Haps Gill’s stanced Ford Fiesta Zetec S
Decisions, decisions, there’s plenty to make when building a modified car. What wheels to rock? How low to go? What scene to follow? Whatever you do, once you’ve made a decision its usually it’s usually best to stick with it – unless your name is Haps Gill.
This is Haps’ Mk.5 Fiesta Zetec S, and he changes it around more than our Jules changes his underpants on a dodgy stomach, and believe us, that’s a lot.
It’s all been part of a mission to create an understated, fresh phase 2 Fez that whispers its own class. “I love the whole clean and smooth look,” the man himself says of his inspiration, “and subtle is more the theory I’m working with on the ZS.”
Haps bought the Fezza less than two years ago, picking up the Ford in stock form as a cheaper runaround to his short-lived VW project. “My first car was a Polo GTi that I booked in for smoothing,” says the bodyshop apprentice, “but when it came out I sold it. It spent more time in the bodyshop than on the road.” The ZS was meant to stay stock – but Haps soon found himself shifting the Ford’s looks to suit his own taste.
And when we say his own taste, what we actually mean is Haps’ taste at the time. Since deciding to fettle with the Fezza, the change-addict has had an absolute glut of wheels under those Imperial blue arches, including Lenso BSX’s, Compomotives, BBS RM’s and the impressive banded steels with painted red centers that managed to hang on long enough to go under the famous FC lights.
“It has had various stages of looks,” agrees Haps. “I did have stickers all over the car, it was static dropped and it has had a few wheels, yeah.”
Something that has managed to last are the supreme but rare Puma Millennium Edition leather Recaros, but with the car smoothed and sporting gloss black detailing, Haps decided to call time on the Fiesta and last year put it up for sale.
True to form though – and after a whole lotta love on forums – the Berkshire lad decided he should actually keep the Ford and instead take it to the next level.
Looking back, Haps admits: “I even had a deposit down on a new car, but I backed out of it and decided to keep my ZS. I realised it meant too much to me to let it go that easy. I’m so happy I’m still carrying on with it today.”
With the fire for his Fez firmly back, Haps decided he needed to ditch the static drop for some real dirty lows, and had to choose between ‘bags or juice. “My first option was ‘bags but I did some research and went down the juiced route,” says the 20-year-old. “You don’t see as many juiced cars compared to ‘bagged, and juice is more fun. It puts a smile on my face every time and bouncing won’t ever get boring!”
So, after building one of the best Mk.5 Fezza’s around and the first to go on juice, Haps is bound to finally rest up and enjoy his supreme stanced ride, right? Well, not exactly: “I’ve changed the car already,” he says. “It’s been back in the bodyshop and is sitting on the BBS RM’s for this year. It’ll never be finished – I’ll always find something else to do.” Seriously, on this evidence, what else did we expect?
TECH SPEC
FORD FIESTA ZETEC
STYLING
Smoothed boot and front bumper; door locks
removed; smoked Ultra front lights; yellow LaminX front fog lights; 12000k H4 bi-xenon kit; all red rear clusters; Team Heko wind deflectors; colour coded bumpstrips, roofstrips and door handles; gloss black roof wrap; gloss black mirror bases; gloss black PH1 debadged grille; gloss black Laguna splitter.
TUNING
K&N panel filter; de-restricted airbox; Milltek 4-2-1 Evo manifold; Milltek decat pipe & catback exhaust.
CHASSIS
7.5×14-inch front and 8×14-inch rear banded steels in gloss white & Ford Radiant red; 165/55 front tires and 175/55 rears; Rayvern Hydraulics custom Competition kit with custom top mounts & wireless remote; 2 degree rear camber.
INTERIOR
Ford Puma Millennium Edition leather Recaros; Ford Puma gearknob; Momo Team 280 steering wheel with boss; stainless switches mounted in centre console. AUDIO Alpine 105Ri headunit; Hertz Dieci components.
