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02fordsvt Build/Mod/Random Thread

261K views 2K replies 86 participants last post by  02fordsvt 
#1 · (Edited)
I finally decided to make myself a thread I can call my own. I'm not expecting to do any major builds in the near future, but since I'm always doing little changes to my car, I figured I might as well put them all in one place and stop cluttering up the rest of the forum.

A bit about me and the car. I bought my 2002 Ford Focus Svt in June, 2010 and had no real hands on knowledge about working on or modding a car except some basics I learned from my dad and from reading auto magazines. Over the past few months I have done a lot of work on this car and have really learned how to do many things. In other words, it doesn't matter how much knowledge you have, you can do anything that I have done. Furthermore, I will be the first one to admit that I have not done many things in the best or most efficient way possible. I am just learning and having fun.

Thread Rules (Or lack thereof)

Feel free to post any kind of comments or questions. If anyone would like to know how to do anything, let me know and I can give you some of the resources I used. Becuase of the way I have this thread organized, it doesn't matter how cluttered the rest of the thread gets. Post anything you feel like from suggestions, questions, and random comments. I won't feel bad if anything gets a little of topic. [thumb]

Table of Contents

First post:

Current Status Section
  1. Current Performance Modifications
  2. Current Interior Modifications
  3. Current Exterior Modifications
  4. Current Exterior Pictures
  5. Current Interior Pictures
Second post:

Modification Time Line

Reference Material
 
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#395 ·
02fordsvt, could you tell me how you tinted your tails? I like how you did them, not too dark and with the reverse light not tinted.
 
#396 ·
Nite shade spray on tint from Advanced Auto Part. Simply tape off the reverse lights and any other areas you don't want tinted and spray. The darkness is determined by how many layers you put on. I think I did about two very thin layers and than did one more later because I wanted the light a little darker. Before you do it, I'd suggest practicing on something else so you know how dark to get it per spray; I first did it on my bumper's side markers and ended up getting them too dark because I didn't know how thick to put it on.

After I tinted, I went back through and clear coated, sanded, and polished much like you would if doing a regular paint job. That way, they have a very glossy look just as if they had come out of the factory tinted. (In pics you may see that my passenger side taillight is a little cloudy, I think I sanded through the clear and into the tint. Someday, I need to reclear coat that one so it matches the drivers side light).

One more word of warning. You taillight probably will warp slightly. You can see it on my taillights; the tint holds in the heat from the lights making the lights warp slightly. It hasn't been to bad and my lights were already slightly warped before I tinted them. What you see on my car is after driving with lights on for about an hour a day for almost a full year.
 
#399 ·
Original grill turn signals.



I used a dremel to cut out the orange plastic reflector. I was expecting to see only black plastic for the turn signal housing but to my surprise, I found this. Before I took this picture, I had already painted the nonsilver part of the inside black.



Lastly, to cover the opening, I used pieces of plastic packaging (the kind you can never open when you buy something from a store) with a layer of window tint spread over it.



The only thing I need to do to finish is replace my bulbs with an orange ones. I had one bulb that I'm using but I thought for sure that I had two sitting around somewhere. I guess it's time for another trip to the salvage yard.

Here's the finished product and a couple others I took today.



 
#401 ·
What grille was that in the first place? or did you makle the center mesh stuff too? I like it alot! It looks different than normal tinted lenses. There is a bit of a gap between the grille and the hood, but in all honesty I like that. Makes me feel like there is more air flow over the motor to keep it cooler! haha Not sure if it does or not though. Oh and I get all my bulbs from a car parts store. Just cuz there like 2 dollars or something like that. and the nearest junkyard is 50 minutes away from me. lol Although since my dad works at ford he usually has alot of misc. stuff like bulbs. :D
 
#403 ·
My bulbs are usually free from the junk yard (they always throw the little stuff in free if your buying larger items). [neener] lol

The grill was originally an Svt grill, but as you said, I cut the ford badge and mesh out. The material I'm using right now is some kind of mesh guard. I don't really like how it looks at certain angles (like the one pictured when you can see through it really easily) but it works for now until I can find something better.

And the hood gap can be traced back to the fact that all but two tabs are broken. I need to figure out a way to hold the grill up better.
 
#407 ·
i like the creativity.
i have a euro grill on my svt, but i also have mach's so i don't need the indicators in my grill.

and also with that gap, mine had that slight gap too, until i swapped grills. they are made not quite tall enough to fill it from bumper to hood.
 
#409 ·
I was hoping to beable to go with a euro grill look but the led's in the headlights aren't bright enough so I had to compromise.

Thats awesome! you shoulda carried it on your hood. lol I was thinking about mounting antlers to my rack.
That would be awesome. Do it if you keep your rack on the car. lol

I actually carried the deer in the hatch when is was still stripped out. If anyone wonders, deer fit inside the spare tire well very well. [hihi]
 
#412 ·
"I actually carried the deer in the hatch when is was still stripped out. If anyone wonders, deer fit inside the spare tire well very well. "

I'll have to keep this in mind the next time I see some fresh roadkill :)
 
#425 ·
I know. I feel the pain too but I never intended to take it this far when I started. I was only planning to take the badge off and keep the turn signals as they were but some other things didn't work out as planned so I kept chopping until I got what you see here.
 
#428 ·
I took a bunch of pictures on the way home from work this morning. Some turned out better than other but here they are.

For Bluebullet. The drivers side has the orange bulb while the passenger still has the clear.



These were taken on the "flats" where the Black River floods every spring. In a typical summer, all this will be dry fields.





From high above looking over the Adirondack Mountains in the distance.



And I just thought these were kind of cool


 
#430 ·
It's a little drafty with the broken glass, but what can I do when I put so much time into the car. I just have to sacrifice a little in other areas. [hihi]
 
#431 ·
i know, right? at least you can store everything in all your compartments in your svt....


random question, what did you name your car??
 
#443 ·
It's so nice not having salt and winter road grime all over the car again isn't it. I'm amazed that my car still looks like I just washed it even though it's been 4 days.

random question, what did you name your car??
No name. I've never been able to think of something that sounds good so it just stays "the svt". Any ideas are welcome.

off topic lol but I clay barred my paint overspray and it came off [headbang]
Great. I need to get me one of those and give it a try.
 
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