just in advance, no im not going to save up for an sti or evo or some expensive car, the point is a focus project car BTW has anyone done an AWD conversion on a focus or does the chassis design not allow for it?

From your sig, sounds like you have a nice potent ride. How about a Quaife or Torsen for added traction? Sure AWD woud be nice, but the conversion will be expensive.

 

What the sig doesn't tell you is that it's an automatic :/ Anything under 40mph I get wheel skip, BAD and even wheel skip starting in second gear when I hit boost...

Surprisingly, without it even being tuned yet, AND being an automatic...I've taken down an s2000, ram air trans am, and mach 1 so far...hondas test me out then they don't want to race when they hear the turbo for some reason

Soooo... Keep this as my fun daily driver while I work on a project car starting next year with tax return

 

Have you read these threads? I haven't, though I may have had a peek at one time or another...

All wheel drive??>..!!??!!?

awd conversion?

Good luck.

 

i think the v8 just RWD will be the easiest. AWD either way is going to be extremely hard and labor intensive. if you have the skills go after it.

for the AWD you are going to have to find a transaxle that will work. a lot of people think the jaguar AWD will work or maybe volvo system which i have been told is not true awd.

I would rather just build a FWD race car or turn the 2.3 sideways put it low and as far back as possible in the engine bay turbo it and do RWD that way!

 

Have you read these threads? I haven't, though I may have had a peek at one time or another...

All wheel drive??>..!!??!!?

awd conversion?

Good luck.

lol funny...thanks i'm reading it all now, goign to sleep in abit I'll comment later.

I understand AWD would be more of a pain in the butt, but putting alot of power on FWD vehicles, becomes a problem. Some people I know with FWD vehicles, like a cobalt for instance, they get hindered from the fact that they are FWD. A differential would help solve that problem, but under 300 hp I would think, and over thats a whole new game again :/

 

Outside of the WRC cars there have been 1 or 2 AWD converts, but as far as i know they have all been tuner cars from companies. I have yet to see a private party AWD Focus....

 

A properly-done AWD 2.3 liter would instantly make you one of the coolest Focus owners.

By properly-done, I mean useful AWD (not the FWD-based Escape system) with a decent rear end (not a live axle).

 

I know there is a user on FJ who has been working on an affordable awd system for a year or so now.

 

If you are only interested in straight line speed, do the V8. It's a known quantity and you can just load up the back with more weight and rubber to gain traction. I assume you run on pavement and winter weather should not be a huge factor, so why go to the trouble of AWD? I doubt you will gain the benefit you want.

 

i think the v8 just RWD will be the easiest. AWD either way is going to be extremely hard and labor intensive. if you have the skills go after it.

for the AWD you are going to have to find a transaxle that will work. a lot of people think the jaguar AWD will work or maybe volvo system which i have been told is not true awd.

I would rather just build a FWD race car or turn the 2.3 sideways put it low and as far back as possible in the engine bay turbo it and do RWD that way!

My vote RIGHT here.

find an old XR4 and get a choppin! (implanting into a sedan would be complete sex... IMO)

To be honest... I can't really see anyone ever complete a project like this on a Focus. There's just no 2.3L AWD system that makes sense on a car... and the custom fab job required would be an incredible finance.

(and yes... the 2.3 XR4 isn't the 2.3 you had in mind... but I can't think of a single Ford 4cyl RWD or AWD car sold in NA but that and the 'stang)

 

Dont chop up an XR4, they're getting too rare. Pull the motor, maybe, but you can also take the motor from a thunderbird turbo coupe or SVO...

for the AWD system, what does the MS6 use?

 

yeh, i support and congratulate your ambition....but it won't be easy, cheap, or no where NEAR as potent as any EVO/STi/Audi.

the only AWD sysmtems that you would have access too without paying over 30k on a real Rally setup (which would not be able to be a dailydriver or even maintain) would be half-assed "AWD".

Basically two wheels driving until dire need of the rear or front kicking in for traction...and a minimal % there too. You would also eat up that drivetrain really quickly.


But get reading on those threads, there has only been 1 or 2 FJ'ers that have come close and S2 is still, well, in progress :lolpun intended )


-chris

 

why?

props to ya if you follow through and got the cash but honestly why?

i mean yeah that would be kick ass and all but to me, i dont think its worth the time or money. i would just go buy an evo and be done with it :lol:

-spatakula

 

By properly-done, I mean useful AWD (not the FWD-based Escape system) with a decent rear end (not a live axle).

I think the escape would be the best and easiest way to go. Take a page out of the evo book and go the 4cyl turbo route. The stage 2 kits seem to overwhelming now and you actualy waste power becouse of no traction. Now a 250-300 hp 2.3 and awd would rock.
As far as the escape awd it is more front biased for daily driving but why is that bad? When front traction dissipears it transfers power to the rear. And is exactly what you want to do. Its not going to be a rock crawler so it doesn't need a 50/50 bias fr/rr. Most likely the it is computer controlled so you may be able to change the percentages at witch it transfers power.

 

The Escape is an "on-demand" AWD... meaning it is FWD 100% until it senses slip...

BUT... the neat thing is that the rear end engages electronically... meaning that a capable electronics person could possibly set up a system to engage it as needed without the Escape ECU.... or if the Escape ECU was used, an "override" condition could be created.

It isn't advanced like an Evo/STi... it is just an "on/off" deal, so don't expect a fancy torque bias knob.

My opinion is that an AWD Focus would just be a "because it is" deal though... A well balanced FWD Focus will still probably keep up/surpass it on a track anyway.

 

The Escape is an "on-demand" AWD... meaning it is FWD 100% until it senses slip...

BUT... the neat thing is that the rear end engages electronically... meaning that a capable electronics person could possibly set up a system to engage it as needed without the Escape ECU.... or if the Escape ECU was used, an "override" condition could be created.

It isn't advanced like an Evo/STi... it is just an "on/off" deal, so don't expect a fancy torque bias knob.

My opinion is that an AWD Focus would just be a "because it is" deal though... A well balanced FWD Focus will still probably keep up/surpass it on a track anyway.

yep, what i was trying to poke at....thanx for ellaborating.


Also, your right. A well balanced FWD focus would not only surpass a AWD'ed (without a rally-bred full system) but would also be a 1/3 of the price. The added weight of the on-demand system would drag it down and not add much performance for the track.


-chris

 

The OTHER option is to look at the Jaguar X-type bits... but I bet it'd be startlingly similar to the Escape in the rear. I've been under a Mazdaspeed6 and an AWD 5-speed Escape and found the rear center electronic diff/diff to be suspiciously similar as well.

The X-type uses an MTX-75 in front with the transfer case hardware, with a D25/30 bellhousing, which might be a better shifting option than whatever the Escape 5-speed is. The Escape 5-speed works, but is kind of balky for a car.

 

there is someone where that i was talking to that wanted to do it but istill don't think it's worth it. it's just not optimal unless you do a complete custom conversion and i'm pretty sure that most of you don't want to spend 20K ont he conversion to AWD alone. there is a rally company that does it but i'm not sure if it's even fun for the street

 

Just do a V8.


Putting a V8 into the Focus would be childs play compared to putting a complete, well working AWD system into a Focus.

 

Putting a V8 into the Focus would be childs play compared to putting a complete, well working AWD system into a Focus.

True.

 

why?

props to ya if you follow through and got the cash but honestly why?

i mean yeah that would be kick ass and all but to me, i dont think its worth the time or money. i would just go buy an evo and be done with it :lol:

-spatakula

The whole point is to have a ford focus that can smash all these cars in every aspect, not to actually join the club and just buy one. Also, sure I want to go v8, BUT I don't want a straight line car, I want to find some kind of a balance between handling and raw power...

 

The whole point is to have a ford focus that can smash all these cars in every aspect, not to actually join the club and just buy one. Also, sure I want to go v8, BUT I don't want a straight line car, I want to find some kind of a balance between handling and raw power...

thing is, it won't...without a custom-made RALLY AWD system(25-35k). And not something to just slap on and be done with it. You would have to know it like the back of your hand when things need tuning.

a V8 doesn't always have to mena "straight line". It can seriously handle, if you take it to that level. But most just leave it after the conversion. Think Focus RS8:evilgrin: Another option, is a FWD SVTContour V6 conversion or even a RWD V6 conversion. Hit up BowDown, he has delved into many possibilities.


Just the AWD ur after is meant for "safety" at most, if you get in a Escape/x-type and then a SubaruBase/EVO/STi.... flogg the hell outa both them, u will quickly see what everyone is saying about the AWD system. Just adding weight and no actual advantage.


-chris

 

The whole point is to have a ford focus that can smash all these cars in every aspect, not to actually join the club and just buy one. Also, sure I want to go v8, BUT I don't want a straight line car, I want to find some kind of a balance between handling and raw power...

I realy like the idea of doing a rwd 2.3-2.5 turbo. But how about this, a mid engine zx5. It would be a first but you should be able to make it work. It would alow the car to not be so nose heavy and be a well balaced package if designed right. If this is to off the wall I'm a dreamer so give me a break.

 

it'd be the first ZX5... but not the first Focus. There was a mid-engined ZX3 a long while back.

I still think a RWD focus would pwn all... and a 2.3 would be a fantastic choice. Yes, tbird would be a much better doner to rip outta

however, hte new D23 would be the best 4cyl to get into... can anything be done RWD on that? IMO, I'd only go 4cyl to maintain factory weight (somewhat... RWD conversion will obviously skew things).

I think the toughest thing about that will acutally be balance. Trying to maintain the stock focus handling potential.... but in RWD. How this would be accomplished... I dunno. longitudinal mounted D23 to try and bring some weight over the front axle to compensate for hte rear diff?

 

Cougar V6 RWD FTW :thumbup:

-Brian