Pick ‘n' Mix
Fast Ford|May 2017

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is a rebadged ST170 – you’re looking at a fast Focus that’s heading north of 330bhp thanks to a heavily modifi ed chassis designed to house the engine, transmission and suspension of a donor Sapphire RS Cosworth 4x4…

Dan Furr
Pick ‘n' Mix

As far as ambitious restomod projects go, David Richards’ Focus ST170 is up there e with the best of ‘em. Packing a tuned Sapphire RS Cosworth 4x4 powertrain and Focus RS body parts (not to mention a tidy lick of fresh paint), this seam-welded d stunner has been a three-year labour of love for its creator, although it’s far from the first big build he’s carried out.

“I bought a Mk2 Escort 1.3GL that became a flat-fronted RS2000 replica,” says the 44-year-old from the West Midlands. “The car was totalled in a regrettable accident, an event that led to the purchase of another Mk2 that I turned into a tarmac rally machine powered by a 1700 Crossflow,” he says, before furnishing us with tales of his time behind the wheel. “I wasn’t very competitive. The Mk2 was my only car, so I was always too afraid to go flat out in case I caused damage that would prevent me from driving home after a round of rallying!” he smiles.

Things are quite different today; David’s job as a mobile access engineer for a leading plant hire firm sees him drive a Transit most of the time he’s on the road. Having a workhorse to ferry him around during the week means that he’s been able to lavish time and attention on his ST170 during evenings and weekends without worrying about having to rely on the hot hatch as a daily hack. And with time to play with, he’s really gone to town!

Esta historia es de la edición May 2017 de Fast Ford.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición May 2017 de Fast Ford.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE FAST FORDVer todo
ONE LOVE
Fast Ford

ONE LOVE

RS Turbos have been a lifelong passion for Adam Bowler. So, when he discovered that this one was riddled with rot and bodges, he couldn’t bring himself to scrap it; instead, he built it into something rather incredible…

time-read
6 minutos  |
January 2020
LUCKY NUMBER SIX
Fast Ford

LUCKY NUMBER SIX

A lifelong Ford fan, Simon Tudor always had a soft spot for the Mk6 ST and he now owns one of the best examples you’ll find...

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 2020
FIRST CLASS SERVICE
Fast Ford

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

The RS is back at mountune, not for upgrades this time but for its third annual service…

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 2020
TRACK HABIT
Fast Ford

TRACK HABIT

James Allen has an all-consuming addiction, measured not in tenths of an ounce but in tenths of a second…

time-read
6 minutos  |
January 2020
RE-FOCUSING – THE MK FOCUS WRC…
Fast Ford

RE-FOCUSING – THE MK FOCUS WRC…

The first WRC Focus made the rallying world take notice of Ford again, the second Focus WRC made them fear the Blue Oval once more…

time-read
5 minutos  |
January 2020
SHADOW PLAY
Fast Ford

SHADOW PLAY

Jamie Kent’s silver dream machine appears at first glance to be a flawless Cosworth converted to WRC body specs. But there’s a whole lot of smoke-and-mirrors going on here…

time-read
5 minutos  |
January 2020
INSIDE M-SPORT
Fast Ford

INSIDE M-SPORT

We go behind the scenes at M-Sport’s factory and take a ride in one of the WRC cars built there for an experience to remember!

time-read
6 minutos  |
January 2020
GONE IN TEN SECONDS…
Fast Ford

GONE IN TEN SECONDS…

This stunning Sapphire Cosworth is unlike any other, thanks to a homebuilt 760bhp YB engine and a sequential gearbox that help it cover the quarter mile in just 10.3 seconds...

time-read
5 minutos  |
January 2020
FORDS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN…
Fast Ford

FORDS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN…

The Ford Fiesta was and still is, a fantastic car. The Cosworthdeveloped BDA engine was a world-beater. So, what would happen if the two were to meet? We nearly found out…

time-read
3 minutos  |
January 2020
DRIVEN M520 FOCUS RS
Fast Ford

DRIVEN M520 FOCUS RS

Jamie gets to try out mountune’s lairy new power upgrade for the Mk3 Focus RS; the 513bhp m520 MRX version…

time-read
5 minutos  |
January 2020