Im thinking of you!
Jesus Christ. 9 years since I last posted something about this.
Every now and then it gets mentioned on a Facebook group and I promised to add all of my info here, so I have.
All info from Jimmys build and my subsequent info can be found here
The last big update on this was that it was being stripped and prepared for a complete respray and various bits of work. That work was completed around 2016 (can’t really remember) and I had a nice shiny shell with new wings, mk3.5 doors, crossmember, front panel, all rust cut out and repaired.
Somewhere, I have a video of it fresh in the spray booth.
I started rebuilding. There was so many niggly bits I wanted to put right, covered in various previous posts.
Then life got in the way, It had to be moved to my garage.
– Got our first house in 2016, tied up lots of funds in that.
– COVID!
– Changed job.
– Baby number 1.
– Now baby number 2 on route.
Anyhow it can’t sit there forever, needs to be brought back to life so I’m gonna get moving with it. My biggest issue is that I need it at home to work on it – working on that one.
Nowadays I’m more experienced in the mechanical & electrical / wiring side of things, have developed a good ‘make stuff to make it work’ way of thinking and not terrible at drawing things to prototype on a 3d printer – this should all be easy right!
This is an attempt to make a todo list;
Decide whether to use focus RS ECU or go aftermarket.
Would massively like to keep this as it drives the focus RS clocks; speedo, the useless boost gauge, rev counter, shift light, battery light. Is also nice to an extent in terms of EOBD and diagnostics.
At the same time I could simplify the setup with an aftermarket setup.
I really despise the location of the ECU as well. So susceptible to water ingress so that needs to change.
Downpipe
If continuing to use Focus RS ECU, would continue using Focus alternator. This is massively awkward as the original fabricated downpipe had deteriorated so much it’s not much use. It sat so close to the alternator. Would need to have custom downpipe made.
If not using the Focus RS ECU, should be able to use a basic alternator possibly on the front of the engine. This would massively free up space in that area and would be able to make a much better flowing downpipe.
Intercooler
The previous owner had fabricated an intercooler. ITS MASSIVE and wasn’t central. I had the inlet and outlets changed so it was possible to mount it centrally – now all the boost pipes need to be done from scratch and re routed.
Power Steering
I think I may of changed it back to a non PAS setup. Less pipes, less to go wrong.
Would really like to get it re PAS’d. I really wasn’t keen on the reservoir setup and was trying to relocate it. Problem was that it needs to be above the pump so fluid feeds into it (PAS pumps don’t really ‘suck’). I had an idea that I can mount it lower if I use an electric pump to feed the fluid to the reservoir. I purchased a pump. That was as far as it went.
Pedal box
The original build pedal box worked, but wasn’t a perfect solution with the bar running along bulkhead. Incredibly tight to turbo area.
I removed it all and stupidly sold it. Purchased various bits for either a floor mounted setup or overhung with master cylinders in cabin and never got a working solution.
Interior
Somehow I ended up with 1x freshly fully retrimmed leather front seat, rear seats retrimmed, but another front seat just fabric. Can’t remember the details (lol).
So one front seat needs retrimming in leather!
Floor frame centre brace
Don’t know whether I will complete this… but hear me out. I started to use a MK4 golf floor centre console that incorporates the handbrake lever etc.
The issue comes when I had to remove the seat belt buckles as they are in the way, they bolt to the floor pan, on the ‘Mk3’.
The later ‘Mk3.5’ floor pan doesn’t have seat belt buckles that bolt to the floor, each buckle bolts to the seat subframe (‘Mk3.5’ version). Great, lets use these I hear you say.
To use the these subframes, you would need to change the floor frame centre brace.
I happen to have one from a Mk4 (same as the Mk3.5).
Confusing eh?
Strip and make sure the engine hasn’t rusted together
Been sat for a long time. Gonna have to happen.
Probably only touched the surface.
That’s all for now.
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