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stealthzx3's ZX3 build

120K views 1K replies 45 participants last post by  zx3_bmxrider 
#1 ·
alright, so this will be my on-going build thread. i've always been fascinated with cars since a was a little kid. after my first Toyota threw a rod, i was driving a 99' Chevy metro. then one day, my dad found my 2001 ZX3 on craigslist for 1,200. i called the owner and talked to them about buying it. so i held my breath, and sold my metro and borrowed a little extra cash from my mom to buy the Focus.
my dad and I drove an hour to go check it out. we took it for a test drive, and i almost immediately fell in love with it. it was compact yet comfortable, and very fun to drive. somehow we walked away with it for $900. it sat in the garage because it needed a heater core flush (it was winter), oil change, fresh coolant, and 2 tires. eventually, my dad got annoyed of me driving his minivan because he was stuck with a dodge ram getting under 20mpg. so he bought me 2 new tires and paid for registration.
i loved driving it around, because i felt like a bada$$ compared to driving in that metro, lol. i remember going on a Tercel forum and learning about my car; that's when i found FocusFanatics :D


after that, i started painting the interior pieces, because that's the only thing i could afford.


one day, i picked up a can of the VHT Niteshades. i did my bumper and grille signals.
don't mind the eyelids here, i got bored and made them out of electrical tape LOL


i also debadged it, but i don't have a shot of that right away. i eventually figured out how to open my hatch (hatch button doesn't work and the key doesn't fit in) and nite-shaded my tails.


looking around in the how-to archive, i found the Hope Depot grille. i made the upper and lower and painted them black.


i just got a debit card in my name, so i ordered my first thing. the blue LED dome light.


i got around to getting 2 cans of plasti-dip. i took off the crappy electrical tape and painted real eyelids on. then i found time to plastidip my wheels too.


looking around for a sleeker looking antenna than just cutting the stock antenna in half, i found the antenna stub. 2 vacuum plugs on the stock base. i think it looks cleaner.


i recently bought a damaged SVT wing which i need to fix up and install.


today, i plasti-dipped the vent surrounds and handles to switch it up a bit.


this is how she sits now. i have a lot of mods in mind.


i'm taking it pretty slow for now, as i have to support my girlfriend and I with a minimum wage job.
i have many ideas for the future, and thankfully, i have the "focus graveyard" somewhat close to get nice parts.
thanks for taking the time to read this, and i will post new mods when it happens. [:D]
 
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#510 ·
i got some leds in the mail. gonna wire the strips in the hatch. (brian, get ready for a few questions. [hihi]) and i have to figure out why the map light bulbs don't work.



also got my headlights for the black housing project.


and i got these puppies today!! anodized blue lugs with 4 locking lugs.
(notice how it says quantity: 16 but there's 20. i got a chuckle out of it.
 
#513 ·
Hmm, like the leds. Interested to see the finished product.
 
#516 ·
If you want them to turn on when you open the hatch, wire them into the hatch light.
Otherwise, you will need a switch, power wire, then the positive and negative leads.
 
#518 ·
newest mods:
license plate LED bulbs


mini install day with my buddy with his neon. lol


i installed my hatch neons.


i know these are bad pics, i'll get better ones soon.

still trying to fix this stripped lug. it looks horrible. you can see how the WD-40 ate away the plastidip.



oh yess and... the color matched hatch trim! i had to modify it since all the bolts were broken. but i think i did a fair job considering it stays on very well.
 
#521 ·
newest mods this time:
billet knobs, thanks to Stephen :D


electric blue calipers. going to do the drums when i fix that nasty lug.



i cut my resonator off and installed a custom pipe made by a buddy of mine. it is attached by jut a pipe clamp. it is also welded to the frame. it may sound cheap, (which it was, only costed me the price of high temp paint) but it sounds good and looks pretty good imo.

 
#533 ·
Yep! I got them for free from miragesmack. I wasnt sure if I was going to be able to make it to a FX meet, and he was like if you go I will give you these knobs for free! lol Im not sure where he got them from. He apparntly has alot of parts laying around.

The modding looks good! I need to get some LED lisense plate bulbs. You should make a video of how your exhaust sounds.
 
#531 ·
Nice mods man. honestly i haven't done much since my intake but have alot planned. crabbing/fishing is bringing in bank haha. getting tint thursday, and paying for my wheels, i'll post the thread in here. also just found out i have a huge ass hole in my ac system so thats another hundred bucks. i'l also post up the headlights i'm getting.
 
#534 ·
thanks man. good luck making bank, i wish i made more money :/

wheels, if i get them i'm getting them powdercoated black.
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=290866
and headlights and fogs (which will be black as well)
http://http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005V9MOQS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A19COJAJDNQSRP
also i have a stripped lug on my right rear. i gotta get it torched off. can't get my damn wheel off. we have alot of the same probs haha.
very nice wheels man. the headlight link doesn't work for me. but yeah it sucks having a bad lug.

Yep! I got them for free from miragesmack. I wasnt sure if I was going to be able to make it to a FX meet, and he was like if you go I will give you these knobs for free! lol Im not sure where he got them from. He apparntly has alot of parts laying around.

The modding looks good! I need to get some LED lisense plate bulbs. You should make a video of how your exhaust sounds.
nicee! the license plate bulbs are 39mm, the same as the dome light. i got the bulbs with 2 rows of leds, they fit perfectly.
 
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