2019 Year in Review

[SM105K]

Just take a couple of minutes and tell us:

What did you do to your car this year?  Performance Mods, Exterior Mods, Interior Mods?


What are your plans for next year?  Performance Mods, Exterior Mods, Interior Mods?


Did you have an equipment failure? Motor, Trans, PTU, RDU, Turbo(s) ect.  If so, what failed?  What contributed to it?  If you have a warranty, was it covered?


What story on this forum caught your attention this year? LMS, TQ Mounts, Recalls, ect?  What stood out?


I will revisit this later and add all of my answers as well. 


   

[Jordan]

Well dang. Where do I begin. I put an XDI35 HPFP on the car, j2 intake, Anthony DiCunzolo trans mounts, and GH intercooler on the car in the early months of the year. Ended up going crazy and stripping the car and running some decent quarter mile times!

Next year it's either sell it or get upgraded turbos. Car needs some attention that I don't want to do and I am pretty unmotivated about doing it. After upgraded turbos don't think there is much else I would like to do. Never been a big exterior mods guy.

After this year I am surprised to say that everything on the car is intact and still driving just fine! LOL

The rise of SCT tuners and the fall of LMS has been a hot subject this year. SCT tuners taking the platform farther than ever before while LMS crumbles into the dust. A lot of big builds happening this winter and hope to see a lot of fast Ecoboost power plants putting down some bigger numbers than ever before!

[shoNoff]

Let's see this off-season I added DiCunzolo mounts, 20x9 light weight wheels and swapped tuners. Never got to run the car with the new set up.

I sold the car due to the RDU letting go. Plus we added to the family so an suv made a bit more sense. Not sure what caused the failure as I didn't really look into it to heavily. I'd say lack of maintenance from the pervious owner did some damaged. But who knows. Car was out of warranty.

I'd say the LMS story really caught my attention the most this year on here. To piggy back off what Jordan said it amazed me what the SCT tuners started to do to this car. While LMS just sat there and let everyone pass them. Also looking forward to some big builds going on. Plus I know some of you are planning more and are not saying much yet.

[SM105K]

The SHO got a whole makeover.  Right off the bat she received a new transmission.  The GH Intercooler, PPE DP's, 3rd cat and stock resonator delete was replaced with a custom Magnaflow Resonator set up, AD Gen 2 TQ Mounts, H&R's, and rounded out with Curva Concept C7's.  She was then chrome deleted, and the trim was paint matched. Completely changed the look of the car.

Everything is chronicled here along with a ton of other info all on the first page. https://shoforum.com/index.php?threads/sm105ks-ownership-performance-maintenance-thread.138235/

The ST....she got a Megan DP, Boomba BOV, Shortshifter, AJPTurbo Flex Fuel Tune.  This little car is a riot.  If you want a car that is somewhat comfy, and a blast to drive, seriously look at Focus ST. 


Next year for the SHO is the the 802SHO (Andrew) splitter install. First performance mod on the list is the XDI- 35 Fuel Pump.  Then turbos.  I was thinking about nitrous but...maybe later.  I also want to buy another pair of the Curva C7's for the rear for a staggered look.  The rears on the car currently will then get a pair of drag radials mounted to them.

Next year for the ST is honestly just coilovers and maybe a rear hydro brake set up.  Because WWKBD? 


As of right now, my SHO has not had another failure.  Everything seems to be happy.  She is running strong. She is also getting mileage kept off her, because I have had the ST since February and have put 19K on it.  As of right now, the SHO just clicked 75K.  The bulk of that mileage was three CA trips that average right at 1000 miles per trip.

The ST just clicked off 100k miles and she is rolling strong as well.   


Two things really stood out in my head as well.  The whole LMS thing coupled with the rise of the SCT tuners.  That along with Matt's hard work with being able to supply us with R&D and parts for our cars to really shine. Next year is going to be a big year for our platform.  I bet we see at least 3 SHO's get into the tens, and the I bet we see a couple of 600/600 cars.

Also fostering friendships along the way.  I was cooler enough to help out Andrew with the splitter develop as well.  So yeah...next year will be interesting.

[802SHO]

This year I replaced my turbos and intercooler with an amazing company that decided to invest in this platform and develop better parts...GearHead.  I also replaced all of the turbo's oil and coolant lines to start off fresh with new everything.  EPP Hotpipes really completed the new turbos/IC.  Upgraded to one step colder spark plugs Sp542 plugs I gapped at 27-28.  Bought a new Alky Control methonal pump as mine was just 2 years old, nothing wrong with it but it's said to last around that much time so replaced.  Added a Derale Trans cooler in addition to my PP trans cooler as first saw BPD1151 doing.  Had to get a realignment after the subframe being dropped for the turbos/lines.  Bought Anthony Dicunzolo trans mounts.
Replaced the driverside rear lateral arm that I ended up having to notch the frame to remove the nut.  Replaced my rear reinforcement bar.  Had my exhaust tips powder coated satin black and welded back on.  Had my 3rd cat removed and another 2.5" stainless x pipe put in its place.  I vinyl wrapped all my window trim in Gloss Black Vinyl.  Tinted over my 35% front windows with another layer of 35%.  Changed my PTU and RDU fluid twice with Redline Lightweight Shockproof gear oil, 2 oil changes with Royal Purple 5w20 and 3rd oil change with Royal Purple HPS 5w30.  Did 3 trans drain and fills.  Bought a new oil dipstick.  Took the car to get dynoed and it put down 463/569.  Added Zex Nitrous, started with a 15 shot and went up to a 75 shot.  Deleted my front grille mesh.  Made a front splitter to compliment the front chin spoiler.  Bought a Ford Emblem all black with Ford engraved from Billet Badges and had it painted Tuxedo Black.  Also had my front chin spoiler repainted after it was damaged leaving the dyno but before I added the splitter.  Lots of data logging with Brad and lots of fun at the track. 

Next year I want to buy the XDI35 HPFP, EPP intake, drag radials, new brakes, possibly make a NASCAR style rear spoiler, do something with my suspension, expand my dry shot nitrous kit to a wet kit and add jets pre turbos.  Would like to make a rear seat delete and get lightweight front seats, lightweight battery.  Just drive it more in general.  (After winter ONLY)

No failures.  Sent out an oil sample do Blackstone Labs and it wasn't too shabby.  Took samples of PTU and RDU and have yet to send them out to Blackstone, just been busy and forgot I had the samples.  I had the passenger side front strut leaking just a hair so either going to replace stock struts or upgrade to coilovers.

LMS blew up my favorite SHO and pissed me off and just about everyone else.  But now that SHO is being rebuilt to be  better than ever before. 

Got to hangout with Tim at the track.  Got to know Easton a lot better and Jordan.  Overall id say it was an awesome year! 

[SM105K]

Good stuff Andrew, you have made some huge strides this year.  I am probably going to follow your and Jordan's path into the abyss as well.....

[ridered74]

Started the year with just downpipes and tune. Bought the lms firestorm hpfp and switched to gearhead E30 tune, then bought ethanol content sensor, then a couple trips to the track dragged me further down the rabbit hole.

Bought the upgraded ADC mounts, then bought the gearhead intercooler which allowed me to run the same times at 85 degrees that I had been running at 50 degrees. Next I ordered MSD coils. The day they arrived I was heading to the track and had an injector stick open as I let off the gas a the end of the run. Replaced all six injectors and installed the MSD coils, been idling smooth as silk every since.

Made a mental note that I had exceeded my yearly budget and decided not to buy any more items for car until spring of 2020.

Then I bought AR924 wheels and brand new tires, which inexplicably slowed me down by a tenth at the track. I just could not find the right combo to make them hook up and would spin off the line like crazy. Then I bought new struts, then I bought new sway bar end links, then I bought the EPP intake (can't wait for it to arrive), then a week later I figured might as well get the hotpipes too, so I ordered those.

Made a mental note to not buy anymore parts for my car until spring of 2020.

Planning on getting the upgraded LPFP next spring and possibly lowering springs.

I would say the story that caught my eye was the high pressure fuel pumps. Not that they came out this year, I think they have been around a little longer than that, but this year we saw the impact they can have at the track.

[SM105K]

"Made a mental note to not buy anymore parts for my car until spring of 2020."

This made me chuckle because I am trying to stay in the same boat.  That XDI-35 keeps calling my name.....

Good progress and an 11 second slip for you as well.

[bpd1151]

LMS blew up my favorite SHO and pissed me off and just about everyone else.  But now that SHO is being rebuilt to be  better than ever before.

Yup. This was my 2019. All summed up. Ha!

Short. Simple. Sweet.

Here's to 2020!



Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[bamsho]

Yes 2019 has definitely had it's ups and downs.

I bit the bullet and bought/installed Gearhead's Intercooler and Turbosmart actuators.  Then in August I switched tuners and went from Livernois to Gearhead.  Which turned out to be a very positive decision, the car made it's best local track PB.  Now with some datalogging and change to a smaller meth nozzle I can't wait to see what she will do. Meth nozzle went from M15 to M10, as I was told I was over mething.


As for upgrades in 2020, not sure.  Would love to buy the XDI pump, but that would be about it.

Failures/issues  I've been pretty lucky there, the SHO has held up very well.  She is probably getting close to 350 or more passes on her.  Do full fluid changes each spring as well as new plugs.


Biggest thing was the Mike and Livernois fallout.  I unfortunately was in the loop from the beginning of the mess which in turn caused Mike to miss out on being in the Select building at FORD Nationals.  That is a major honor, and I pray that they will give Mike and his car consideration again. 

If anyone can make it to Ford Nationals, please do try, even for just Saturday.  It's always a great time.  There is a handful of us that have become very close friends we are almost family. 

So here is to closing the chapter on 2019 and opening a new one for 2020.  Like others have posted, it will be an exciting year.