Ford Focus as a donor

[jimmy_k]

Hello,

Completely new to this - just bought the book and had a question.... I know the ford focus is FWD but could one be used as a donor car like the MEV sonic 7 and source a the prop shaft and diff etc from elsewhere.

My mate has a ford focus that has just failed its MOT on emissions and I was wondering whether this was a viable way forward using the chassis in BYOSC.

Or am I in cloud cuckoo land and need to get past page 50 of the book?

It's a long term project of donor car first then build.

Thanks

[james3004]

To be honest I don't think there are many parts that you could use off of the focus apart from the engine, and if that has emission issues it proboably would be best not to bother unless it was somethig simple like the cat needing replacement

Just my 2p's worth, others may have different views

[Deanno]

I agree, i'm using parts off my MK5 escort only instruments and steering colum etc. as for using the focus one thing you need to consider is if it is after 1995 you will need a CAT but don't hold me to that i may be wrong.
I think for a normal car if it is after 1993 you need a cat but for kit cars its after 1995 you need a cat??

[Davey]

There're a couple of flies in your ointment. The Focus is fwd, roadster is rwd, not insurmountable as rwd boxes are available to fit most Focus variants of engine. Second fly is the reason for failure, if the engine is goosed and hence failed emissions test then it will cost more to put right than buying a better donor to start with. If its easily fixed for emissions then why break it anyway?

D.

[jimmy_k]

Thanks for the replies. I just wondered if it was an option - I guess as a first build I probably want to go a bit easier rather than setting myself an impossible challenge to start off with!

I knew there was a reason not many people were using Focuses (Focii?).

Interestingly in CKC it looks like NTS Engineering might be looking at a mid-engined kit in the future based on the Focus due to the number of FWD cars about.

[twinturbo]

Only really useable part is the Zetec engine. Rest is ebay fodder..

TT

[Not Anumber]

There are a few on a section of the Locost forum building mid engined cars though from what I can see most of these are in the discussion and design stages. It's an interesting concept but you would need to be quite brave to make that step and go off piste as it were into uncharted territory: few builders, few finished ones, a shortage of tried and tested design paths etc. Have a look on that forum- but dont forget to come back.

The plans for the Haynes Roadster are well proven and up to the highest commercial standards of engineering and chassis design. There is plenty of advice and support available from the many who have built or are in the process of building one plus there is still room for personal choice and variation from the plans. As long as build guidelines are adhered to you will end up with a car that is the equal to most commercially available Super 7 style cars and rather better than some of them. (Much of this would also apply to the Ron Champion Locost which preceeded the Haynes).


Build a Haynes with a Focus engine and you would need to fit a cat and you'd also get a Q plate as you wouldn't be able to claim the parts came from a single donor. Build one with a Sierra CVH engine though and you will get through the IVA without a cat, on an age relate registration- it's then fairly straigtforward swapping the CVH for a Zetec lump (same sump, bellhousing etc).