SHO Newbie, bought a 92 MTX for $600!! Any tips or useful info?

[nighthawk355x]

I just bought it last night from south Jersey, guy wanted $900 for it and the ad was misleading...he made it out to be a parts car when in fact it ran really well! The kid said it had run consistant 14.2/14.3 in the 1/4. Just had a new clutch and aluminum flywheel put in 2000 miles before I got it.

I got it for $600 needing the following(may sound like a lot but I'm working at a shop so this is all minor BS)

-Rear strut mount(I'm getting both mounts and new struts)
-Alignment
-Hood(small dent from clipping a deer)
-Exhaust Flex-pipe
-COMPLETE REAR INTERIOR/TRUNK LINING(kid removed it all to reduce weight)
-miscelaneous odds/ends

The car runs/shifts perfect and the kid said the previous owner was a Ford Tech that had it since new and babied it, the guy supposedly pulled the motor out at 100k and re-did all seals/gaskets/sensors. I'll be going through EVERYTHING again myself anyway.

Anyone have any tips on how to keep this thing running tip-top for a daily?

Also, anyone know where I can get a standard Taurus for a parts car for a few hundred(don't care if it runs, I just need all the interior stuff and a hood)?

 

[SHOspazz92]

What the hell does that car have to run low 14's?

The SHO uses mercury sable Quarter panels and a Mercury Sable hood, Food for thought.

For daily driving look in to the 60k Mile service. If it has been done then your in good shape, If not ...well then get it done!

Look HERE for great write-up's on basic maintenance with the SHO.

Be carefull about burnouts and what not, The stock MTX-IV has a weak differential. The differential pins are known to blow completely out and put nice hole in the transmission. Don't worry as its not some crazy epidemic, Just dont go to crazy on the clutch drops and burn outs and what not. A Nice Launch at the stoplight to burn the occasional ricer shouldent hurt anything.

Other websites to check out are...

SHOtimes.com - An online Mecca of SHO information (Has not been updated in years but still unbelivably helpfull).

SHOforum.com - The Online home of the Ford Taurus SHO.

SHObro's Garage - Taurus SHO performance part Vendor (Maintenance Items can be found here as well!)

Hope this helps.

-Sam

 

[ez112]

Yeah the 60K is where to start. At least look at the shims.

The aluminum flywheel is a nice mod. Takes a while to break in though. I really like mine. Not TOO stop and go friendly.

There is only one guy I've heard of that runs 14.3 in an SHO.

Is this car by chance the same color's as SHOspazz's??

 

[nighthawk355x]

THANKS for the info guys!

Honestly I have no idea what it runs, but the kid siad he got consistant 14.2/14.3's out of it:shrug: ...for the price I didn't really care if it was BS or not, because it runs great! It is pretty damn quick though...when I hit it from a decent moving roll the tires broke loose and it started to walk across the road.

Mods are:
-exhaust(high flow cats, dynomax cat-back)
-JET ecu upgrade
-K+N style intake setup
-aluminum flywheel
-stage 2 clutch
-underdrive pulleys
-Vortech mass air meter
-few other odds/ends
-Rear interior and trunk are 110% GUTTED!!! Nothing at all, no seats/door panels/carpet/trunk panels/spare, NOTHING!

Does it run low 14's? Who cares...it was $600!:-D :rockon: :thumbsup:

 

[nighthawk355x]

Oh yea, he also gave me receipts from the original owner...the guy put TONS of sh*t in it in the past 7 years! He indeed was a Ford Tech and was apparently very enthusiastic about the car...he saved EVERY SINGLE piece of original paperwork...

-window sticker(car was $28,800 new!)
-manual w/all books, warranty card and plastic spare key
-receipts for $2500 in work(motor mounts/sensors/perf mods/etc)
-ad from a magazine for the 92 SHO

I basically just want to make it daily driveable and reliable, I may remove the JET ECU mod, I really don't need it...probably hurts gas mileage anyway. I'll NEVER neutral drop it or launch so the diff thing is no biggie.

I do have a question though...a guy left a comment in my cardomain book that mildly disturbed me.
-Are they known for burning oil? He said his burned a TON...may have been his was beat but figured I'd ask.

 

[SHOspeedProject]

Dang nice find sounds like.

 

[kansas sho]

Oh yea, he also gave me receipts from the original owner...the guy put TONS of sh*t in it in the past 7 years! He indeed was a Ford Tech and was apparently very enthusiastic about the car...he saved EVERY SINGLE piece of original paperwork...

-window sticker(car was $28,800 new!)
-manual w/all books, warranty card and plastic spare key
-receipts for $2500 in work(motor mounts/sensors/perf mods/etc)
-ad from a magazine for the 92 SHO

I basically just want to make it daily driveable and reliable, I may remove the JET ECU mod, I really don't need it...probably hurts gas mileage anyway. I'll NEVER neutral drop it or launch so the diff thing is no biggie.

I do have a question though...a guy left a comment in my cardomain book that mildly disturbed me.
-Are they known for burning oil? He said his burned a TON...may have been his was beat but figured I'd ask.

I have a 1994 that i bought in 2000 with 78k and now has 142k and mine does not burn any oil

 

[SHOspazz92]

Oh yea, he also gave me receipts from the original owner...the guy put TONS of sh*t in it in the past 7 years! He indeed was a Ford Tech and was apparently very enthusiastic about the car...he saved EVERY SINGLE piece of original paperwork...

-window sticker(car was $28,800 new!)
-manual w/all books, warranty card and plastic spare key
-receipts for $2500 in work(motor mounts/sensors/perf mods/etc)
-ad from a magazine for the 92 SHO

I basically just want to make it daily driveable and reliable, I may remove the JET ECU mod, I really don't need it...probably hurts gas mileage anyway. I'll NEVER neutral drop it or launch so the diff thing is no biggie.

I do have a question though...a guy left a comment in my cardomain book that mildly disturbed me.
-Are they known for burning oil? He said his burned a TON...may have been his was beat but figured I'd ask.

Hell no they do not burn oil. If the car is mantained and what not you will not have a problem. That guy who left the comment just fails at life.

-Sam

 

[nighthawk355x]

LOL, it seems like it's been fairly maintained. I happened to find 2 94 SHO's in local junk yards this week, now the interior is complete with original equipment. I got tan leather rear seats, door panels, rear speaker cover and a nice hood for $190! I cleaned up the interior and it looks good now, I added a few pics on my site(in sig) if anyone's curious.

There's also a guy on e-bay parting out 9, yes NINE SHO's. I'll post up his e-mail if anyone needs any parts...I think if you search for SHO parts on e-bay you'll eventually find the guy though.

 

[fastgt110]

great just what you need... another piece of junk lol epper:

 

[nighthawk355x]

...BURN a-hole! lol

 

[bda1855]

What the hell does that car have to run low 14's?

The SHO uses mercury sable Quarter panels and a Mercury Sable hood, Food for thought.

For daily driving look in to the 60k Mile service. If it has been done then your in good shape, If not ...well then get it done!

Look HERE for great write-up's on basic maintenance with the SHO.

Be carefull about burnouts and what not, The stock MTX-IV has a weak differential. The differential pins are known to blow completely out and put nice hole in the transmission. Don't worry as its not some crazy epidemic, Just dont go to crazy on the clutch drops and burn outs and what not. A Nice Launch at the stoplight to burn the occasional ricer shouldent hurt anything.

Other websites to check out are...

SHOtimes.com - An online Mecca of SHO information (Has not been updated in years but still unbelivably helpfull).

SHOforum.com - The Online home of the Ford Taurus SHO.

SHObro's Garage - Taurus SHO performance part Vendor (Maintenance Items can be found here as well!)

Hope this helps.

-Sam

Sam!!!! You lil punk!

Hey for those that dont know i bought Sams White 92 MTX and it was basically the same thing as the thread starters, no interior, carpet, track car...

Im in the process of beefing up the trans (ill post some info when im done... sam knows what im doing)... as well as doing the rod bearings, brakes, bushings, and reinstalling the interior... car will have Spray on it by the end of the year so im prepping the motor now with lots of bolt ons...

should be a fun daily... right now my truck is my daily...

Like sam said above, service the car following the 60K and 120K recomended stuff, flush that MTX and keep it topped off, and other than that look for leaks and things that might cause issues.

I had a 91 MTX that i got off a lightning owner for $500 that had 220K miles on it... needed a new water pump and a few gaskets and it ran like a champ... I ran Sam's 95 in it and pulled on him.. he was shocked!

car was bone stock... sold it when i bought Sams 92....