RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 Ok, so I'm just a college student with a very limited budget and I have been working on this car overtime and still needs a cleanup of my wiring. I got this 2000 ford focus LX back in early 2010 for $100 from a neighbor who had blown the head gaskets and drove the car until it died. Me and my father were able to fix the problem and from that, as my first car, I started customizing it with what little money I had.Don't be too critical about my car, I started with car audio and working on cars in general when I got this car so Im learning as I go and still am making improvements over timeHere was how the car looked originallyFirst, I started working on the car audio. originally had stock speakers with some XXX XBX-1200 subwoofers which were 2 12" subwoofers with a combined 600W RMS system. It was cheap but it did the job.i had later installed a 2 farad capacitor with it. 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 <Deleted pics> 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 I installed a new gauge face because the stock dull green and red was pretty lame Then I installed a pair of 6000K low beam headlight bulbs which always looks better than stock headlights Then I found a good deal on ebay for some carbon fiber taillights, pretty useless but looks better than the stock taillights [before] [After] My dad had ended up surprising me by finding me an affordable place to install quality tint. I got 15% all around Then I liked how the Audi R8 headlights had the DRLs, so I decided to install some myself I also missed not having an armrest while driving since I used to borrow my dad's 1992 acura legend so I went to the junkyard and found a center console that has an armrest and I painted it gloss black so it would match my car's interior rather than leaving it at the original color of tan 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 Ohh, I also thought that installing lights on the door steps but originally I didnt know how I could keep them on continuously but turn off when the doors closed. Until I thought of using switches. http://s62.photobuck...nt=SUNP0148.mp4 <-- a short video of the momentary switch in action More or less, when the doors are open, the door step LEDs for that particular door will light up but when that door closes, it presses on the switch and turns off the LEDs. Of which i was actually pretty proud to do since I don't really know of anybody that does that kind of stuff. I ended up painting the header cover and the stock air intake tube. I also replaced the carpet floor in my car because the previous owners really didnt take care of the car and had kids so... you can get my drift by that.. the previous carpet floor: I later cleaned up the floor when I decided to install sound dampener by the way. I ended up installing a kill switch connected to my amp through the remote wire so if I dont want to listen to any bass, I could turn off the switch and my amp would turn off. This switch later also became connected up to my 2nd amp for my components. I also have a similar switch for my LED headlight strips and my fog light LED lights. 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 I also hated how my stock steelies looked with all the rust on them and everything so I ended up making a low budget decision and painting them so I could atleast make them look decent until later I can get real rims. While I was out there I decided to also paint some black strips on the hood where the indents are: 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 I also ended up installing fog light LEDs into the lower grill so I would actually have fogs in my car, and I also replaced the side markers and its bulbs with LEDs along with changing the upper grill with one that has clear turn signal enclosures and changing the turn signal bulbs with red LED bulbs 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 And new LED taillights as well After all that, I had finally gotten a temporary 2nd battery in the back Then i finally decided that I needed to remove my stock speakers and install some new ones so I got the Rockford fosgate P1683 speakers. I wanted to get real components but had I realized that I could simply get adapters, I wouldve done that but I was more of a novice back then. And when I did that I also decided to setup both of the amps on the back of the back seat The amp to power all 4 of my speakers 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 The stock speakers I also replaced my stereo from the JVC to a Sumas Media sm-310T with a small touch screen and plays videos, and sd cards. I would prefer a bigger screen but for only $40, it was a good deal. 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 So finally, a friend of mine had installed 2 15" Rockford Fosgate P3's in his car and it sounded great and far superior to mine so I felt that it was time to upgrade after over a year with the subs I had, so with some of my school refund, I set out to upgrade my subwoofer system. I ended up buying 2 12" DB Drive K512D2's, they're dual voice coils at 2 Ohms 750W RMS each, and I got a Rockford Fosgate T1500.1 bdcp to power both of those subs. And knowing that I would need something better than that cheap 2nd battery i had in the back, I also ended up buying a yellow top Optima battery for the back. I am also using Stinger 4 gauge power wire. All of my wires for my audio is from Stinger. 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiccardoGutiérrez Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 I upgraded the battery from that temporary standard battery to a yellow-top optima battery 2000 Ford Focus LX; Yellowtop Optima secondary battery; Rockford Fosgate T1500.1bdCP; 3 x 12" RE Audio SE-X 600w rms each @ 1.33Ohms; custom built enclosure; Clarion XR2410; 4 x Rockford Fosgate P1683 full range; SoundStream VR-345; NVX XEQ7 Equalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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