I figured I would start a thread about our 2003 ZX3 rally build. We just finished Oregon Trail Rally last weekend, and thought I would share some of the interesting things we have done on the build. OTR was actually our 2nd stage rally, we did Big White Winter Rally in Canada last December and finished that one as well.
The car is a Cali model 2.3 dtec with zero options, not even a/c. I flew down to San Fransico in late 2015 to buy it. Originally the plan was to replace our MINI cooper in solo in STF, as we were getting out powered on the big national style courses. I bought some of the standard bolt on parts to run in STF and ended up running two local events in the Focus, honestly it was/is a terrible autocross car, the ergonomics, the hanging throttle, and lack of weight transfer determined it's fate.
So I pulled the plug on the STF build and put the car back to stock in preparation to sell it locally. I sat on it for awhile, in the meantime my wife and I entered the Boise rally in a rented Geo Metro, and we had a blast. After that she convinced me to keep the focus and build it into a stage rally car. In the summer of 2016 we stripped the interior, build a 1/4 aluminum skid plate, transfer in our OMP race seats from the MINI, and sent it off to get a rally cage.
We have been busy prepping for the last stage rally of the year. Installing a Howe steering quickener, a bigger fan for the heater box. I also bought a fswerks 2.5 header back exhaust
Pic of 2.0 dtec which is coming out after this next rally. We picked up a 2.5 out of a fusion for short money, excited to feel the difference between the two
That green filter is costing you 2-4HP , air does not like to flow through foam , make a pipe like I make for the MK3 Focu intake , make the MAF built in and make it 3 inch , will work much better for you
There is some Vac lines and a few things I see that can be removed from under the hood for ease of working on it
The rally season is over. Reprep for next year includes installing a mildly built 2.5 dtec, wilwood front calipers, remoting the air filter into the cab, cuting out the rear shock towers and welding in bigger boxes to accommodate the coil overs, installing rear control arms that are double heim jointed.
Some more work done. Cam washers from massive showed up, I got all my lifters dialed quite a few were out of spec. Front timing cover and new crank seal installed. Added a new ac delete idler pulley and t stat. I need to clean up the cam cover and install that and the motor is done
Still plugging along. Made the front bumper support removable. Next up is reworking the power steering hose in a/n hose, got the kit from Alex. Also just bought a Aem standalone from a forum member
This is sounding awesome. I built a 2003 2.3 PZEV stage rally car and I'm wanting to follow some of the same upgrade paths you are. I currently already have the suspension sorted with custom bilstein coilovers (the rear towers were cut out like you were talking about). I'm interested in what youre doing with the wilwood calipers. Which ones did you specifically get? Are you changing out the brake master cylinder with this?
The first wilwood was a bust, it appears the answer is to use a radial mount caliper and machine up the bracket. That's going to be a month out. Currently i hsve a tilton 800 series pedal box to install. Once that is plumbed in and working I will address the front calipers.
This week is all about wiring, ripped out all of the harness and dash. Slowly piecing back to together a more standard setup using Joe's racing switch panels and Bosch relays.
Spent most of the day landing wires for all the switches. Switch panel on the right is heater fan, map light, interior red lights, flood light bar. Center has power disconnect, toggle switch for fuel pump and aem relay and the push button start. I also have horn, hazards, and rear hatch release motor. We originally ran hood pins on the hatch back but it's a pita, so going back to the standard set up
I made Wilwood radial mount caliper brackets last winter. Not hard. I am going to redo them as they were damaged in an incident. Will share as I move forward.
Yes. I am using the OE 05-07 rotor, not the SVT rotor, however. Maybe with some work you could get wheel offsets to the point where you could put the caliper over the larger rotor, but I am just not sure that is needed.
Here are some pics of the Tilton pedal box, 3 compartment reservoir, ss lines. Mechanical fpr and ss lines, I ran a return line back to the tank. 15 pound Braille battery, vf tranny mount, c.f.m. ss clutch line cut down and -3 end pressed on
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