a good clean
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/22012008730.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/22012008738.jpg[/img]
the graphic was painted on and the doors fitted. while i wasnt driving some serious shopping for mods was done which in jan 08 resulted in everything going back to big andy to fit so heres my goodies and engine ready for andy also not photod was a dreamscience and radiator and chargecooler:
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/20012008697.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/20012008704.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/20012008715.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/20012008719.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/24012008748.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/24012008749.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/24012008750.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/24012008747.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/24012008746.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/24012008743.jpg[/img]
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 1:29 pm
so we shipped it all off with the loom etc to the big man who stripped it and did all this:
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/DSC03567.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/DSC03833.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/DSC03567.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/DSC03837.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/DSC03839.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/DSC03865.jpg[/img]
now the RS running gear was int he car needed to be made much wider so it was off to the fabricator for some tlc and metal work
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/19032008836.jpg[/img]
the original bumper wouldnt take it so an RS one was on order to be made to fit the original rear was kept
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/12032008827.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/12032008823.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/12032008824.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/12032008826.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/19032008838.jpg[/img]
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 1:30 pm
sills all made the bodyshop got on the case making good of the panels that had been fabricated;
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/Copyof03042008864.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/Copy2of03042008863.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/Copy2of03042008862.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/Copy2of03042008863.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/16042008887.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/16042008886.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/16042008885.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/16042008884.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/03042008867.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/03042008866.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/03042008865.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/03042008864.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/03042008862.jpg[/img]
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 1:30 pm
we realised the wheels wer ewayyyyyyy to small and inset so we sorted these
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/02052008956.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/02052008957.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/02052008958.jpg[/img]
a new offset was calculated to get the arches filled the day before pick up
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/08052008967.jpg[/img]
the week after was FITP so much cleaning and fettling was needed to get it mint resulting in this
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/064.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/096.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/081.jpg[/img]
the transformation was done. at FITP jamie from fats ford spotted it and a feature shoot was sorted and done
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/FAF269_focus-1.gif[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/41.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/01.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/46.jpg[/img]
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 1:31 pm
after the shoot a live map was needed to get the best of the car. the turbo had to be rebuilt to a race spec by turbo technice resulting in this
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/img082.jpg[/img]
after it was all fixed we rocked on until ford fair where it killed th elcutch and again big andy save dthe day and a new upgraded replacement was fitted sorry no photos guys.
on the cards was some drag fun and track fun
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/Focusblack1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/parttwo078.jpg[/img]
tucked away for winter i thought some tlc was in order
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/20112008379.jpg[/img]
couple of coats of diamondbrite job done
the car hasnt missed a beat since. now its running right i had some money so i then bought this to tip it to hopefully 300 bhp
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/20112008378.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/20112008377.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/17122008406.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/17122008408.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/17122008409.jpg[/img]
also having an oil and filter change done sort all the fluids int he car after a years hard 2000 miles
battery was flat so sorted it and before andy took it apart i did some sound clips as it is now
[url="http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/?action=view¤t=17122008019.flv"][img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/th_17122008019.jpg[/img][/url]
[url="http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/?action=view¤t=17122008018.flv"][img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/th_17122008018.jpg[/img][/url]
the big thanks for the whole thing are my dad who when i couldnt drive helped me the whole time and helped fund it when i ran out at times. also a huuuuuuuuge thanks to andy hes sorted so many things and has been brilliant. i owe him alot for what hes done. so hope you enjoy folks. when its all fitted saturday next step will be a remap in feb by ric wood again.
how the engine bay looks now the intercoolers fitted
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/31122008421.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/31122008423.jpg[/img]
and last but not least rear upper strut brace off jamsport
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/media1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r69/monkeyboner721/media1_2.jpg[/img]
waiting for the logbook back then mot then remap at jamsport.
cheers for looking.
Rob's Lexx
January 26, 2009, 1:41 pm
great work mate, an interesting read!! nice power to go with it too!!
only thing im personally not too keen on are the lambo style doors, but everything else is bang on mate
well done
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 1:43 pm
yes mate, the doors are very love hate with people. some people hate them but at shows thats the first thing people see, then when they look closer appreciate attention to detail and how well all the works been done.
Moe power to come in a week or 2 lol
aido
January 26, 2009, 2:07 pm
There has been some serious skill involved in this project mate
Really awesome stuff, hope you're all better now fella and will be good to see what it's pushing with the cone filter and FMIC!
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 2:11 pm
yes mate healths all ok and sorted thankgod not been able to drive was a pain had to get a dvla clearance to work for lexus in wolves where i am now eventhough they know me ayway as my dad sells to them.
it should be getting mapped in the next few weeks so fingers crossed boost should be put up form 1 bar to 1.3 aslong as temps etc are ok.
aido
January 26, 2009, 2:14 pm
Fantastic news mate!
Are you going to run it all the time at 1.3 bar then or are you going to use an EBC with a couple of modes, one I guess for the daily drive and then one for fun
What's it like on petrol as a matter of interest?
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 2:34 pm
as above mate its not used often only did 2000 miles last year, plus because of the way i will have it setup the turbo will run the boost safely and it wont prematurely wear the turbo out. i wont make it any faster after its mapped as its still good fun atm and very driveable dont want to lose that. but i do and will again have a low boost map and high boost map the programmes are on a hand unit which plugs into my ecu takes 5 mins.
on a run 20 to 22 ish sticking under 75 on the motorway.
on track i worked out 7 mpg.
so about 60 miles per 1/4 of fuel only use high ocatne too the car hates normal fuel due to its setup it coughs and splutters.
redz_UK
January 26, 2009, 3:18 pm
[quote name='Alex the kid' post='629328' date='Jan 26 2009, 02:11 PM']had to get a dvla clearance to work for lexus in wolves where i am now e[/quote]
does that mean you will be able to get sooperdooper discount for owners club members??
great work on the focus, looks quite tastefull although still not sure on the doors.. as you siad though its an attention grabber at shows!
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 3:38 pm
well ive signed up today
more than happy to answer questions and help people out mate
im sure i can sort something
although i see in your centre reviews were not in there bad times lol
cheers buddy, yup the doors were a grower for me when i first did it i thought what have i done lol
aido
January 26, 2009, 3:49 pm
Alex, just drop a PM to a guy called "Steve" and he'll sort the dealers review section for you as he's the admin here
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 3:54 pm
i just found us in the list only got a few reviews i best convince some of you to come in lol
TommyH
January 26, 2009, 4:45 pm
Top job mate, great thread & well presented,
Don't know if it was a good idea telling us you work at Lexus,
Your inbox will be as full as Monica Lewinsky's mouth in no time.
Welcome to LOC mate
aido
January 26, 2009, 4:49 pm
[quote name='tommy20165' post='629409' date='Jan 26 2009, 04:45 PM']Your inbox will be as full as Monica Lewinsky's mouth in no time.[/quote]
PMSL, Genius
[img]http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/8899/monicalewinskysj3.png[/img]
TommyH
January 26, 2009, 4:55 pm
Parthiban
January 26, 2009, 4:57 pm
That's quite a build, that RS didn't look in particularly good shape, I hope the previous owner walked away ok!
Why were the brake discs black? Special compound or just got some protective coating on?
Not really heard anything about Lexus Wolverhampton on here before, so maybe you're one of the good ones that doesn't get complained about!
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 4:59 pm
Thanks for all the good comments guys
yeah they are coated to prevent the grooves from rusting whent he cars used.
im sure we are mate. here as an enthusiast anyways, its good to see.
aido
January 26, 2009, 5:00 pm
[quote name='Parthiban' post='629434' date='Jan 26 2009, 04:57 PM']Why were the brake discs black? Special compound or just got some protective coating on?[/quote]
I had some Pagid racing disks on my IS mate that came black like that - as soon as use used them though the surface cleaned straight up to metallic I think?
Yeldarb
January 26, 2009, 5:52 pm
Great build, love all the photos!!
inicol63
January 26, 2009, 6:56 pm
What a good thread.
Great job done there, you must be really happy with the outcome...
chrisis200
January 26, 2009, 7:32 pm
I do like the FRS, I would get one if I could afford it and the insurance...lol I have to start saving

Looks great either way, alot of time, effort has been put in.
sparkystav
January 26, 2009, 7:39 pm
Great build pics mate, are the arches heavy though?
Stav
Alex the kid
January 26, 2009, 10:56 pm
not really mate, the metal work hasnt added too much weight
cheers for all the positive comments
Alex the kid
April 11, 2009, 2:04 pm
SMall updat efor anyone who remembers, cars all mapped and setup made
310bhp and 320 lb/ft
got a splitter waiting to go on harnasses to go in and gauges
improved 1/4 to a 13.8 struggling for traction so need stickier tyres.
inicol63
April 11, 2009, 2:33 pm
So Alex are you going to change the engine for the new RS Focus they start at 300bhp but some are going to 350bhp.
Only problem will be keeping in a straight line as there only front wheel drive.
Alex the kid
April 11, 2009, 3:04 pm
No i wont be, not a fan of the T5 Volvo engine. Its the ST 225 engine with a different turbo and cooler. My cars already quicker than one. Very much prefer the Duratec engine. Mountune have there hands on one thats the 350 bhp theory but my engine will take it how it is too.
Yup ive decided to sticck with 310 for now i tihnk much more would ruin my car in all honesty but with a new diff planned may end up higher still.The 1st picture is a new ST foci.
Full Colour Version:
Focus Build Thread
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please
click here.