So, basic plans right now are the typical things. Wheels, lower, tint, etc.

I do have a set of 17" SES wheels that I ran on my old focus, a ZX3. So those will be swapped over to the 2008 once the weather stops being mean. I keep waking up to snow and icy highways so the steelies and winter tires are staying on for now. Forecast looks good, should be on the 17's soon! Have plans to powdercoat them a bronzy/brown color, as the paint is peeling and it has more than a few rock ships.

Lpowering springs will hopefully be picked up this week, local guy has a set of eibach pro springs and swaybars for an 06-07. So i'll pick those up if we can agree o na rpice, then i'll have to get some 06-07 top hats from rockauto and ocne those come in, springs will go on!

tint, Legal limits here are 35% backs, 50% fronts. So that's likely what I'll be doing. Don't want to go too dark although 35% all around would be nice.

as for exhaust, I'm not sure which route I'll go, if anything. I do want a bit more noise, but don't want to go crazy.

I will be stealing the projectors from my zx3 to do a retrofit in this car eventually, once I can get a second set of lights for this car. And, I have an idea to make the taillights look 100X better, more on that later! Oh, and chrome. It's going bye bye, have some plasti dip to take care of all that ugly chrome.

that's about it for plans right now.

 

Nice!!

For the projectors (I believe you have the older versions in your old headlights) check out the new MH1 7.0s by TRS. They are much better than the 6.0s. Worthwhile upgrade! I can't call if you had mini D2S or Mini H1s in your last retro, but you could re-use the bulbs and ballasts if H1

 

I've got the d2s in my old car, Likely going to just reuse those for the new ones. The 7.0 H1's are nice, the width is envious, however the d2s still has a better hot spot for distance, which I think trumps width in my case.

Plus, I wouldn't have to buy anything aside form new shrouds if i just reuse the old stuff haha. Little easier on the wallet.

i may even just wait for the d2s 4.0's to come out, which is supposedly happening late summer/fall.

I can probably cope with stock lights till then.

 

Makes sense and believe me, coping with the stock lights will SUCK. I went from ST170s on my Mk1 to OEM halogen lights on my Mk3. Meh. Not a huge difference. Installed projectors with HIDs and was very happy. Then I had to go back to stock and I remembered EVERY TIME I DROVE. Finally rocking a set of MH1 6.0s again.




I think Niteshade can look good, but if done lightly. Enough where you and I notice, but a non-car person just thinks they're OEM and has no idea unless you were parked next to another Focus. Clear coat and buffing are critical.

 

few more pics! She needs a bath already. Can't wait till the snow stops falling and making everything slush lol.

also picking up some lowering springs and sway bars tonight. woo.

 

Picked up a set of lowering springs, and sway bars today. Woo! Just need some 06-07 top hats to install.

 

welp, one more pic on the steelies. Tossing the 17's on tonight, and giving the car a bath.

ordered spring seats and stuff to make the springs I got work on my car. (springs are for an 06-07 and requite those years seats to work) once those parts come in, car will be lowered!

 

Please tint those tail lights red!

 

haha yes, I picked up some red nightshades tint before i even picked the car up. It's one of the first things on the list. Weather will actually probably be warm enough to do it tonight.
Will be doing all the clear areas on the tails in red, aside from revers area, obviously. Then going over the whole light (aside from reverse) with some light coats of the black nightshades. Not enough to make it look dark, just enough to get the red looking a bit deeper. Did it on my truck with great results.

Also plasti-dipping all the chrome. handles, mirror caps, grill.

 

Noooooo!!!! Nightshades never looks good!

 

Done right it does. Done poorly, as 90% of people do, then I agree.

Here's how my truck turned out. Few medium/light coats, with wet sanding, and clear coat. Won't be going this dark with the focus.

(pic is before clear coat)

 

Washed last night, and got my 17's on
Didn't get any of the other stuff done, as it was too windy to tint the lights and do any de-chroming.

****ty pics since i was running late to work lol, but meh.
Looks a lot better with the 17's on. Definitley needs those lowering springs now though. The winter tires I took off were a bit oversized (and rubbed) now with normal sized tires, looks way too tall haha. too much gap.

waiting for new spring seats to come in, and the low will be on. Stay tuned!

 

edit: images broken

 

ok, try this again.
I did a thing today.

started here

Then did this thing

then I did some of this

 

Noooooo. Take it off the headlights and the Ford badge. The blacked out grill looks good.

 

ford badge is getting a decal from TFB designs, like pictured. as the stock emblem was peeling and speckled.

Headlights may change slightly, was getting too dark out to keep trying different shapes with tape, so I just went with that, may cut away some of the 'dip to reshape it, but it's not gonna change a bunch. Till i do my retrofit, then the whole inside of the housing will be black.

 

did another little project today.
took a few pics. Going to get some laminx tint to go over top of this. thinking a light smoke would be good. nothing too dark.

I really love it, looks so much better than all that chrome, to me anyways.

 

Wow, those tail lights look 10x better. Nice work.

Not a big fan of the dip on the headlights or badge, but like it on the grille.

 

Badge looked like ass lol, typical Ford badge peeling, swirl marks, rock chips in the blue showing chrome, wasn't pretty. Like I said, it's getting an overlay once it comes in the mail.

Tail lights, yeah, million times better. And will get even better with the light smoked laminx.

Still not sure about the headlights either myself. Probably just gonna leave it till I do my retrofit.

 

Random photos after her bath today.

 

My spring seats have entered canada, so I should get them in the next 2-3 days. That means lowering springs go on this weekend!

 

All kinds of things coming together lately. Got my spring seats in, so this coming up weekend I'll be slapping my lowering springs in. Also got a spare set of OEM headlights, that I will use to do my projector retrofit in.

Just have to decide which projectors to go with.

 

shes lowered boys!

 

Looks good man!

 

thanks! perfect height in my eyes. Just the right amount of gap, and theres no rubbing aside from one insane dip in the road near my work, gotta slow right down for that sucker now.

heres a picture of how I had to change up the struts since the springs were for an 06-07 and my car is an 08.

used 06 spring seats and upper mounts on the left vs stock 08 on the right.

ride is great, little stiffer, can take corners faster. But it's not harsh at all over smaller bumps.

 

welp I finally got around to de-badging the rear. and the stupid sticker is gone too.

also changed up the headlight "eyebrows" a bit. Trimmed a bit of the plasti dip away. Think it looks a lot better like this. subtle difference but it works better.

 

Looks good!!

Any thoughts on body colour door handles?

 

I'm trying to find a set of them, It's looking like I'll have to buy direct from ford. But I definitely need to get rid of the chrome handles, and the mirror caps. Also hoping to get tint done in june. Fingers crossed.