Hi, Guest
12-23-2010, 05:12 AM
I think I started with a Ractive unit (2.25" polished SS, mandrel bent with a single "muffler" - I use that term loosely - and a nice 3" polished tip). It's crap the way it sits, but makes for a nice, inexpensive foundation for a proper system. I chopped off the header flange, bumped up some spare SS tubing and welded in a 2.5" cat, 2.5" resonator and 2.25" reducer under the tunnel (i.e. before the first bend and supplied "muffler"). It certainly has a unique sound and revs up effortlessly now - the way it should have arrived from the factory.
My wife (principal driver) returned from her trip to Poland with a sinus infection that compromised her aural faculties. She drove her Focus to the doctor's office on the second day back and didn't notice a difference in the exhaust tone.
The next week her health improved and she resumed her usual driving activities and, while I was in the car, asked "Did you do something to the car? It sounds louder than I remember." Taking a page from Clinton, I denied everything, until she remembered that I mentioned something about replacing the exhaust. I fessed up and told her about the whole system. She laughed it off as the exhaust tone isn't obnoxious and she actually likes the growl ("it sounds like a sports car!"). Later she went on the highway and couldn't believe the acceleration. All in all I think she's happy with the sound and power. She later said "Wouldn't it be funny if you built a turbo system for the Focus so that I could blow by unsuspecting BMWs!" Another seed has been planted in my fertile mind.
My wife (principal driver) returned from her trip to Poland with a sinus infection that compromised her aural faculties. She drove her Focus to the doctor's office on the second day back and didn't notice a difference in the exhaust tone.
The next week her health improved and she resumed her usual driving activities and, while I was in the car, asked "Did you do something to the car? It sounds louder than I remember." Taking a page from Clinton, I denied everything, until she remembered that I mentioned something about replacing the exhaust. I fessed up and told her about the whole system. She laughed it off as the exhaust tone isn't obnoxious and she actually likes the growl ("it sounds like a sports car!"). Later she went on the highway and couldn't believe the acceleration. All in all I think she's happy with the sound and power. She later said "Wouldn't it be funny if you built a turbo system for the Focus so that I could blow by unsuspecting BMWs!" Another seed has been planted in my fertile mind.