My projects

[carguy07]

For those of you who haven't known me for a long time, I've had the same car since I was 15. My parents bought it for me new, and it's never gone anywhere. It's an '03 Ford Escort ZX2. Sure I made mistakes with it (I wouldn't buy a bodykit again), but I can still look back and be proud of what I've done. With that being said, it needs some love right now. I ignored the tranny fluid as an excuse to do an MTX swap, and the time has come.

My other car is actually up in the air. I currently have a '98 Ford Escort ZX2 on the road. It is a lot of fun to beat on, but there are a lot of small things wrong with it. Yesterday I went and picked up a '00 ZX2 for a donor car for the manual swap, but it might become my beater. It is fully loaded and is in much better condition, minus the front end (the guy hit a trailer hitch of a F250). It will take some work to be road worthy, but it would be a much better beater.

Decisions, decisions. Donor car pics and information will be posted tomorrow.

[carguy07]

My '03.

Mods:
K&N Intake
Hotshot header
2.25" exhaust with Magnaflow muffler and high flow cat.
Esslinger UDP
Ford Racing spark plug wires
Eibach Springs
Tokico/Ford Racing Struts
Zxtuner drilled rotors
Tenzo RS-5 17" rims with Toyo Proxess4 tires
Vis Invader bodykit
Zxtuner clear corner headlights
Nightshaded taillights
Custom paint with side moldings shaved and flake added
Painted valve cover
Momo steering wheel
Momo seats (not currently in)
Pioneer CD player

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Nopi%20Commerce/CIMG3572.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Nopi%20Commerce/CIMG3551.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Nopi%20Commerce/CIMG3554.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Nopi%20Commerce/CIMG3555.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Nopi%20Commerce/CIMG3556.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Nopi%20Commerce/CIMG3557.jpg

[carguy07]

The '98:

Mods:
Hotshot intake
Kamikaze header
2.25" exhaust with Borla S/R muffler
Progress springs
B&M short throw shifter
Mazda MX-3 seats (Recaro)
Note: rims no longer on the car
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/SDC10248.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/SDC10250.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/SDC10252.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/SDC10254.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/SDC10255.jpg

[BlazinAzian]

Are those the rims you sold or do you still have them?

[BlazinAzian]

nevermind, you sold them and 17's too big.

[carguy07]

Yep rims were sold over Thanksgiving. It has my stock 03 wheels on it now.

On a side note: I spent the entire day at the eye doctor and then I went and helped clean up at my grandmother's house. It will look nice for Christmas day, but no work or pics of the parts car. My brother will help me tomorrow, so hopefully we can get some work done.

[BlazinAzian]

Let me know if you want me to come and help ( wait who am I kidding...let me know if you want me to come be in the way), I'm outta of school till the 11th.

[carguy07]

Jim came and helped me pull most of the interior out of the parts car today, but it started raining before we could install it in the 98. The charcoal is going to make it so much nicer, will add power windows and locks, and get rid of the annoying gauges that are currently in there.

Plan for the next couple days:
*Get the charcoal interior into the 98
*Get the manual swap parts together
*Take everything else I want off the parts car
*Remember to take some pictures.

[BlazinAzian]

I found $6 worth of change, a guitar pick, a meritorious service medal, a foriegn coin, a spoon, a love note, a colony of ants, and a bunch of other junk. I didn't get in the way and got a cd player and small amp outta of it. (and a free lunch) I think my favorite part was watching Will and his brother (downsouth240) make fun of each other.

[carguy07]

Update: Jim helped a lot, but the 98 has been an absolute bitch. Let me count the ways:

*The annoying gauge cluster had some "custom" wiring that had to be straightened out.
*The steering column didn't really line up with the dash originally, but did after some coercion.
*The radio adapter was broken, which was fun to get out.
*The system is nice, but the wiring was crazy. I took out one amp and had to rewire the other one. The component speakers are being rewired due to taking the second amp out.

And I still haven't gotten to the power window swap. :pout:

[The Legend]

You and them damn zx2's. lol

Sounds like you have some work on your hands buddy.

[carguy07]

You and them damn zx2's. lol

Sounds like you have some work on your hands buddy.

Yah I sure did. Got everything straight in the 98, and it was well worth all the time and trouble. Still have the power window/locks swap, but that won't be too much work.

The 03 will go tomorrow afternoon for the MTX swap. I've gotten it as ready as I can. I do however have a big surprise for it once it gets out of the shop. :lever:

[Filthy Dub]

Dang wish I coulda been home to help. I'm mostly better now so I can work on stuff. Let me know if your gonna do anything else I'm off till next week sometime...

[carguy07]

If you're in the mood tomorrow give me a call. I can use a hand doing the power window swap, and I pay in random parts that you might want. I can offer an old CD player, a capacitor, some RCA wires, an 8 gauge power wire, other randomness and maybe $6 in change if you're lucky. :humble:

[Filthy Dub]

Ha alright I have a doc appt. but if I'm free I'll let ya know. Oh, is that a "flux" capacitor? btw

[carguy07]

Ha alright I have a doc appt. but if I'm free I'll let ya know. Oh, is that a "flux" capacitor? btw

Naw it's a thing made to hold power so your amp doesn't put too much strain on the alternator. Honestly I don't think it's necessary, but the guy before me bought one. Just something else for me to take out.

But I will advise keeping the car below 88 mph when it's in the car.

[BlazinAzian]

If you're in the mood tomorrow give me a call. I can use a hand doing the power window swap, and I pay in random parts that you might want. I can offer an old CD player, a capacitor, some RCA wires, an 8 gauge power wire, other randomness and maybe $6 in change if you're lucky. :humble:

Thats what you paid me!!!! :cool:

[carguy07]

Update: Still procrastinating on some stuff, but I went and picked up some important parts today. The bad news was I met the guy in Tupelo MS, so it took forever. Pics should be up tomorrow of my acquisitions. :p

[Filthy Dub]

Cool

[BlazinAzian]

Ahh...Tupelo, MS the birthplace of Elvis.

http://web03.bestplaces.net/city/Tupelo_MS.gif

[carguy07]

Ahh...Tupelo, MS the birthplace of Elvis.

http://web03.bestplaces.net/city/Tupelo_MS.gif

Yah, it's a LONG way from Athens. Here is a quick rundown of stuff I could take pictures of. Remember I was driving by myself, so picture quality is not great.

Panda Express car in Atlanta:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10321.jpg

Getting to Alabama:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10322.jpg

Talladega Superspeedway: (it was HUGE)
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10324.jpg

Mississippi:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10326.jpg

That's all I got. It was a long drive, and it was getting dark on the way back so the camera wasn't going to do much.

[carguy07]

Now for what I went to get. Focus Power turbo kit, with a lot of extras. Has everything I need to bolt on except for tapped oil pan and injectors. Guy also gave me some freebies, which made it even better.

What it came with:
New 190* thermostat
Leather shift boot
B&M short shifter
Oem throttle body
New o2 sensor
Metra faceplate
Aftermarket MAF sensor
stock coil pack
Walboro 255 Fuel pump
HKS evc boost controller
Greddy Profec B-spec II boost controller
ECU with chip
Turbonetics Turbo
Turbonetics Wastegate
Greddy BOV
Focus Power manifold
Focus Power wastegate
Front mount intercooler
Welded charge piping

Some pics:
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10334.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10335.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10333.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10331.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10330.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10329.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10328.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10327.jpg

[Discontained]

nice, take that header and the downpipe to powder coating and get a ceramic coat on it, will look very nice.

Thats awesome man, LMK if you need help or whatnot.. <3 turbo

[carguy07]

nice, take that header and the downpipe to powder coating and get a ceramic coat on it, will look very nice.

Thats awesome man, LMK if you need help or whatnot.. <3 turbo

I plan to. The rust would come off with a brillo pad and some elbow grease, but might as well make it really nice. Best case scenario I get it on over Spring Break, but realistically it will probably be after the semester so I won't have to worry about traveling. The only thing I need is injectors, but I can get those easily.

[BlazinAzian]

I glad you got it. Can't wait to put it on. let me know if you need help.

[carguy07]

O yeah, I forgot I still haven't posted my parts car pics.

Not bad from the outside, I took off the front bumper and headlights before this pic.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10314.jpg

Jim did some custom work on the hood.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10315.jpg

Motor actually is fine, I'll probably store it. The radiator however, is ruined.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10316.jpg

This is what a ZX2 looks like naked. We took the entire interior out, minus the little third brake light cover.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10317.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10318.jpg

[BlazinAzian]

That's custom and it cost extra, but I can do it for whoever if the moneys there.

[Filthy Dub]

Haha, Jim, stay away from my car...very far xD And nice Will which cars this for? I'll help if you need me to sometime. Soccers over for the moment, until February.

[carguy07]

Haha, Jim, stay away from my car...very far xD And nice Will which cars this for? I'll help if you need me to sometime. Soccers over for the moment, until February.

It won't be on a car for at least a month. As for the car, I bought it for the '03. But it hit me today that I could put it on the '98 and try to hit 13's for under $3k. It's 95% going on the '03, but we'll have to see.

[theboostedsnail]

very nice man!!! Turbo FTMFW

[Filthy Dub]

Alright, still let me know something. Are you still swapping to Man?

[carguy07]

Alright, still let me know something. Are you still swapping to Man?

10 4. Should be done this week.

[Filthy Dub]

Nice, we need to have a g2g! I feel like I haven't seen anyone/their cars in forever!

[Kevo]

Carshow @ Cook's on January 23rd.

[BlazinAzian]

I hate all this shorthand. i need a translator. I wish it would get above 30* for a few days. maybe i could stand being out for more than 10 minutes before I lose feeling in my face. Today wasn't that bad.

[Filthy Dub]

Ya, the only projects I've managed to do involve being indoors :lol:

[carguy07]

Finally got the '03 back today. Forgot how bad the header leaked, but at least it still runs well. Doing some cleaning and working on it tomorrow, hopefully I remember to take pictures. Ready or not, I'll still show it Saturday.

[BlazinAzian]

You Coming HOME!!!! can't wait to see the car. hit me up when you make it into town.

[Filthy Dub]

^ what he said

[carguy07]

I'm coming home tomorrow, but I probably won't go into town til Saturday morning. And the front is still missing the mesh so it looks like garbage, but I don't really care right now.

[corby_baby]

pictarz!!1

[carguy07]

pictarz!!1

don't rush me.

[Filthy Dub]

Well my dads retirement is Friday so thats out completely for me...

[BlazinAzian]

i'm coming home tomorrow, but i probably won't go into town til saturday morning. And the front is still missing the mesh so it looks like garbage, but i don't really care right now.

booooooooooooooooooooo :(

[carguy07]

I did take a few pictures at the show of the '03, and here they are. No the steering wheel is not stained, the flash just does that for some reason.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10342e.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10343e.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10339e.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10344e.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10338e.jpg

[Discontained]

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x231/carguy07/Spring%202010/SDC10339e.jpg


lol @ zach invading your pic with what appears to be G12 coolant


--
Nice pics. Did anyone else have any

[carguy07]

lol @ zach invading your pic with what appears to be G12 coolant


--
Nice pics. Did anyone else have any

He was telling me about how it's worth every penny. There were some people walking around taking pics, I'll be on the lookout for them on other forums

[Kevo]

CCS has a pics up on facebook...Also the escort looked good, I really want to see that thing painted 'flat' black for some reason.

[theboostedsnail]

i got some pics on the parents lumix ill post them up ASAP

[corby_baby]

moar grill mesh, less pedals!

[Filthy Dub]

It actually doesn't look all bad with the mesh delete. But ya, it was in my trunk for some reason...My car sucks up G12...And I was telling him how ridiculous VW is with prices :lol: Nice pics of your car btw.

[carguy07]

And I was telling him how ridiculous VW is with prices :lol: Nice pics of your car btw.

I had another picture with you not holding up the container, but there was no fun in uploading it.

[Filthy Dub]

Do it! Do it! Do it!

[Filthy Dub]

opps I misread that, I thought you meant another with

[BlazinAzian]

He was telling me about how it's worth every penny. There were some people walking around taking pics, I'll be on the lookout for them on other forums

Shamless product plug on the forum.

[carguy07]

Shamless product plug on the forum.

that coolant is like $25 per gallon. :eek:

[Filthy Dub]

Damn German bastards.... :pout:

[BlazinAzian]

Thats where you went wrong. lol

[carguy07]

Before I forget, I took the manifold and downpipe off today to figure out what the specs on my turbo are.

Compressor Housing: PN 20376 (Super 60 trim) :rockon:
Turbine Housing: PN 20357-03 (Stage 3 trim with .48 A/R) :high5:

Should be perfect for my application. Good sized turbo with a powerband from around 4000-8000 RPM.

[BlazinAzian]

Dats what you need for a nice street car.

[Filthy Dub]

Noice, I think the turbo kit that Kinetic sells for my car is 50trim, and same turbine...

[carguy07]

Small update: ordered injectors last week, 42 lb ones from the SVT lightning (~440 CC for you metric people). Starting March 6, I will be in South Carolina for Spring Break trying to get everything installed at my brother's house. He has a covered carport and access to the hobby shop on base, which has lifts for the low low. We should be able to get it done. This weekend I learned we won't have to tap the block, there is a screw in the head we can take off and run a line from there. We will still have to tap the oil pan, but that's much easier and we won't be drilling toward anything important.

[theboostedsnail]

very nice man should be a nice little car when its done power wise...wut you expectin to get out of it number wise?

[Filthy Dub]

I have to either tap my oil pan or get a tapped one. Is it very hard to DIY?

[theboostedsnail]

not really if you have a vague idea wut you are doin...we tapped mine it took like 2 seconds

[carguy07]

very nice man should be a nice little car when its done power wise...wut you expectin to get out of it number wise?

I have to keep it under 230 whp for daily use until I can build a second motor (which is conveniently waiting for me at home). The kit made 218 whp and 223 wtq on the previous car with a stock motor on low boost, so I'm looking for that kind of output right now. High boost and built motor made 319 whp and 300 wtq with plenty left in the turbo. Hopefully by the end of the year I can have supporting mods done and turn the boost up.

[theboostedsnail]

nice numbers man should be an unsuspecting escort lol keep us updated though throughout sb even though ill be in PCB enjoyin myself lol

[Kevo]

He called your Escort a Focus...

[theboostedsnail]

ha that is true lol my bad they both come with the zx package lol ill edit for correctness :confused:

[Kevo]

ha that is true lol my bad they both come with the zx package lol ill edit for correctness :confused:

Just giving you a hard time...would that really be an insult calling a escort a focus??? I would like to have a SVT Focus or Contour as a DD

[theboostedsnail]

ha i kno it just went right by me when i was typing it lol and the svt focuses are pretty sick lol but when it comes to a dd thats a package like that id have to take a turbo cobalt ss :/ just me though or the new taurus sho ecoboost lol

[Kevo]

ha i kno it just went right by me when i was typing it lol and the svt focuses are pretty sick lol but when it comes to a dd thats a package like that id have to take a turbo cobalt ss :/ just me though or the new taurus sho ecoboost lol

Gotta think about price, can get a SVT Contour for $6k - Taurus SHO (ecoboost) $35K+ also there is the fact the Cobalt is two doors and I need a 4-door for the kido.

[theboostedsnail]

ah true but they did make the cobalt ss sedan very hard to come buy but out there lol...but for 6k its hard to beat a SVT contour lol

http://cache-01.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/12/2008/12/Chevy-Cobalt-SS-Pt2.jpg

[carguy07]

Gotta think about price, can get a SVT Contour for $6k.

The SVT contour is an awesome car, as long as you can find one in good condition.

A little trivia for the blue oval people, the SVT ZX2 was designed well before the SVT Focus. It was factory turbocharged and was around 230 chp. So why did it never make production? The powers at be back in 1999-2000 realized it was faster than the production Mustang GT at the time for much cheaper. . .

True story

[Filthy Dub]

haha, thats pretty funny

[theboostedsnail]

but it doesnt take much to beat a mustang stock in all honesty they are not very fast from the factory the gts that is...the newer ones ie s197 are ok but the sn195 and sn95 are pretty slow until you put TLC and $$$ in them :)

[Kevo]

but it doesnt take much to beat a mustang stock in all honesty they are not very fast from the factory the gts that is...the newer ones ie 2197 are ok but the sn195 and sn95 are pretty slow until you put TLC and $$$ in them :)

S197 GT are very punchy out of the box with the 3v V8 and respond very well to basic bolt-ons. The new edge and older stangs did need a little work but were respectable for that time period also gotta rememeber '96 was the first year to the OHC technology. Ford had to play with this new tech for a couple years and now look where they are. Can't wait until '11 Mustangs come out. 300+hp V6 on the base model and 415hp GT...

[theboostedsnail]

yea o so true but actually they did put a OHC in a 95 cobra from the factory as a prototype some guy in a magazine has one of very very few out there lol but the 03-04 4v is the best mod motor ford has produced IMO but the 3v def respond better to bolt ons than the 2v ohc...and i honestly cant wait for the 5.0 coyote its a piece of engineering beauty lol...all i have to say is the 5.0 is back!!! :)

[Kevo]

haha, thats pretty funny

I was thinking about what boosted said "Mustang GT were not all that quick in stock form" - well you got to think about compared to what? A stock VW Golf definitely isn't nothing to be proud of, not saying that it couldn't be but if I was in a stock GT and got beat by a turbo anything my feelings wouldn't be all that hurt. Really what cars are all that respectable from the dealership floor that don't cost $30k plus?

[Filthy Dub]

That's true. I was just saying it was funny how Ford changed it so they could keep making profit on the Mustangs.

[carguy07]

I was thinking about what boosted said "Mustang GT were not all that quick in stock form" - well you got to think about compared to what? A stock VW Golf definitely isn't nothing to be proud of, not saying that it couldn't be but if I was in a stock GT and got beat by a turbo anything my feelings wouldn't be all that hurt. Really what cars are all that respectable from the dealership floor that don't cost $30k plus?

Exactly. That's why Ford never came out with boosted 4 cylinder SVT cars. They quickly realized that a $17k car that runs 13's would kill their market for the higher end cars.

/derailment. Just to get back on topic, this is what the kit will look like installed. I actually have a new valve cover to go in too, and I hope my engine bay will be a little cleaner than this. :D

http://www.focus-power.com/images/zx2kit/8_large.jpg
http://www.focus-power.com/images/zx2kit/9_large.jpg

Link to the original setup:http://www.focus-power.com/view.php?showme=ZX2_Kit

[theboostedsnail]

thats awesome will its gonna be a fun little install lol and kevo you make an extremely valid point lol but when i say that i meant in comparison to the other pony cars...camaro and such the new stangs hold their own in the class now but also have a liter less of displacement in most cases...but no more derailment lol. Looks good will cant wait to see it in action lol

[Filthy Dub]

Wait is yours FMIC SMIC or none. The stg 1 Kinetic is non IC but I'm gonna go with some form of IC. And x2 for cleaning up the bay haha.

[carguy07]

wait is yours fmic smic or none. The stg 1 kinetic is non ic but i'm gonna go with some form of ic. And x2 for cleaning up the bay haha.

fmic :cool:
http://www.focus-power.com/images/zx2kit/10_large.jpg

[Discontained]

nice, im looking forward to seeing this completed. make sure you change the valve cover gasket :P

[carguy07]

nice, im looking forward to seeing this completed. make sure you change the valve cover gasket :P

lmao. I have a new one.

[theboostedsnail]

ha yea some nice oil blowby or blown head gasket would be nice lol...and yea zero you def need to IC if you plan on runnin any sort of boost

[Filthy Dub]

Ya I was like wait stg 1 doesnt come with any IC? Who does that. I'd prefer a FMIC.

[BlazinAzian]

looks good. i cant wait to race it.

[carguy07]

looks good. i cant wait to race it.

it definitely won't be as fast as your Celica out of the box, but it should be a fun little car.

[Discontained]

Ya I was like wait stg 1 doesnt come with any IC? Who does that. I'd prefer a FMIC.

sell you mine for cheap :P

/thread hijack

[Filthy Dub]

lol maybe. Just depends on if I get the stg 3 kit or stg 1 and do my own. I'll let ya know.

[theboostedsnail]

save $$$ zero lol

[Filthy Dub]

But with stg 3 its like a $400 difference. And you get a fmic, chip, and some other goodies

[carguy07]

Started on the install yesterday. Changed the valve cover, zip tied up the intercooler for mocking everything up, ran the cold piping, unbolted the header and other random stuff.

Tomorrow I'm putting in the gauge pod, changing injectors, installing the chipped ecu, and getting the oil pan tapped. The only other thing I have to find is the right oil fitting for the oil feed line. We're on schedule to be mostly finished by late Wednesday, might try to fire it up then. Wednesday we're using a lift and impact tools to help out, so far it's all been jack stands and a breaker bar.

*crosses fingers*

[Filthy Dub]

Good luck man. I hope everything works out. I'll probably be doing this during the summer.