For most of us, being diagnosed with
cancer would spell the end of the world. For Allan Lewis, it proved to be the
beginning of a new chapter in life, thanks in part to the gift of a Mk2 Focus
RS.
When it comes to the features you read in
Performance Ford, it would be fair to say that the vast majority are very
similar. We’d hope that they weren’t entirely predictable, because each car and
each owner has a different story to tell, but more often than not the story revolves
around quite a familiar theme. Man meets car and, after a certain amount of
time and for a whole host of different reasons, man then decides that said car
is not good enough and proceeds to spend an inordinate amount of time and money
trying to make it faster, lower, more powerful and better looking. And yes,
before you accuse us of being sexist, sometimes it’s a girl that meets the car,
but the outcome is the same nonetheless. More often than not, the owner will
have had a string of previous Fords and typically are never quite satisfied
with the labour of their love and attention, to the point where, while they say
it’s about finished at the time of a photo shoot, there’s always the suggestion
that there’s more to come in the not too distant future, whether it’s small
things such as slightly better brakes or wheels, or even a whole new project
entirely.
With
224kW on tap, the Ford Focus RS is already one of the world’s most powerful
front-drive hot hatches, although that hasn’t stopped tuning specialist Graham
Goode Racing Ltd (GGR) from adding a few extra ponies.
Well, if you’re expecting much of the same
for this feature, then prepare to be disappointed. Allan Lewis’ beautifully
prepared Mk2 Focus is not the result of months of modifications, it doesn’t
boast huge bhp figures, it doesn’t have 4WD or a fancy turbo and as it happens,
it is actually completely standard. And neither does Allan have any plans to do
much to it in the future either, he just wants to enjoy it for what it is, and
whether that means spending a few hours here and there with a detailing cloth
and polish or a quick spin up the road to put a smile on his face, then so be
it.
It
doesn’t boast huge bhp figures, it doesn’t have 4WD or a fancy turbo and as it
happens, it is actually completely standard.
So what, you might ask, is a standard Mk2
Focus RS doing taking up pages in Performance Ford when there are dozens of
crazy modified examples out there for the taking. Well, while the specification
of the Focus is nothing out of the ordinary, Allan’s story certainly is. In
fact it’s one of the most inspirational tales ever to be told in the pages of
the magazine. The reason being is that 38-year-old Allan is seriously ill with
cancer, and it’s the Ultimate Green Focus RS that is giving him the boost he
needs in order to keep fighting for his future.
The
GGR RS370FR package includes a carbon fibre cold air induction package, larger
intercooler with alloy air diverter plates, larger injectors, silicone boost
hoses, larger exhaust turbo front pipe and catalyst section and an ECU remap
using Superchip’s Bluefin and firmware upgrade.
Up until very recently, Allan was happy
living his life, just like any other carobsessed guy you might know. After
starting out with a Mk1 Fiesta XR2 as a teenager, he’s enjoyed a long list of
modified cars, and while they’ve not always been Fords, it would be fair to say
that those early days in hot Fiestas have certainly forged a special
relationship with the Blue Oval brand. Happily married with a 10-year-old son
and with a baby daughter just around the corner, Allan’s world was about to
change forever when he was suddenly diagnosed with cancer. With a prognosis
that he might not even see the birth of his daughter, it’s the kind of
devastating news any of us would hope and pray never to have to deal with. But
deal with it Allan did, and he was promptly referred to the Beatson cancer unit
in Glasgow for a course of chemotherapy. The treatment was not pleasant, as
anyone who has been affected by cancer at all will know, and by the time he was
sent home to recover Allan was feeling pretty beaten up to put it mildly.
However, when he reached home a surprise was waiting for him, one that would
help to lift his spirits, give him the motivation to get out of bed in the
morning and keep on fighting.
