stealthzx3's ZX3 build

[stealthzx3]

Yeah i'm going to take a look there. Luckily, the local tire shop down the road does trade ins. We have a pair of steelies with a universal 5 lug pattern and very common van / larger car tires. 225/65/15 or something, IDR. Anywho, they can give me $45 cash, or to go towards other tires.

I also scan CL regularly for deals and steals.

[stealthzx3]

Installed a (rare?) Focus Central guage cluster.

Before:


After:


I just switched out the guage face and needles, everything else is from my factory cluster so i can keep my blue odometer and miles.

[swansong]

Cool beans! Needs some Cougar needles me thinks...

[stealthzx3]

Contour needles* lol, i have clear needles that should go on soon. They should look naice!

[swansong]

Originally Posted by stealthzx3

Contour needles* lol, i have clear needles that should go on soon. They should look naice!

Ah the clear would look good. Anything but orange really

Found some cool needle posts:
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=296760
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=85146
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=285835

[stealthzx3]

Nice that guy with the FC cluster has the exact same thing. Same cluster, and with the Contour needles i have! I just need to grow some nuts to recalibrate them..

[pyroinsa]

You would get a kick out of how I calibrated mine lol

[stealthzx3]

Lol i'd be interested to hear how.

[pyroinsa]

Here is how I calibrated mine:

Step 1: Take plastic shield off, exposing the needles. Start car. Now you should know your car well enough to know exactly where the rpm needle should be at idle, so stick the rpm needle on.

Step 2: Follow somebody to a gas station. Have them text you when they reach the speed limit. Put speedo needle on at whatever the speed limit is.

Step 3: Fill you car(yes all the way you broke ass people lol) Put gas needle on at F.

Step 4: Drive home. By the time you get home your car should be warmed up, so stick the temp needle on straight up in the middle.

Step 5: Turn car off, put cluster back together.

Enjoy the new needles!

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any calibration issues you might have by doing it this way, but it works if you know what you are doing lol!

[swansong]

If you're interested Tim, I've got an Ultragauge thingy that reads out RPMs, MPH, coolant temp, etc. It's a little GPS shaped thing that plugs into the OBDII port. I'm sure it would make the needle calibration a lot easier.