99 problems… but a JZ ain’t one. This subtle-looking Mk1 Focus is packed with incredible mods, including a 2JZ engine pushing out over 625bhp!
The Ford engine back catalogue is filled with countless awesome motors capable of producing some serious power with not a whole lot of effort. The Cosworth engines are, without a doubt, the most highly regarded, in particular the legendary YB (which might as well stand for ‘Yeah Boost!’), and Ford’s own recent turbo offerings are capable of delivering some serious power themselves. So, if you’re hunting for horsepower for your Ford, you don’t have to go far from home. Tell that to Farooq Siddique, then…
Y’see, when Farooq wanted a serious powerplant for his Mk1 Focus project, he set his sights on the other side of the world, and now, nestling beneath the bonnet of this build, you will find none other than a Toyota 2JZ. Legendary though it may be, we can sense the tightening grip of fingers on paper as many of you furrow your brows in disapproval, but Farooq’s Focus delivers the goods, and it’s an awesome build that you can’t help but be impressed by.
Farooq’s car history
Just who is this man who brazenly brings together east and west in a ferocious fusion of power? Well, funnily enough, by day he works as a risk management consultant, so he should be well aware of the risks involved when swapping a Japanese motor into a Ford where the Blue Oval fandom is concerned. But then again, there’s a reason you’re reading about a Focus, and that’s because Farooq is himself a dyed-in-the-wool Ford fan.
“I’ve been into Fords since I was about 12, when we moved house and I saw my neighbour’s Series 1 Escort RS Turbo, and fell in love with it,” he grins, and he’s had a few Fords to his name. His first was an XR2i, a fine choice, and he’s also had a Fiesta 1.1 Popular converted to Fiesta turbo, but this Focus is simply on another level.
Why a 2JZ swap in the Mk1 Focus?
“I wanted to build something a bit special and different, and the Focus shell is a good base for lots of different conversions. Plus, I had always liked the shape of the Focus, and they were getting rare,” reasons Farooq, so he went shopping. “The shell was found in good condition, sitting in someone’s garden, and was planned to be used for a project, but the person didn’t have time to start so they put it up for sale,” he explains. Immaculate shell in hand, the project could begin, but what exactly was Farooq cooking up?
“The original plan was to convert it to Cosworth 4×4, however, the prices of the engines started to shoot right up, and after doing some more research, I realised you need to spend lots of money to get big power as the engines are limited as stock,” he explains. “My friend purchased a Lexus GS300, which had an NA 2JZ – it was rear-wheel-drive, and I loved it. I then realised the 2JZ-GTE was a much better engine, and not badly priced,” and the rest is history.
2JZ engine mods
That engine is, without a doubt, the star of the show here, and it dominates the build. And as for the spec – oh boy, is this a serious piece of kit. The 3.0-litre straight-six 2JZ had its tall block fully stripped down and a host of fresh accessories fitted before it was treated to a custom exhaust manifold to accept the twin-scroll BorgWarner S362 SXE turbo. This has been mated to a Turbosmart 38mm external wastegate, and there’s a custom SMM 3” turbo-back exhaust system that delivers maximum flow, along with an awesome soundtrack.
A Bosch 044 motorsport fuel pump feeds Fuel Injector Clinic 775cc injectors via a Whifbitz fuel rail, while intake cooling is taken care of by a fat Mishimoto intercooler up front. The whole lot is overseen by an Ecumaster Black ECU with mapping by Dynatune, and the end result is over 625bhp at the crank and 598lb.ft of torque, which is a vast amount of both. That would be a lot in any car, but in a Mk1 Focus it’s totally wild, and this machine really is an absolute beast.
That much power needs a beefy ’box to get it to the ground safely, and Farooq is running a BMW GS6 53DZ six-speed manual, equipped with an Adamat custom adaptor kit rated to 1200Nm with a twin-plate clutch system. There’s a rear GS300 diff, which has been stripped and rebuilt, a CB helical racing LSD, and a custom propshaft.
2JZ Mk1 Focus chassis mods
Naturally, with so much power on tap, a seriously sorted chassis was the order of the day, and here Farooq has fitted HSD coilovers which deliver superb handling along with a purposeful drop. These are backed up by custom polybushes, camber-adjustable Hardrace front upper arms and rear lower arms, while the front and rear anti-roll bars have been polybushed, all of which combine to create one seriously sharp chassis setup. And, naturally, with over 600bhp to play with, you need stopping power that can match all that go – so this Focus has been fitted with Lexus LS400 front brakes and GS300 rears, along with a hydraulic handbrake.
Sitting over those brakes and filling the arches are a set of 18” Bola wheels with some very aggressive custom offsets that give this Focus a really mean stance. “I wanted some nice big wheels to fill the arches, and because of the Lexus running gear, the hubs allowed me to do this,” explains Farooq. “I wanted something that contrasted the Audi Ibis White paintwork, and these wheels were perfect. I’ve always been a fan of Bola wheels,” he adds, and it’s easy to see why, as these ones work so well here and suit the Focus perfectly.
Exterior modifications on the 2JZ Mk1 Focus
While this Focus definitely has presence, it doesn’t get all up in your face, and that’s just the way Farooq intended it. “I wanted to keep the car looking subtle from the outside, so I did a few mods such as Rieger bumper extensions with an additional Rieger splitter added. My favourite mod was the rear WRC spoiler with Mitsubishi Evo fins moulded into it,” he says with a smile. And then you’ve got the colour itself; “I always loved the Audi Ibis White colour, so the full car was painted. This was done by a friend at L & J Bodyshop; it was a full glass-out respray inside and out, and the shell was shot-blasted, then dipped and treated to Ford White primer before painting.”
The rest of the styling is all very subdued but combines to make all the difference. This Focus wears a Collection Edition front and rear bumper and sideskirts, a set of bonnet latches, and gloss black trims; it’s been de-badged and de-wipered at the rear. It also has custom front wings to accommodate the wider track, and custom-modified rear arches, along with a selection of other goodies. The monochrome exterior looks great, and everything that Farooq has done works together beautifully.
Interior modifications
Finally, we come to the interior, and there’s a seriously tasty selection of mods in here. “I wanted to keep it simple, so it’s got two OMP seats, and a false floor at the back was fitted with a sound system. I also wanted to keep the gloss black theme going from the outside into the inside,” he explains.
“My favourite mod inside was the flocked dash as the original Focus dash is a horrible grey plastic,” Farooq adds with a laugh, and the flocked finish makes the interior feel so much nicer. He’s also added an LDperformance DASH display with additional gauges, a black roof lining, and a snap-off steering wheel. The seats are paired with red OMP harnesses mounted to the custom SMM rear rollcage, and the finishing touches are the custom carpets and custom blue LEDs in the dash.
2J2 Mk1 Focus verdict
“It took four years to complete, on and off, with kids, weddings, house and jobs getting in the way, so I had to juggle everything,” says Farooq as we take in the build. Whichever way you cut it, this is an awesome machine, with monster power wrapped up in a subtle package, and that 2JZ is the star of the show.
“The big BorgWarner turbo is my favourite modification on the whole car – it spools up quickly and sounds amazing, especially the turbo flutter,” he grins, and you simply can’t go wrong with some serious boost. Impressive as this build is, Farooq does have one other rather major mod on his mind at the moment: “I’m looking to possibly change the gearbox to a seven-speed BMW DCT as there’s a company in the UK now selling the complete conversion kit,” he muses, and that would take this Focus is the next level. “But, apart from that, the plan is just to enjoy the car,” he adds, and the smile which accompanies that tells us he definitely does.
While we’re sure there are plenty of you reading this who would prefer that Farooq had kept things purely Ford under the bonnet, no-one can argue that the 2JZ is a monster of an engine, and here it’s resulted in one monster of a Focus.
Photos Ade Brannan
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