The Ford Puma is a car I'd never really paid any attention to when I was 16/17 and looking at what cars I might own in the future, I was always keen to have something like an Evo or a Focus RS. I always imagined that by the time I was 25 I'd have something with big power and a huge turbo. So why after buying this car at 21 and now being almost 28 am I still spending money on a car I never planned to keep for very long.

Well the answer is the plan... Who plans to spend more money than they ever imagined on a car, we all get suckered into to the "just one more mod" That was me and 7 years later I'm left with a shell of a car that I cant use everyday and gives me back ache when driving to track days but I just dont care!

This is more than just a car for me, its my hobby, my passion and my last 7 years wages!!

The car has been on quite a journey over the time I had it, after only 6 months it was wrapped round a tree and pretty much written off. The following 6 months were spent rebuilding the car and laying the foundations for what you see now. Everything that was replaced was uprated. The damaged shocks were replaced with AP Sport coilovers, an entry level coilover that has been super reliable and along with a full set of powerflex bushes and OMP strut braces transformed the way the car handled. Lowered by about 65mm at the front and 80mm at the back  the ride of the car was sorted.

There was still a little something missing in the handling department, the car sometimes used to feel a little skittish under braking so I decided to go wider, 20mm rear axle spacers coupled with the rear disc conversion gave 30mm extra rear track on either side and 20mm spacers up front helped balance things out. The car then became much more stable and compliant under braking and turn in. Not only that but it also helped fill the arches and thats never a bad thing!

In the time ive owned the car its seen 3 sets of wheels, 17" Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2's then onto a set of 17" Team Dynamics Pro 2's and finally onto the set the car wears currently, a very well used and abused set of 15 x 7 OZ superleggera's in rattle can matte black. I'd never really like the look of it on the 17's they always looked a bit big but with the 15's its spot on. It also handles 100% better on the smaller wheels and tyres which for this car is the aim of the game. Tyre wise, well previously i'd always gone for the cheap option of Toyo T1-R's. They were and still are great tyres but now I've moved onto to some Marangoni Zeta semi slicks. The difference is night and day, they take a little time to warm up but they performed brilliantly when it was dry at Rockingham... Not so well in the wet though!

Ive always been a fan of doing things myself and trying to do things a bit differently when it comes to this car. I dont do it to impress people, I do it purely because I want to. Normally its because I get bored and find myself with an angle grinder in my hand which is where the hacked up rear bumper came from. Im a big fan of how aero can help a car, even though I have no clue what im doing I still like to have a go. The aero additions to the Puma are easy to spot but a couple are less so. The front splitter comes from the Racing Puma and the canards are designed for an Evo 8. There is also a small gurney flap on the trailing edge of the bumper, I'd seen these on GT3 spec racers and its designed to help extract air from the wheel arch with the wheel itself acting like an extractor. Whether any of it works or not? Who knows? The simple truth is I like it.

The rear bumper is also chopped in half, again it probably does nothing but my theory is that it must stop it acting like a giant parachute. Maybe I'l add a rear diffuser at some point. I've been wanting to extend the front splitter back as far as I can as well with some 1mm aluminium sheet to try and smooth the air flow out.

The standard brakes on a Puma are woeful so it was one of the first areas I invested in. Up from there's a 300mm conversion, a very common mod done on these cars. It comprises of mk3 Mondeo callipers and ST170 discs. Its a very simple conversion to do and one that's very effective. The standard rear drums have also been swapped for a disc conversion, this comes from the mk6 Fiesta ST, again another very easy and straight forward bolt off bolt on mod. Goodridge hoses all round and Motul RBF600 brake fluid complete the system.

Right down to business... Engine! This is where it might get a little disappointing for some, if your imagining some fire breathing turbo charged monster lurking beneath that carbon bonnet then think again. This is the part of that hasn't really seen much in the way of mods. The internals are all standard, though a set of cams may be fitted at some point. 

The simple truth is Ive never really been bothered about chasing power figures. The engine does have a few mods to help liberate a few extra horses. A full stainless exhaust including 4 branch manifold help get the gasses out quicker and a Green Cotton induction kit helps get the air in. Flowed and ported throttle body and MAF also help in the BHP department. Recently the ECU received the Racing Puma remap. I'd imagine the engine now produces around 140bhp. Might not sound like much but in a little light car its quick enough.

Inside the car has received the full "because race car" treatment. Everything that made the car comfy and quiet on the road has gone! All sound deadening removed, carpets, door cards, the lot! Weight is key and getting rid of as much of it as possible is a good thing. In place of the standard seats is 2 fixed bucket seats with me getting my gorgeous Atech Racing  Extreme S2 seat which they Atech kindly supplied with #TrackAddict branding, a 5 point STR harness finishes the drivers quarters. The passenger isnt quite so lucky with a simple RMD Maximum protection seat and TRS 4 point harness. A suede D shaped steering wheel gives me control over the car. 
Some luxuries have remained the heaters, electric windows and mirrors remain with the latter's controls neatly fitted into the LWS Designs carbon fibre door cards.

So what next for the Puma. Well at the end of the year the car will be going up for sale, after 7 years it feels like the time for a change is right. I'm sure I'l be replacing it with something eventually, a 7 style kit car is high on my shopping list but so are a lot of other cars... Whatever I buy, #TrackAddict will need a demo car!.. Oh and here's a youtube video of the car on track at Oulton Park

Words: Jay
Pictures: Jay, Motorsport In Focus

Engine: 1.7 16v Zetec SE, Piper 4 branch manifold, Piper S/S system with decat, Green Cotton induction kit, JS Performance silicone induction, top and bottom hoses, ported and flowed throttle body and MAF with knife edged butterfly, Mocal 13 row oil cooler, Omex launch control system, Battery relocated to boot. 

Driveline: Standard IB5 box, Focus 1.8 clutch.

Suspension/Brakes: AP Sport coilovers lowered 65mm front 80mm rear, Powerflex bushes throughout, OMP strut braces, 20mm rear axle spacers, 20mm hubcentric front spacers. 300mm front brake conversion with grooved discs and Ferodo pads., Fiesta ST rear disc conversion, Goodridge lines, Motul RBF600 fluid.

Wheels/Tyres: OZ Superleggera 15x7, Marangoni Zeta linea semi slick tyres. Supplied by Ears Motorsport, D1 Spec black wheel nuts

Exterior: LWS Design carbon fibre bonnet, Racing Puma front splitter with EPracing supports, Evo 8 canards, carbon fibre front bumper gurney flaps, rear bumper cut, carbon dipped wing mirrors, quick release front bumper.

Interior: All interior trim removed, flocked dash, Carbon fibre door cards, RMD suede steering wheel, Atech Racing extreme S2 drivers seat with 5 point STR harness, RMD maximum protection passenger seat with TRS 4 point harness, Skunk2 gear shift extender. D1 Spec snap off boss.