1995 Ford Taurus SHO - Blue- MTX - 146K mi - Massachusetts

[masho95]

With deep regret I have finally have decided to part ways with my SHO. This SHO is in need of a lot of love, but already has so much that you will enjoy once on the road. It's been sitting idle for the last 10 years garaged, so it will need the appropriate amount of work to get her running and in tip top form again. She has 146,973 miles on the original engine. Asking $3000 firm, serious inquiries only please, selling as is. I have a 150 mi daily commute so I just don't have the time or energy to get this car on the road (combined with 2 herniated discs in my back), otherwise I definitely wouldn't be selling my SHO. Yes it took me a long time to realize this but it's always hard to make a decision to part ways with something you love! Anyways on to the details.

The Good:
- Fully rebuilt QUAIFE transmission
- Ceramic Throwout Bearing
- Tephlon Impregnated Release Arm Bushings
- Jose's SHOrt Shifter
- ZEX Nitrous setup
- SHONut Extreme Motor Mounts
- 96 Brake Upgrade
- SHOShop Hi-Flow Y-pipe / custom cat-back exhaust
- SHOShop Cold Air Induction Kit
- Aluminum Subframe Bushings
- Tokico Struts
- Eibach Springs
- Buyer is welcome to all my spare SHO parts (4-puck metallic clutch disc, spare transmission, homemade engine support, various other parts)

The Bad:
- as stated, the car has been sitting for the last 10 years
- originally stopped driving it due to clutch issues (hard shifting while running, i had installed a Southbend DXD disc and had issues) never should have tried something other than the SHONut fibertuff disc and stock reinforced pressure plate)
- indiglo gauges stopped working due to a malfunction in the switch/dimmer
- noticed a small transmission fluid leak at the shift shaft seal when it was previously my daily driver

The Ugly:
- someone decided to key some graffiti into the paint on the trunk lid and a line down the passenger side doors

Attached images taken today. More old pictures at:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/467722
http://www.cardomain.com/member/masho95/

 

[TopSHO92]

I'm sorry to hear that you must let your SHO go, but thank you for posting it here where it has a chance to get some TLC again! My SHO is suffering greatly due to Minnesota winters and 370,000 miles. I've been debating for some time whether or not to try to save this one or find another such as yours.

How is it for rust??

 

[masho95]

I'd say the rust is probably typical of any New England car. Nothing major at all but I've had a tough time the past getting some nuts and bolts out.

 

[zak]

The underbody (floor, rockers, pinchwelds) on this car is clean, I think because Erik stowed it away prior to southern New England going to the liquid salt in winters. Chock full of low mileage performance parts, some of which you can't buy anymore. If anyone buys this and parts it, please let me know.

 

[masho95]

Looking to get this car out of the garage! Give me a good price and take it away ASAP.

 

[masho95]

Still looking to free up the space and get this out of the garage. $1500 if you can haul it away.

 

[Toolman]

Dang! I'd be there tomorrow if you were closer.

Any interest in parting with the Zex?

 

[masho95]

Trying to get it to leave all in one piece. I'll let you know if plans ever change.

 

[SHOmaniac1975]

1. Does the car start?? Or is it dead??

 

[masho95]

1. Does the car start?? Or is it dead??

It's been sitting for the last 10 years. Would be a fantastic part car with all the extras and such. Could also be restored but would need some TLC and work.

 

[SHOmaniac1975]

Thanks for the reply. I would pick it up for a restore. But if its totally dead, it will not work for me as I do not have a garage to keep it in while I restore it. I would need to be able to get it to at least move a little so I could pull it in and out of my drive way as I worked on it.

 

[tompumped]

I'm very interested, but the only thing I really care about is the trans and quaife. How do you know it's the clutch that caused the hard shifting issues? Did you use the transmission after the work was done with another clutch? I'm two hours and 45 minutes away and I can come pick it up this week. I'd rather not have to go through the trans but it's probably worth the gamble.


When did you last try and start it?

PM me your phone number i'll come look at it on Wednesday or Friday. Whichever works for you. Let me know if you're available on either day and what time. I was gonna just part it out but it would be cheaper than getting a paint job on my pos to just to fix your car, if it has less rust it's a no brainer. I have a spare motor ready to go with less than 100k.

 

[masho95]

I'm very interested, but the only thing I really care about is the trans and quaife. How do you know it's the clutch that caused the hard shifting issues? Did you use the transmission after the work was done with another clutch? I'm two hours and 45 minutes away and I can come pick it up this week. I'd rather not have to go through the trans but it's probably worth the gamble.


When did you last try and start it?

PM me your phone number i'll come look at it on Wednesday or Friday. Whichever works for you. Let me know if you're available on either day and what time. I was gonna just part it out but it would be cheaper than getting a paint job on my pos to just to fix your car, if it has less rust it's a no brainer. I have a spare motor ready to go with less than 100k.

Yeah the transmission was fine for a long time. Then a new clutch setup went in and that's when the issues started. I haven't tried to start it in about 10 years.

 

[shouhow91]

Is this still available? I live less than 2 hours away in southern Maine and would like to talk to you. I will PM you my cell. Please call at your convenience.

 

[tompumped]

I basically bought this to have a spare trans and turns out the synchros/blocking rings are toast and I wasn't informed until after the purchase of what actually happened.

Above he said it was fine for a long time rather than answer my question, but he did pm me and say there's nothing wrong with the trans. He sent me a link to the thread below the day after I picked up the car. At the end of it the trans shifted hard and he was forced to drive it. He must've driven it to the point where it wouldn't shift at all. He had a step ground into the flywheel and wondered why it didn't shift properly. http://www.shoforum.com/index.php?threads/cant-shift-at-all-mtx-recent-work-done.77270/


If i'd read through his threads & posts i'd have probably never bought it, let alone paid what I did. It would've been nice to know the full history of what happened with the trans/clutch issues before rather than in a pm the day after I purchased.


The day I got it home I started it and it wouldn't shift at all. I put in a new clutch and confirmed that the clutch is disengaging. First gear is next to impossible to engage, second is next worst in line and every other gear is not nearly as smooth as it should be.

I paid 1500 because I thought I was getting a great deal, I even rented a truck and dolly. All total it cost me nearly 1800. The exhaust is rusted pretty bad and wouldn't make it through two winters, the struts pogo and make noise when compressed.

If the car was salvageable i'd be happy but the strut towers are rotted very bad as is the radiator support. The pics show just one corner and the radiator support. There were no holes under the fender liner until I started poking around. I have no idea how the body is in decent shape, but it's rotted underneath.

 

[TimboSHO]

You still got a quaife. Sell a few parts off the car and scrap the rest and you'll still make out. I've bought cars in much worse shape and still came out ahead!

 

[tompumped]

This isn't about coming out ahead financially or making out. It's about being honest and up front, the money isn't the worst part. Way too many people are dishonest and self serving nowadays.



Not everyone has the time to learn how to install a quaife or part out a car. I've had two differentials grenade on me over the years if this one lets loose i'd be in a bad spot.

I was planning on making this my d/d but once I paid and went to get it on the dolly I saw the rot and knew I was screwed and i'd just made a mistake. It would've been cheaper to put this car on the road rather than get a paint job on mine. If i'd know about the rot and gotten a link to that trans/clutch thread before, not the day after purchase i'm fairly certain i'd have never considered it.

I'd say the rust is probably typical of any New England car. Nothing major at all but I've had a tough time the past getting some nuts and bolts out.

 

[TimboSHO]

I know how you feel. You buy from someone on this forum because you trust them to be honest. I've had the same experience. I bought a car that 'just needed the crank sensor gapped.' When it is shipped to me, i discover that since the pictures I got from the seller, the car has been smashed, interior bits painted, mice have been living in the interior, and a bottle of perfume spilled in the back. The smell was unbearable! Then comes the engine which is all torn apart and has many pieces missing. I was ******, but never heard from the seller again. He got his money and I got screwed. But I made the best of it. I wasted a lot of my valuable time putting it back together again, only to make about $50 on the car when I sold it.

So, I am sorry. I hope the seller just didn't see how rusty it was after it had been sitting for the last 10 years. Maybe he really thought it was just a clutch issue. I try my best to see the good in people, but sometimes that makes it all the easier for someone to take advantage of me as well. I don't buy cars long distance unless they can provide all the recent pictures I request. Period.

 

[tompumped]

I don't believe for a second that he didn't know about the rot. He had the trans out twice before it sat stored indoors for ten years. Cars don't rot stored indoor an enclosed garage. I had a car that was stored in an open air concrete floor barn for ten years and it didn't rot anywhere.


At the end of that thread I linked he was forced to drive the car even though it shifted hard and drove it to the point where I got it, and it didn't shift. He could've linked the thread before, not the day after the sale to show me what happened. He cut a step into his flywheel, so maybe he was too stupid to know.



The funny thing I recently tried going back to giving people the benefit of doubt, and seeing the good in people. I even told him I never trusted anyone based on life experience, and he looked at the floor and spoke about something else. The few honest people will reassure you as it is truly something to be proud of. I can no longer complete the necessary mental gymnastics to not accept the truth and not be on guard. Trust is gained. I don't trust anyone after growing up in NY and I will never give people a chance until they prove themselves.

If it was the 1950s maybe you'd have some hope with that ideology but life experience proves otherwise.

I've been here since high school, sixteen years, and i've had terrible mechanical luck as witnessed in my posts. Yet i've never had an issue with anyone. This isn't me it's just the truth. Think what you want.