I didn't get around to posting much on the other site (different user name because...) as I was late on the scene but having eschewed that place might as well kick off here.
A mate and I built a track toy from a Fiesta, known here as an XR4 and in the UK as an ST150. Loads of fun but with stock engine very slow. Still good to let others drive because I suspect it is nearly unbreakable and with a full cage nice and solid. My daily at the time was an M2C which was obviously faster but the risk was $$$$ if I binned it. Anyways ended up selling the M2 and was looking for something to drive to the track, on the track and home after without needing a trailer and stealing the wife's 4wd.
A Focus RS was high on the list but other things were options, i30N, Type R etc.
A mate suggested the GRY which was very much an unknown and the expected performance wasn't really that interesting. Then Toyo Oz came up with an offer of $40k drive away subject to test drive on the standard model. Just drop $950 as a deposit. So I did that. Then the reviews started appearing and it seemed like a good thing. I have done off road racing (the weird stuff in buggies) and the rally focus was a definite plus as there are many many km of gravel around.
A month or so later I had the test drive. Arranged to have the car for about 2.5 hours and drove some back roads near me. Couldn't stop laughing it was such a ball of fun. Standard Dunlops were rubbish of course but tyres are an easy fix.
Then a few weeks later I took delivery (a bit lucky but that is another story) and drove away with a new GRY on Dec 30th so it is nearly a year old.
Prior to delivery I ordered some Oz Racing wheels and Yoko AD08R tyres and these were ready to swap over on the way home from the dealer. The stock wheels were then shod with Toyo R888R for track duties. All in stock sizes because then there was so little real information about going wider. Still happy with that choice.
Didn't weigh the wheels but they are heaps lighter than the stock Enkeis with the Toyos.
We had heaps of rain and it became obvious that the flanks were going to get blasted on the gravel so I grabbed some mud flap material and made some mudflaps.
Not so much modding and mostly it will stay stock in the driveline but things to date:
I plastidipped the stock wheels to see what they would look like white. Only two though so one side was black and the other white...
Back to black now. I like white but not if it is a different white to the car.
Next step was a strut brace and catch can.
Did some base line sprint runs and with green Toyos it was faster than the M2C.
A very wet sprint proved how much fun you can have in Sport mode with semis.
Fire extinguisher and tow points went in as did a bracket for the transponder on the number plate frame at the back. I drilled the front tow point cover and the bolt passes through the factory plastic. I bought a spare cover just in case. The tow points are nominally not legal to leave on all the time but so far no issues with the boys in blue.
Fitted some MCA reds with custom valving and spring rates and very happy with the compromise, stiffer damper and softer springs... Initially I had on order some HKS suspension but somehow the spring rates were screwed up and the rear would have been way too stiff so I walked away and fitted the MCAs.
Dropped the ride height about 25/30mm and found the front was now vulnerable to parking kerbs etc so I put a Flow Designs splitter on as a bump stop. Works goodly. Front springs are 7kg while rears are 9kg, damping is about 10% stiffer than 'usual' red spec. Run the dampers at 1 off softest settings on the road and 3/4 front and 6/7 rear for sprints depending on how rough the track is. -3 front camber, -2 (ish with stock setup) rear and +1mm -1mm front and rear toe. Had the rear at +1 initially but the car was very nervous on the highway and got a bit exciting on the cold tracks. With sprints you start from cold and run for anything from 35 to 70 seconds (600m - 1500m) so you can't rely on tyre pressures and heat through the lap and have to compromise somewhat.
Next was the Alltype inlet which I insulated before fitting. Interesting sounds and the wife still gets surprised when the car farts.
I want to do something with the exhaust, just to give the car a bit of character but so far haven't really heard anything I like. Hopeful that the Xforce system might do it but haven't heard that in person yet. I found the exhausts sound very different in person and the videos on the web can be misleading.
I intend to keep the engine unmapped and just see where I can get to with times. I am not chasing outright victories or class victories because I am up against some serious gear (900hp R35s and time attack evo VII etc). Though it did bag a 1st, two 2nds and a 3rd in awd class last year.
It is so nice to swap tyres at home, drive to the sprint track, have a day or weekend of fun and then drive home though the noise from the Toyos after a track day is worse than any muddies I have run on a 4wd...
There is a factory Torson diff ready to go in after Christmas and some braided brake lines. Might give the calipers a coat of red at the same time though probably put Advics stickers on rather than be a Rallye try hard with GR stickers. TBA...
The car has about 13,000 km in a year and I enjoy driving it, one or two up. Enough room for a gazebo and stuff in the back for track days. Don't think I will be selling it any time soon.
A mate and I built a track toy from a Fiesta, known here as an XR4 and in the UK as an ST150. Loads of fun but with stock engine very slow. Still good to let others drive because I suspect it is nearly unbreakable and with a full cage nice and solid. My daily at the time was an M2C which was obviously faster but the risk was $$$$ if I binned it. Anyways ended up selling the M2 and was looking for something to drive to the track, on the track and home after without needing a trailer and stealing the wife's 4wd.
A Focus RS was high on the list but other things were options, i30N, Type R etc.
A mate suggested the GRY which was very much an unknown and the expected performance wasn't really that interesting. Then Toyo Oz came up with an offer of $40k drive away subject to test drive on the standard model. Just drop $950 as a deposit. So I did that. Then the reviews started appearing and it seemed like a good thing. I have done off road racing (the weird stuff in buggies) and the rally focus was a definite plus as there are many many km of gravel around.
A month or so later I had the test drive. Arranged to have the car for about 2.5 hours and drove some back roads near me. Couldn't stop laughing it was such a ball of fun. Standard Dunlops were rubbish of course but tyres are an easy fix.
Then a few weeks later I took delivery (a bit lucky but that is another story) and drove away with a new GRY on Dec 30th so it is nearly a year old.
Prior to delivery I ordered some Oz Racing wheels and Yoko AD08R tyres and these were ready to swap over on the way home from the dealer. The stock wheels were then shod with Toyo R888R for track duties. All in stock sizes because then there was so little real information about going wider. Still happy with that choice.
Didn't weigh the wheels but they are heaps lighter than the stock Enkeis with the Toyos.
We had heaps of rain and it became obvious that the flanks were going to get blasted on the gravel so I grabbed some mud flap material and made some mudflaps.
Not so much modding and mostly it will stay stock in the driveline but things to date:
I plastidipped the stock wheels to see what they would look like white. Only two though so one side was black and the other white...
Back to black now. I like white but not if it is a different white to the car.
Next step was a strut brace and catch can.
Did some base line sprint runs and with green Toyos it was faster than the M2C.
A very wet sprint proved how much fun you can have in Sport mode with semis.
Fire extinguisher and tow points went in as did a bracket for the transponder on the number plate frame at the back. I drilled the front tow point cover and the bolt passes through the factory plastic. I bought a spare cover just in case. The tow points are nominally not legal to leave on all the time but so far no issues with the boys in blue.
Fitted some MCA reds with custom valving and spring rates and very happy with the compromise, stiffer damper and softer springs... Initially I had on order some HKS suspension but somehow the spring rates were screwed up and the rear would have been way too stiff so I walked away and fitted the MCAs.
Dropped the ride height about 25/30mm and found the front was now vulnerable to parking kerbs etc so I put a Flow Designs splitter on as a bump stop. Works goodly. Front springs are 7kg while rears are 9kg, damping is about 10% stiffer than 'usual' red spec. Run the dampers at 1 off softest settings on the road and 3/4 front and 6/7 rear for sprints depending on how rough the track is. -3 front camber, -2 (ish with stock setup) rear and +1mm -1mm front and rear toe. Had the rear at +1 initially but the car was very nervous on the highway and got a bit exciting on the cold tracks. With sprints you start from cold and run for anything from 35 to 70 seconds (600m - 1500m) so you can't rely on tyre pressures and heat through the lap and have to compromise somewhat.
Next was the Alltype inlet which I insulated before fitting. Interesting sounds and the wife still gets surprised when the car farts.
I want to do something with the exhaust, just to give the car a bit of character but so far haven't really heard anything I like. Hopeful that the Xforce system might do it but haven't heard that in person yet. I found the exhausts sound very different in person and the videos on the web can be misleading.
I intend to keep the engine unmapped and just see where I can get to with times. I am not chasing outright victories or class victories because I am up against some serious gear (900hp R35s and time attack evo VII etc). Though it did bag a 1st, two 2nds and a 3rd in awd class last year.
It is so nice to swap tyres at home, drive to the sprint track, have a day or weekend of fun and then drive home though the noise from the Toyos after a track day is worse than any muddies I have run on a 4wd...
There is a factory Torson diff ready to go in after Christmas and some braided brake lines. Might give the calipers a coat of red at the same time though probably put Advics stickers on rather than be a Rallye try hard with GR stickers. TBA...
The car has about 13,000 km in a year and I enjoy driving it, one or two up. Enough room for a gazebo and stuff in the back for track days. Don't think I will be selling it any time soon.
Last edited:
