Ford Focus Forum banner

Focaljet's 2009 Focus of the Year: Spatakula

33K views 154 replies 68 participants last post by  Spatakula  
#1 ·
The Competitors



Spatakula said:
FOTY... seriously someone pinch me. I can't believe I am in this position. First off, I shout out HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for me. You guys rock my freaking socks off. To even be in the running with these Focus thoroughbreds has me in complete awe.

This year has probably the biggest year of new styles, go fast and turn fast goodies I have seen since my conception of [FJ]. But... my story doesn't start there.

My Focus journey started back in early 2004. I was finishing up high school and looking for a new ride. At this time, I drove a green 1990 Indy Beretta with a nice big pink "INDY" decal on the side. If 80's hair metal created a car, this was it. My mom bought the car new in 1989 and I inherited it when I turned 16. I put some ADR phase I wheels on it, a nice stereo, and I always had "big" plans for it... just like every other snot nosed 16 year old kid. I drove it for 2 years then I wanted something new.

I remembered watching a Car and Driver (or some other new car review show) episode a long time ago and they were featuring some sort of a fancy Ford Focus. From that, I started searching the web to find this mystery Focus. I really didn't expect much because I figured this car would still be way out of my price range, even buying used. After a few minutes of searching I found this "SVT" model. It had to be the car from the show. I saw a few Pitch Black cars, some Infra Red cars and this Sonic Blue car. I immediately fell in love with the car and started me search. To my surprise, a 2002 SVT was going for around 12k used with lower miles. I was so happy because maybe, just maybe, I could find one for sale locally.

After some more searching, I found this FocusSport website. I began looking at all of the cool parts they had for this car I was looking to get and literally looked on the site for hours on end. What the hell is an aluminum flywheel? I didn't know, but I wanted one. :lol: I had all of these trick parts laid out that I was getting for a car I didn't even own yet.

So, I started looking around for this car. I looked for about 2 months and found absolutely nothing. I got really discouraged and opted to get a ZX3 instead. Nothing wrong with that, in my eyes, FocusSport had more sweet parts for a standard ZX3 anyways. :lol:

In West Mufflin, PA, they had this loaded 2000 Maliblu Blue ZX3 5 speed for 12k. My father and I went to go check it out and it already sold since my discovery of it 2 days prior. Man, I felt terrible. Oh well back to the drawing board yet again.

After visiting practically every single dealership in western PA while finding nothing I liked, I was about to just give up. My dad says "Hey, lets go check out Graft Dodge is Scottdale" I just looked at him and laughed. This Dodge dealership was and still is the smallest dealership I have seen to date. The showroom barely fit the SRT-10 Ram it was showing off. So, we decide to check it out.

Scottdale is an old coal mining town that my grandfather grew up in. The old vacant shops and parlors hinted at its once prosperous past, just like many of the other small sleepy towns dotted across the area. It was more of a ghost town than anything.

We get the dealership and go check out the used cars. We are walking around the corner and there it was. A freaking Sonic Blue SVT Focus. I literally could have **** a brick. My dad swears on his life he had no idea that the car was there, he said we found it from divine intervention. Being that my grandfather just passed away and we were in his old stomping grounds, I believe it. We get up to the car and I began taking in every little detail. I turned to my dad and joking pulled the door like I was getting in it and the son of a bitch was unlocked. LOL! So I ever so diligently sat down in the seat and began checking it out. Around this time the salesman showed up. He wasn’t one of those parasite, annoying, “hey lets be pals” car salesman’s either. He had the keys in his hand and told my dad to take it for a spin. We barely made eye contact and said hello. Who does that?

To make a long story somewhat shorter, I drove that car home later that evening. It was January 30, 2004 at 8:40pm and I pulled the car into my driveway at home. I stayed inside of the car in my driveway listening to music messing around with everything until about 2 in the morning.

Here is the earliest pic of my car I can find from 2004.

Image


Stock as stock can be. Shortly after buying the car I found [FJ]. It took me sometime to join up after lurking for a few months. The rest is all pretty much history from there.

The modification started and this is the first one.

Image


After that I got the bumpers re-sprayed and got some Machs, facelift grill, and a Mach 1 lip.

Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


A kid I grew up with and was a great friend of mine got a Focus too.

Image


His name is Nate (FJ username; Lordgoldthroneroom). We began constantly hanging out and working on our cars. Wow, those were the good old days.

New suspension time shortly after! (Sportlines/ Prodampers)

Image

Image


Next it was off to my first biggest Focus meet, the Carlisle All Ford Nationals. This was in 2006. Look at Ray’s car for a time reference. :lol:

Image


Image


Image


Oh yeah baby! Shortly after, a few random parts ended up finding their way on my car. More significantly the Konigs wheels.

Image


This was my first taste of tire rubbage…. :lol:

A few of the local crew I ran around with.

Image


Image


Image


Image


I was fed up with the tire rubbage and the stockers went back on. Around the same time, I got some blacked out Machs.

Image

Image


Image


With a 442 that my dad just was getting ready to restore.

Image


Spring came and so did smaller tires. I could run my old wheels again! SCORE!

Image


Image


Around the same time was my first FOTM appearance it was for SVT: Round 2, April 2007. http://forums.focaljet.com/team-rigz/548014-vote-may-fotm-svt-round-2-a.html

Got my bum bum kicked. :lol:

Next up was Carlisle ’07.

Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Shortly after Carlisle, new suspension time! KW V1’s with some LCR sexyness.

Image


Image

Image


Image


Image


Winter ’08.

Image


Image


Summer ’08. New state, old car.

Image


Image


Met a few cool peeps. 

Image


Image


Image


Image


Winter ’09. Got myself a daily driver and my Focus’ daily driving days were put behind her.

Image


Image


Spring/Summer ’09. New bumper!

Image


Image


Image


Loving the cars new home.

Image


Image


Image


Image


Carlisle ’09. This time I had a 450 mile drive ahead of me. I miss only being 2 hours away from the place. I had to prepare myself.

Image


Image


Remember that white SVT? Well he showed up with his new “Ford” at the show this year. Heheh.

Image


A few peeps…

Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


JFord even sprinkled a little pixie dust my way…

Image


Image


Image



Fall 2009-Present

The only noteable thing is the wheels.

Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


And most recently… as of the weekend…

Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Ok I am done.
.
 
#2 ·
Simply amazing Spat.

As Brian said in the Mid-A forums, I am honored to have a cameo in the pictorial history of this machine.

Oh and this picture that Josh took:

Image


:rock:

/thread
 
#15 ·
Simply amazing Spat.

As Brian said in the Mid-A forums, I am honored to have a cameo in the pictorial history of this machine.

Oh and this picture that Josh took:

/thread
Thanks Slippy. I wanted to have the thread showing tons of other cars my car has mingled with because it is only fair to return some recognition to everyone that which you have all given to me. The community has influenced me more than anything and my car would be nothing without it.

that is so awesome dude! congrats man def one of if not the sexiest car on fj whats next?
Well, I have some ST170 interior pieces going in soon. I just have to paint them up. I need new shocks, perches trashed and camber arms out back becasue I am unhappy with the way it sits now. Perhaps maybe a 98 bootay? :dunno:

Thank You!

Well deserved win! So many nice little touches that make the car perfect. I like the CF piece under the hood.
Thanks! I made that piece under there.

Wow, such a wonderful post, Shawn. I'm truly honored that Rattletrap made its way into a few of those pictures. Your old suspension is still kicking and living a great life in MN with hafftrak, even though it tried to kill us when we installed it :lol: I've seen this car come SUCH a long way since I first met you and saw it around '05, and it's such an amazing feeling to know that I can look at this legendary car and say "hey, I know that guy!" :lol: Enjoy the award, buddy, you deserve it more than anyone I know :)

-Brian
Thanks Brian! It means a lot.

congrats man
Thank You!

I was just talkin' to my buddies who are also local FJ members about how you were nominated for FOTY and how much I admire your car. I logged on today and BAM you won! Congrats man. You really do have one of my favorite Foci
Haha. Thanks man!

Shawn, you absolutely deserve the award, my man! All of the cars that won FOTM throughout this year are totally on another level, and you should be super proud being the best of the best. It's been great fun seeing how you've changed it up over the years, and i can't wait to see what you've got in the plans next!

Well done, dude! :thumbup:
Thanks Dave! The rest is downhill! :lol:

You deserve every bit of this award man! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it next. Also did you remove the helper springs up front?? The newest pics it looks a tad lower.
Thanks Mark! No it didn't remove it.... yet. I need a half inch gone upfront and a full inch gone out back with some camber to pull my wheels in a tad.

Congrats Spat, you deserve it!

BTW-that first pic of your car looks like it was shot on the Teletubbies set (colorwise).
Thanks Steve-O! Yeah that pic is kinda trippy. It was my failed attempt to make the pic look cell shaded. If I knew it would be the first pic I would ever have on record, I would have left it alone. :lol:

amazing car!! u deff deserved this!
Thank You!

Why Thank You!

#1 in my book, Congrats on the win!
Thank You!

RICE j/k congrats sir one the best looking svtf on the board that ive seen..
I left out the ricer stage in my cars life in my post above. I had some altezza tailights, neons, fart can, razzi lip kit, you know the works on there.

...

...

...

I am kidding.

Thank You!

-spatakula
 
#3 ·
that is so awesome dude! congrats man def one of if not the sexiest car on fj whats next?
 
#5 ·
Wow, such a wonderful post, Shawn. I'm truly honored that Rattletrap made its way into a few of those pictures. Your old suspension is still kicking and living a great life in MN with hafftrak, even though it tried to kill us when we installed it :lol: I've seen this car come SUCH a long way since I first met you and saw it around '05, and it's such an amazing feeling to know that I can look at this legendary car and say "hey, I know that guy!" :lol: Enjoy the award, buddy, you deserve it more than anyone I know :)

-Brian
 
#7 ·
I was just talkin' to my buddies who are also local FJ members about how you were nominated for FOTY and how much I admire your car. I logged on today and BAM you won! Congrats man. You really do have one of my favorite Foci
 
#8 ·
Shawn, you absolutely deserve the award, my man! All of the cars that won FOTM throughout this year are totally on another level, and you should be super proud being the best of the best. It's been great fun seeing how you've changed it up over the years, and i can't wait to see what you've got in the plans next!

Well done, dude! :thumbup:
 
#9 ·
You deserve every bit of this award man! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it next. Also did you remove the helper springs up front?? The newest pics it looks a tad lower.
 
#17 ·
Congrats man! I absolutely love your Focus. Your DEF an inspiration to me. I sure hope my ride could be half as awesome as yours one day.
 
#18 ·
Congrats Shawn! :thumbup: It seems like just yesterday that you were doing RICER fly-by's when I had my Z! :lol:

Well deserved.


(But I still like the old wheels better) :lol:
 
#21 ·
Congrats.
 
#22 ·
Congrats man. Well-deserved win for sure. What are the specs on those wheels anyway? Fitment is VERY nice on there.
 
This post has been deleted
#26 ·
You know what I like most about the car?

No tint.
It just makes the car feel more personable and classier.

AMEN.


something i still get compliments on with my car, especially with my leather...love cars that take pride in their car inside/out and not throw tint on like everyone else
 
#28 ·
Always thought this was one of the best looking Foci on here..:)

Sucks we live like an hour apart & never got together..:(

"Baggy pants on a hot chick" LOL I always thought tinted windows was like a woman wearing fishnet's with no panties....:)
 
#31 ·
Thanks! Yeah we gotta get together soon.

Sweet...Looks like my front wheels will be 4mm further out than yours and the rear ones will be 19mm further out...Time to roll some fenders :D. Were yours massaged at all or 100% stock?

EDIT: Also are you running any camber solutions (if so, how much) and what tires/size are those? And what's the total drop you have in your most recent pics?
They are still all 100% stock. Rubs out back but some camber should fix that.

So I guess that answers your second question. No camber solutions out back. I am unhappy at how it looks so some camber arms are going in and rear coilover perch is going out this spring. The fronts have some LCR race plates. I maxed them out once and there was ZERO wheel poke up front. It looked pretty bad ass but with the huge camber, the toe needed some major adjusting (the wheels were visibly toed-in) The car looked pigeon toed.

Since the coilovers went on, the drop was never adjusted or changed.

Congratulations man you defiantly deserve it!
Thanks Ryan!

-spatakula
 
#40 ·
Thank you very much!

CONGRATULATIONS BROTHA! You should be disqualified though cause you don't help enough people.
LMAO... Thanks Casey!

Congrats Spat, you got my vote even though Ataru got me on here and had me interested beyond belief for the focus.

Yours is perfection and gets better with age, something that is fairly hard to do as life gets in the way sometimes. My offer of a 04 Red SVTF w/EAP and a project '05 CBR 600 F4i trade still stands, though! :evilgrin::rolleyes:

Seriously, car is beautiful and so glad you still enjoy everyday!!
And these two shots are nothing but win!! natural light = ftw!!! :D (no offense Josh)

Wow. And to be honest... I would (if I could) vote for you next year! :thumbup:
Thanks Barry! Sounds like a fair trade. I'd take a clean EAP like yours any day. :D

Ya see, I cropped those pics but kept the same pixel count so they turned out a little blurry /grainy. :dunno: Its just a simple Sony point 'n shoot.

Not an ounce of offense taken dude!

As for the car: "....Meh" ;)
I tried. :(

:lol:

i'm seeing a total DOMINATION @ Carisle this year.


im super excited.
I am excited too. Not for the "domination" but to drink some brewski's with my broski's.

Yep Shawn & Cayse...two of the Hottest!!
Casey will decimate ALL.

Congrats Dude! When will I get to see this again?!
Steve.... LMFAO. I defiantly wasn't expecting to see your name on here. Well since you stopped by...

Image


Image


Image


:lol:

Thanks man! Whenever you decide to move to NC is when you will see my car again. ;) :p

-spatakula