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Sean Hyland takes us from mild to wild as he and his crew convert this
'pathetic' Ford Focus into a serious tire burning street/track performer.
Not your everyday Focus V8 conversion as the owner of this car wants, more
than a 'nice' street machine. He also wants to take the car to lapping days
which means, in addition to going fast in a straight line, it must also turn
and stop. Sean and the boys are up to the task as over 13 episodes they show
how it is done.
Episode #1
Sean and Tom have fun at our test track in Dunnville with the little
4-banger automatic and we document its performance (?) with Traqmate. If you
look closely at the left rear tire you'll see that it is a 'tempa-spare'.
They had so much fun sliding the car around they took turns until it ran out
of gas.
Episode #2
Back at Hyland's shop it was time to get rid of everything that wouldn't be
needed in the 'new Focus'. Turns out that was almost the entire car!!!!!!!
EPISODE #3
Tom & Sean discuss owners intended use of the car when completed – great street car with lapping day potential on track. With this in mind Sean recommends that the project be built to track standards – meaning pieces are welded not ‘bolted on’ and everything is ‘heavy duty’. This starts with cross member reinforcement pieces from Kugel Components and a roll cage from MultiMatic.
EPISODE #4
Sean and the guys at SHM start with a new Mustang based suspension, re-designing, modifying, reinforcing and finally installing on all 4 corners.
EPISODE #5
P-Ayr Products supplies a mock-up trial fit engine which the guys at SHM use to ensure that all of the new components are going to fit under the hood. They also take the opportunity to mock up and trial fit a set of custom headers. There’s not much room especially with the steering shaft taking up space.
EPISODE #6
Now that the engine is in place we need to add on all the necessary bits and pieces. Northern High Performance supplied the aluminum radiator and March Performance Pulleys sent a really beautiful pulley kit.
EPISODE #7
Engine is in - time to design a system to supply fuel. We go to Performance Improvements and Andy McJannett who supply us with an RCI fuel cell, a high output pump, braided lines, an MSD Ignition, an Edelbrock intake as well as billet fuel rails. COOL
EPISODE #8
StopTech and Steve Ruiz adapt a set of brakes that are up to the task. Their job was made somewhat easier when Sean decided to go upscale with a Mustang based suspension. Discount tire is our ‘go to’ source for wheels and tires. Sean was very specific in his requirements. He wanted the tires to ‘work with’ the suspension so he requested 17” rather than 18’ or 19’. He suggested a 5 spoke wheel with clearance for a big brake package. Fronts are 17”x8” with 24mm offset and the rears are 17”x9” with 43mm offset.
EPISODE #9
Sean and the guys take everything off the car at this point and send it out for body panel fitment and paint. Panels are from the UK designed for the European rally cars. REALLY COOL!
EPISODE #10
Back at the SHM race shop the roll cage gets permanently installed. A set of Racetech racing seats get installed topped off with some G-Force belts.
EPISODE #11
Loose ends – all the things that need to be completed before heading to the track. A complete nut and bolt is in order, fluids are added, the engine is run, the car is scaled and aligned.
EPISODE #12
Track testing – finally. The objective is not to tear off lap after lap but to get the car set up so that it handles on street and track. Then throw in the Traqmate data acquisition gear and see how far we’ve come.
EPISODE #13
Fun day! Compare the car to some thorobreds – and introduce the car to the owner. Everybody gets a couple of laps and gives us their comments.
The primary project car on Sports Car Revolution this season is a late model Focus converted into a rear drive street and track car by Sean Hyland Motorsport. The Focus build up is covered in detail over 13 episodes during the 2006 season of SCR.
To keep all that 5.0 power firmly on the track Discount tire supplied a set of 5Zigen FN01R-C wheels and tires.
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