The only thing your average "mechanically inclined owner" couldn't do on that list are the camshafts and the valve springs with retainers. I'm sure you could get a competent mechanic to install them for ~$250 or less.

The only reason you even need the springs and retainers is that the stock valve springs are a little weak, allowing the valves to float for the last 600rpm before redline. It's not even that bad at that point apparently, but when taking the car to the next level of tuning, one would surely want to raise the rev limiter by at least 500rpm and then you would have problems caused by them floating.

>8^)
ER

Modified by Peloton25 at 9:38 AM 9-10-2004

Quote, originally posted by Peloton25 »

You may not remember them all, but there was a Focus Cosworth and Focus R concepts shortly after the Focus was introduced - they would later melt into what became the RS. Then later came the wild Ford Racing FR200 concept that went no where. I don't even think any real parts were able to be developed from that car since it was so unique. Then they introduced the SVT and followed it up with the SVT Competition Package concept that never saw the light of day. Instead they gave us the bloated European Appearance Package. They also showed off a SVT fitted with the Jackson Racing supercharger, but a production version was not meant to be. If you wanted it you had to buy it off the shelf and kill your warranty. Last year they took an RS and dropped their new "Cammer" V8 crate motor in the front - again not something that will ever see the light in production form, but still an impressive concept. Anyway - I'm at the point where I grew tired of waiting for them to do it right, so I'll just do it myself. I also won't be getting my hopes up on any future performance concepts paraded around by Ford until I see them listed on an official order sheet.

Thanks for the info. I did a bit of googling, but I'm not too informed on focuses (focii?). Would it be possible to convert, fully or in parts, a north american spec focus to an RS? Is an RS just simple engine + suspension + body panels? Or is the chasis modified? If you don't feel like answering, you could always toss me a nice focus link I never really cared for the focus, but it has caught my eye recently.

edit : sorry for the thread hijacking.

Modified by Intalex at 3:33 PM 9-10-2004

  Run come save me.  
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The RS is quite a different beast - the chassis is still C170, but its got a lot of different parts that would make a full RS conversion rather tricky. From the body standpoint, you would have to cut out the 1/4 panels and weld in new ones just to get the flares in the rear. That's a lot of work and money.

The suspension is all completely different - well the basic forms are the same, but the pieces are longer to push the wheels and brakes out further. A lot of the unique parts would be very hard to come by. Ford only keeps a limited supply of most of them and you need an RS VIN to get your hands on them as I have heard. There's really a lot of hurdles, especially in the cost department that would prohibit anyone from trying and doing it right. You could easily make something yourself - that might not have the visual presence, but could have all the performance of an RS for much less than the total cost of trying to recreate the RS.

Another thing you will find by researching the RS is that with the suspension arms extended the way they are, it actually changes the dynamics of the suspension quite a bit and makes for a rather twitchy car. Couple that with the Quaife LSD which apparently likes to pull the car in strange directions based on variances in the road surface and you have a car that not everyone loves to drive.

With the right driver though, the car has been known to outshine or hang with several of it's competitors which feature a little more power and in some cases, the benefits of AWD.

>8^)
ER

From http://www.cosworth.com:

Cosworth Racing officially launched its long-awaited range of performance parts upgrade kits for the 2.3-liter Ford Duratec engine at the NOPI Nationals show, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Atlanta, Georgia this weekend. Branded the ‘d-Power’ range, the first two of three kits were unveiled at the show, alongside the first genuine Cosworth Ford Focus, a project car built by Cosworth’s California facility to highlight what is possible for Focus owners.

The d-Power products form an incremental range of kits, building on the standard Duratec engine and giving three levels of increased performance: Level one adds 27bhp to the standard engine’s base figure, bringing power up to a maximum of 172bhp, depending on the original engine’s emission specification. Level 2 generates 200bhp, regardless of the original engine’s specification while the top level, Level 3, currently being finalised, should see 230bhp at the flywheel.

Hurricane Ivan, which passed over the Atlanta area immediately before the show, did little to dampen the spirits of the thousands of car modifiers that spent the weekend in the presence of some of the coolest offerings from the US scene. The Cosworth Focus drew massive attention in its Snap orange paint, among Focus owners and non-owners alike. The d-Power range also drew huge attention from owners of the Focus model, as well as other people who are looking to use the Ford Duratec engine in a variety of applications.

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Possibly the coolest partnership in the motoring world, Ford and Cosworth have worked together to create a range of parts to allow Focus fans to build their own Focus Cosworth.

The relationship between Ford and Cosworth goes back almost 40 years – it officially began in 1966 when Ford asked Cosworth to develop an engine for Formula One. The result was the Ford-Cosworth DFV, the single most successful engine in the history of motorsport.

But it’s not only in motorsport where Cosworth’s expertise is legendary. In Europe, the only cars ever to wear the Cosworth badge have been Fords, from the Sierra Cosworth, Sapphire Cosworth and Escort Cosworth ranges. These cars, produced in the 1980s and 1990s, brought supercar performance to the ordinary car buyer.

And it’s this thinking that’s behind the creation of a brand new range of power upgrade parts for the Ford Duratec 2.3-litre engine, called the d-Power range. Developed as part of the Ford Racing Performance Parts range for the Focus, the Cosworth d-Power packages offer three levels of engine performance over stock; Level 1 adds 27bhp to the base engine’s figure, Level 2 produces 200bhp and Level 3 gives out an anticipated 230bhp, enabling Ford Focus owners to build their own Cosworth Focus, with genuine Focus RS-beating performance.

To demonstrate what is possible, Cosworth has built a European-inspired, d-Power’d Focus project car. The car features the very best kit from the USA as well as Europe and is the first car that can be considered a Cosworth Ford Focus. The Cosworth Focus sports an RS-look body kit in Snap orange paint and OZ RS-style wheels, Michelin tyres and monster Brembo brakes (an identical combination to the awesome Ford Focus WRCs), lowered Tein suspension and a set of Ford Racing sway bars. Inside, there is a pair of Reverie double-skinned carbonfibre seats, a hollow carbon steering wheel and gearknob, a Pi Xpress dash system, Schroth harnesses and a Cosworth Racing fabricated roll cage, in polished stainless steel.

Under the bonnet is a development version of the very top level of the d-Power system, Level 3. When launched in November 2004, this should help the engine to produce in excess of 230bhp in naturally aspirated form. Expect to see more of the first Cosworth Focus soon.

Cosworth Racing would like to thank the following for their invaluable help in building the first Cosworth Ford Focus:

Ford Racing Various www.fordracingparts.com

Brembo Brake kit www.brembo.com

OZ Wheels www.ozracing.com

Michelin Tyres www.michelinman.com

Tein Suspension kit www.tein.com

Pi Research Xsport Dash system www.pixpress.com

Goodridge Brake lines & oil cooler www.goodridge.net

Reverie Seats, wheel, gearknob www.reverie.ltd.uk

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Level 1: up to 172bhp
Required Hardware: d-Power1

To achieve the Level 1 power increase of 27bhp over a stock engine will require kit d-Power1.

Kit d-Power1 comprises a series of straightforward bolt-on breathing upgrades for the stock engine that will free up the induction system and help realise the extra power.

Components

The main elements to achieve this are the d-Power high velocity inlet manifold and cold air intake system. This manifold has been designed from scratch by the Cosworth engineers to increase airflow while maintaining port velocity for exceptional throttle response and low speed torque. Cast in aluminium and sporting the ‘Power by Cosworth’ logo, the manifold features individual port runners and is fully future proof, allowing for further engine modifications down the line.

The second component is the cold air intake system. This replaces the factory equipment and uses a 3¼in alloy pipe to locate a high flow, high filtration filter unit in a protected area within the front fender, where it can pick up cold air.

The theory is that cold air is denser and therefore, more fuel can be burned to make more power. In order to get the right amount of fuel in and ensure that the engine makes the most of the improved breathing at higher speeds, the factory ECU is re-flashed, a process that ensures that the engine runs perfectly, all the way to the re-set 7100rpm rev limit. Your original ECU is sent to Cosworth’s California facility, modified and returned to you.

The d-Power1 kit also comes with full installation instructions and a ‘Power by Cosworth’ vehicle badge. A competent home tuner would be expected to install the kit in a day while a skilled autoshop should be able to do it in approximately half a day.

Results

Once the d-Power1 kit has been fitted and the re-flashed ECU added, the user can expect a gain of 27bhp at the flywheel. In addition, their car will remain STREET LEGAL in all states, pending CARB approval (applying for).

Contents

The d-Power1 kit comprises the following:

· Cold air induction kit
· Cast alloy intake manifold
· ECU return envelope
· ‘Power by Cosworth’ badge
· Fitting instructions

Prices and Availability

Kit d-Power1 retails at $1195, exclusive of taxes, shipping and handling. Kits can be ordered either from your local Ford Racing dealer or direct from Cosworth Racing in California. Currently, expected delivery times are approximately 6 weeks.

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Level 2: 200bhp
Required Hardware: d-Power2

To achieve the Level 2 power of 200bhp from a stock engine, regardless of original specification, will require kits d-Power1 AND d-Power2. However, for an engine already converted to Level 1, only kit d-Power2 will be required.

Kit d-Power2 builds on the improved breathing offered by kit d-Power1 by adding components that further improve the breathing and fuelling.

Components

Top of the list of components is a pair of replacement camshafts. These d-Power2 cams are direct replacements for the factory items and are driven by the stock pulleys. Both cams increase valve lift and valve duration, meaning more air enters the engine. As with kit d-Power1, this means that more fuel can be burned and hence, more power.

Camshafts can have a huge influence, not only on an engine’s performance but also the way it behaves throughout the speed range. Some cams may make huge top end power but make the engine impossible to drive at low speed. However, the Cosworth engineers have concentrated on developing the d-Power2 cams to give a good increase in mid-range and top end power without sacrificing driveability.

Coupled to the cams is a tubular exhaust header, in a 4-1 design. Developed using Cosworth’s expertise, this header is designed to scavenge the engine cylinders, in conjunction with the d-Power2 cams and target high-speed power gains.

The final piece of hardware is a replacement throttle body. Again, the factory item wasn’t designed for the additional air flow that the d-Power2 kit provides, so a 67mm diameter item is supplied with the kit to ensure that the engine’s management system gets the right messages and delivers the correct amount of fuel. To ensure this, and raise the rev limit, the kit also comprises an ECU re-flash, where your ECU is sent to Cosworth’s California facility, modified and returned to you.

Kit d-Power2 also comes with full installation instructions and a competent home tuner would be expected to install the kit over the course of a weekend, while a skilled autoshop should be able to do it in a day

Results

Having fitted kit d-Power2 to a 2.3-litre Duratec already equipped with kit d-Power1 along with a high flow, low back pressure exhaust system, such as that currently under development by Cosworth, the user can expect a minimum of 200bhp at the flywheel. However, due to the high performance nature of this engine, a d-Power2 -equipped car is NOT street legal and therefore should only be used for vehicles that are not intended to be used on public highways.

Contents

Kit d-Power2 comprises the following:

· Pair of d-Power2 camshafts – inlet and exhaust
· Tubular 4-1 exhaust header
· High flow throttle body
· ECU return envelope
· Fitting instructions

Prices & Availability

Kit d-Power2 retails at $1195, exclusive of taxes, shipping and handling. Kits can be ordered either from your local Ford Racing dealer or direct from Cosworth Racing in California. Currently, expected delivery times are approximately 6 weeks.

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Level 3 will be introduced at the SEMA show, November 2-5 2004.

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SWEET!!!!

>8^)
ER

>8^)
ER