A first glance shows that this is no ordinary Focus because of the stylish graphics applied by R Vision Signworks. The other exterior alterations include: Toyo tires, Boyd Coddington custom-made Gotcha Series 19x8 Shadow aluminum wheels, Webasto-Hollandia Stratos folding sunroof, Trenz billet antenna, Wings West three-piece flush-mounted wing and whale tail, Wings West Avenger kit, Focus Tuning European M3 style mirrors, APC carbon fiber hood, APC Generation II headlights, custom-made grille from J&A Autosport, H&R Stage Four coil-over suspension, Catz Zeta lighting system, Catz XLD fog and driving lights, disc brake conversion from Stainless Steel Brake Company and Borla cat-back T-304 exhaust system. The wheels had to be made of 6-inch 6061 aluminum stock in order to clear the calipers and they weigh only 18 pounds.
A lot more was done under the hood: AEM cold air intake system, AEM cam gear, AEM power pulley, Nology ignition, Nitrous Express 50-shot nitrous system, JBA header, Spal 10-inch fan, Fluidyne all-aluminum single-row direct-fit polished tank radiator and Optima Yellow Top battery. Moreover, the valve cover and engine components have been painted two-stage PPG purple to match the color scheme of the car and the tank radiator accommodates all OEM attachment parts.
And the theme was taken inside with a mass of additional mods. The interior is nothing like a standard Focus. The factory cloth has been exchanged for a more luxurious graphite and bright purple leather interior by Classic Soft Trim. The unique stitch pattern is of a Ford Racing Design. The rear interior trunk panels were transformed from original cloth to a hard fiberglass. This was done using epoxy resin to give the panels a stiffness and then two coats of fiberglass resin were applied. The panels were sanded smooth, then Bondo and polyester putty was applied and the panels were sanded again, painted with lacquer fill primer and sanded yet again to obtain a paintable surface.
Other interior mods included: Trenz billet pedals, full billet steering wheel with custom machine hub by Phoenix Machining in Goleta, California; center console; door handle inserts; instrument console, center instrument console painted PPG purple; Sherwood 17-Piece carbon fiber dash kit; Autopower four-point roll-bar; Autometer dual-pod pillar housing nitrous pressure and oil pressure gauges; Check Corp. two-temperature seat heaters; APC Speedglo gauges; B&M short-throw shifter and aluminum shift knob.
Audio-Video With Six Monitors
The entertainment for anyone lucky enough to ride in this vehicle is offered by an audio-video system with six monitors. Just about everywhere you look is a TV screen. All products come from MA Audio and Audiovox. The source unit is an MA Audio MA7000 AM/FM radio and 7-inch TV monitor sitting snug in the dash. This unit is brand new and as of this writing was not yet being offered by MA Audio. It is fully motorized and allows for adjustment for best viewing angle. The unit includes three audio-video inputs and on-screen controls.
Providing source signal is an MA Audio MA980D DVD player which is mounted under the passenger seat. The infrared eye has been remounted in the center front right air vent so that the infrared remote control that comes with the unit can be used to control it. Besides DVDs, this unit also plays CDs, SVCDs and MP3. It includes an anti-skip mechanism that features a five-second delay so that there is no interruption of audio and video if there should be a skip due to a bumpy road. Other features include a 10 bit Digital-to-Analog converter, title screen chapter and time search, fast or slow x2 to x32, full function remote, and an auxiliary audio-video input for a video game or videocassette player.
By the way, Neumann plans to trade out the DVD player after January for a brand new MA Audio six-disc DVD/CD changer which won't be available until early in '02. Two processors help to produce a better-sounding system. An MA Audio Synergy SY2000B electronic bass driver enhances the bass frequencies. The unit includes dual VU meters, adjustable input sensitivity, remote on/off, an LED overload indicator, and a phase shift of 0 to 180.
An MA Audio SY30EQ 30-band graphic equalizer is present to fine tune the audio frequencies. The EQ frequencies that this unit can adjust are: 25 Hz., 32 Hz., 45 Hz., 63 Hz., 80 Hz., 100 Hz., 125 Hz., 180 Hz., 200 Hz., 250 Hz., 325 Hz., 400 Hz., 500 Hz., 650 Hz., 800 Hz., 1 kHz., 1.3 kHz., 1.6 kHz., 2 kHz., 2.5 kHz., 3.2 kHz., 4 kHz., 5 kHz., 6.4 kHz., 8 kHz., 10 kHz., 12 kHz., 14 kHz., 16 kHz., and 18 kHz. The unit cuts or boosts frequencies 18 dB. The EQ is housed in a custom-made metal enclosure and mounted behind the rear folding seat. Neumann cut sheets of steel, then notched and folded them to make a box. The electronic bass driver is in the trunk mounted in a false floor on the fiberglass subwoofer enclosure.
As mentioned, there are TV monitors all over the interior. Besides the monitor on the dash, there is an Audiovox LCM5600 5.6-inch LCD monitor in the back of each of the front seat headrests. Each of these monitors have picture correction adjustability and is controlled by a remote. An Audiovox MVJORS 5-inch screen has been custom fitted into each sun visor and an 8-inch Audiovox monitor hangs from the roof of the vehicle. This unit has a 45-degree swivel so that it can be adjusted for the best viewing angle and includes on screen picture correction adjustability.
To ensure that each monitor gets the proper strength of signal, an Audiovox VA100 video distribution amplifier has been included and mounted under the dash. This device multiplies the video signal and includes one audio-video input and four audio-video outputs. Audiovox MVIRHS infrared wireless headphones are involved in the system so that viewers of the TV monitors can hear the audio. The infrared repeater is mounted on the center of the roof next to the courtesy light.
Two MA Audio high-current amplifiers power the system. The HC504 four-channel amplifier is mounted under a false floor in front of the front passenger seat. The false floor has been raised about 2 to 21/2 inches from the factory floor and is made of wood and Bondo. The Bondo helps to ensure a tight, snug fit. A square cut out in the center of the "floor" allows one to see the amp. The amplifier is bridgeable and can also run in a tri-mode and includes a bypass line output for connecting multiple amplifiers to the same signal.
It features a built-in variable lowpass filter that can be adjusted between 45 Hz. and 120 Hz. and a built-in variable highpass filter that can be adjusted between 100 Hz. and 800 Hz. There is also a variable bass boost of 0 to 18 dB and the bass boost frequency can be adjusted from 45 Hz. to 90 Hz. The power ratings for this amplifier are: 50 watts per channel into 4 ohms; 90 watts per channel into 2 ohms; 150 watts per channel into 1 ohm; and 250 watts per channel into 1/2 ohm. It will play two-channel when bridged and supply 180 watts per channel into 4 ohms; 300 watts per channel into 2 ohms; and 500 watts per channel into 1 ohm. This amplifier is playing the mids and highs.
The MA Audio HC2502 high-current two-channel amplifier is working the subwoofers. This amplifier is mounted along side the bass driver in a false floor on the fiberglass subwoofer enclosure. The amplifier is bridgeable and can also play in a tri-mode. It also includes a bypass line output for connecting multiple amplifiers to the same signal.
There is a built-in variable lowpass filter which can be adjusted between 45 Hz. and 120 Hz. and there is also a built-in variable highpass filter that can be adjusted between 100 Hz. and 800 Hz. A variable bass boost is also present of 0 to 18 dB. The bass boost frequency can be set between 45 Hz. and 90 Hz. The amplifier has a power rating of 250 watts per channel into 4 ohms; 450 watts per channel into 2 ohms; 750 watts per channel into 1 ohm; and 1250 watts per channel into 1/2 ohm. When it is bridged into one channel this amplifier delivers 900 watts into 4 ohms; 1500 watts into 2 ohms; and 2500 watts into 1 ohm.
An MA Audio 51/4-inch midrange speaker and tweeter play from factory openings in the front and rear of the vehicle. Two MA Audio 12-inch Competition subwoofers play from a custom-made fiberglass enclosure in the spare tire wheelwell in the trunk, while 0-gauge cable carries power from the Optima battery in the front of the vehicle through two MA Audio Synergy 3.0-farad digital capacitors with LED voltage readout and on to a distribution block. Meanwhile, 4-gauge cable carries the power from the block to the amplifiers and 8-gauge cable carries power to the EQ and Bass Driver. All cables, wires, interconnects, etc. are from MA Audio.
J&A Autosport is contracted with Ford Motor Company to construct custom vehicles and took control of this vehicle for $1 from Ford. The vehicle was displayed at the 2001 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Spal Advanced Technologies' booth and took Best of Show Focus and Ford Design Award. It took about nine months to perform the metamorphosis, concluded Neumann.