cdbertrand's slow build thread.
 

Hey guys[welcome], some of you have seen me around. bought my ZX3 about a month and a half ago and fell in love with it. some say it was a downgrade from my previous ride, a 1999 Infiniti Q45t. she was a beauty and had the power to match. all leather all power sun roof heated seats and a huge ass v8 with 300hp. rear wheel drive i could roast the tires off with, and did. but with the v8 comes the gas mileage and with my heavy foot it was even worse. 14 mpg was kicking my ass. i also blew something in the heads and it was down to 6 cylinders and the japanese motor is hard to work on and expensive to replace. so i sold it for more than i bought it for haha. here's a few pics of her. this thread will progress with my focus and a very slow pace since i'm a full time college student and have 1 job, but hopefully will pick up during the summer. here's pics of my old baby and my new one, thanks for looking and I am always looking for sugestions and welcome all comments good and bad. [ffrocks]

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...0417011412.jpg
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...9-09-14_73.jpg

bone stock took it mudding haha nothing at all done to it yet.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...d/focuszx3.jpg

discovered PlastiDip and went right to work. did my center caps and gas cap.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/.../blackcaps.jpg
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...-02-59_567.jpg

finally got the time to do my whole wheels and decided to paint my brakes as well.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...rtrand/333.jpg
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...ertrand/33.jpg
after that i put my E3 spark plugs in which boosts my mileage pretty decently but no power gain i can feel.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...bertrand/3.jpg
put my new sony xplod dash unit in[headbang][headbang]
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...trand/3165.jpg
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...trand/3254.jpg
debadged it, just gotta get that damn sticker off.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...trand/3325.jpg
and just saturday night took my gf to prom in my freshly cleaned foci.[cheers]
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...trand/3256.jpg
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...32742133_n.jpg
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...04531091_n.jpg
and me with my car, kinda a close up.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...58155239_n.jpg
this is all for now, not much progress but its getting there. more to come soon. next upgrades will be sony xplod 12" subs, a K&N cai, and a magnaflow catback. just need the money of course haha.[thankyou]

have you looked at the fswerks exhaust and intakes? i don't like k&n i had em in the beginning... i would check RE subs great bang for buck.. but looking good dude!

Plastidip was definetly a good place to start. lol The first mods I did was a FSwerks CAI. I would highly recommend buying a CAI used. lol I bought mine new, which I felt like was a waste of money. I mean yeah sure the CAI works great and I love it, but its just a filter, pipe, and a heat shield. The biggest change for me was the CAI and header. They both led to better mpg and power. MPG is all I really care about in modding. lol

thanks guys, yeah i'm looking hard for a cai. fswerks the best? i was gunna get a typhoon k&n but i'll keep looking. don't wanna spend too much though you know?

we all understand lol but yes bang for buck i recommend doing the SVT header, exhaust.. then frpp kit to lower just a bit, and fswerks intake...i think youll be very happy with the outcome..

so svt exhaust? i price the magnaflow at 400 with shipping. still looking. header will come later. intake for sure though. i'lll look into it. typhoon is under 200.

looks good...I just got the fswerks CAI...was worth it to me :) my exhaust is custom no kit. It'll get there :) [thumb]

color match the door handles

yup find the svt exhaust.. not going to be easy but works well with everything. the zetec responds quite well with it... check the BST here and on focal jet sometimes people post some

I'll be selling my SVT header/cat/flex soon! Car's starting off good!