Back in 98 Paul showed the world how to create an Si with impact. 17”s, RS 2000 sideskirts and a one off twin exhaust led to jaws dropping wherever he went.

Paul bought this example back in 1997 and before long the standard Si was running a set of 15” TSW Hockenheims and sitting 35mm lower to the tarmac care of a set of Pi springs. Now anyone who has lowered a mk3.5 will tell you how much hassle it is trying to get springs for it as the rear shocks are different to the earlier models. After several different sets, all of which resulted in a stance resembling a dragster, Paul finally got it sorted with the Pi kit.

The Si had some tasty plastic arch trims as standard, and to compliment these, a pair of RS 2000 style side skirts were added along with the Mondeo estate roof spoiler. Major work went into the front end and out came the one-off bumper. It is the original Si item modified with an extra set of foglamps and a moulded Escort Cosworth style lip.

By this time the 15”s were beginning to look a little feeble, so they were banished to the back of the garage and after a little bit of arch trickery, a shiny new set of Venoms sat in their place, 17” in diameter and shod in 205/40 Continental rubber they filled the arches perfectly and gave the car a much needed road presence.

Now, the trouble with large rims is that they have a tendancy to show you up if you happen to be less than well endowed in the braking department. Paul made an embarrassing call to Hi-Spec explaining his lack of size and they on his doorstep a few days later was a large package containing one of their 285mm big disc conversion kits. The kit came with a spacer plate to relocate the caliper outwards to clear the disk, and the boost in braking leverage ensured Paul was rapidly increasing in popularity with the ladies.

Looking at the back of the car, Paul could see a few things that did not look quite right. A day trip to a local bodyshop saw the car come away with a delocked / de wipered tailgate as a souvenir and an extra notch cut in the rear bumper for the extra tailpipe.

The tailpipes in question were Jetex items mated to a custom system with just the cat and no silencers. Loud was not the word…

Since selling the Si, Paul has moved up the Ford ladder, with a doubled featured Mk6 Escort Ghia Cabrio and his current project, a Fiesta RST which can be seen scattered about these very pages and also tearing up and down The Pod. Whether it will look as good as this one… who knows…?