Help Me Guys!!

[shomommy8996]

I CURRENTLY OWN A MTX89 AND ATX96. BOTH OF WHICH ARE OUT OF ORDER, AND I HAVE DECIDED TO SELL THE 89 AND FIX THE 96. I BOUGHT THE 96 WITH 70K ON THE ODOMETER AND HOPED FOR THE BEST. THE BOTTOM END OF MOTOR WAS MAKING NOISE SO I DROPPED SOME MORE CHEESE INTO IT AND HAD THE BOTTOM END REBUILT ONLY TO CRANK AND FIND THE TOP END DOING THE SAME THING. I HAVENT HAD THE FUNDS LATELY TO INVEST IT ANY MORE AND AM AT A LOSS AS OF WHAT TO DO. DO I KEEP IT STASHED AWAY UNTIL I HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS OR TRY AND SELL IT AND HOPE I GET BACK SOME OF MY INVESTMENT. I DROVE MY 89 UNTIL IT BLEW A HEAD GASKET AND IT STILL SITS BEHIND MY HOUSE (AS YOU CAN TELL IM A SHO FAN) UNTIL SOMEONE DECIDES THEY ARE INTERESTED IN IT. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT IVE RESEARCHED MOTORS FOR THE 96' AND FOUND THAT THEY ARE FEW AND VERY FAR IN BETWEEN AND ALSO EXTREMLY COSTLY, ABOUT AS MUCH AS I GAVE FOR THE CAR!!! THEN THERE IS THE PROBLEM OF FINDING SOMEONE WITH A "SHO" BRAIN TO INSTALL A NEW MOTOR AND MORE COST FOR LABOR AS WELL. NEVERTHLESS I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE YOU ALL COULD OFFER ME. IM IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI AND HAVE FOUND NO ONE IN THE TRI-STATE AREA THAT WILL TOUCH A SHO MOTOR.

 

[twr]

Welcome to the Forum. First tip - All CAPS indicates that you are yelling on the internet, I know that was not your intent. As far as the 96' goes, you might check out www.v8sho.com , I fear yours might be suffering from the dreaded cam failure. With regard to the 89', it's uncommon to blow a head gasket on the V6 motor, unless you overheat the car.

There are a lot of good people that are willing to lend a hand to a fellow SHO owner. Either way, I would sell one of them to fix the other.

Edit: Sorry Chris - beat you to it

 

[Chris Benvie]

1st, Turn the caps off.

Sell the 89 to fix the 96. Or vise versa, but the 96 is worth more and there are still parts for it.

Just have the 96 motor rebuilt if you need it needs to be fixed. No need to get a whole new motor. Get in touch with kirk doucette so that he can point you in the right direction by way of a cam weld and someone to re-install your motor.

Please use the search function on cam welds and V8 SHO motor replacement.

also check out www.v8SHO.com

 

[billyshoe]

Keep the 89' it a potentally fast car. The 96' is as much of a POS as the rest of the SHO's only in a bigger way. Including more to break & fix!! There are tons of parts around for the 89'. parts cars start at around 300.00 american.

 

[Chris Benvie]

Keep the 89' it a potentally fast car. The 96' is as much of a POS as the rest of the SHO's only in a bigger way. Including more to break & fix!! There are tons of parts around for the 89'. parts cars start at around 300.00 american.

Thats bad advice.

Its obviously A POS if there are parts cars for under $300 for it, and most of those parts cars motor is junk as it is and the one he has a blown motor. The Gen 3 is worth more money, will cost about the same to fix, there are more parts for it, is more comfortable and the largest problems (cams, tranny) have been overcome.

The 96 is also a potentially fast car. A more comfortable, and easier to fix potentially fast car.

SHO mommy, don't mind billyshoe, hes just upset at life.

 

[billyshoe]

The 89' is a faster car. This is a truthful fact. The 96 is a POS this is true! Neither of them run. Flip a fricken coin.

 

[ALWyzBrknSHO]

Right now in terms of potential quickest, i'd go with the 96-99's. easier to launch an auto, and some of the supercharged V8 SHO's have easily been hittin 12's, so I say stick with the V8, and welcome aboard.

 

[NBSHO]

SHOMommy,

I agree sell the 89..heck part it out on here or e-bay if you like...But if I were you I'd talk to some of the V-8 SHO owners on here and see if one of them lives near you who might be willing to help.

 

[PROPHET]

Welcome to the forum, since youre a mom, sell both SHO's and buy a decent running Mini van.

But if that doesn't sound good to you, the later model SHO would most likely suit your needs better and more worth the investment in my opinion.

Good luck.

 

[shomommy8996]

I thought that there might be mixed opinions on which one to keep, I love both! As far as the minivan goes, I already have one, and hoping to sell it too to fix one of the sho's. My 89' did overheat, and thats why I am assuming the head gasket is shot.(blowing white smoke when you crank it) I have dropped alot of money in both cars already. 89' has new front end, computer, clutch , axles,and brand new set of tires. 96' I'm scared to death to have someone rebuild it and end up in like the time before, drop some money and still end up with a broke motor. Although the 96 only has 70k on the odometer vs over 120k on the 89 I'm thinking in the long run I'd have more luck with the 96' if I get the cams welded. I have one prospective customer looking at the motor in 89' and I hate to sell it to him, just for the simple fact that I dont think he has a clue as to what hes getting into with a sho motor. Then again I'm down to not giving a damn anymore. Tried selling the 89 on ebay a few months ago as a parts car and didnt get any bids over 350.00 and thats about what I paid for the tires. Neverthless I'm sure it will be a huge loss no matter what I get for the car. If anyone does know of anyone who could help with the 96' thats in my area (TN,MS,ARK) I would appreciate it.

 

[luigisho]

Try to get in touch with Carter F. from ARK. You can find him on v8sho.com or around here as Arkansho (?). Maybe he can give you some good suggestions regarding where to take the car in your area. I know Ford Specialists of Georgia is outside of Atlanta and would be able to do the work. Also if you caught Kirk D. in one of his cam welding road trips he might be able to fix or swap the motor for you. Try contacting those folks and see what you can come up with.

 

[NBSHO]

SHOMommy,

Try parting the 89 out in pieces, ie tires and rims, tail lights, interior bits, etc. I think you'd recoup your money that way. Especially on e-bay.

 

[shomommy8996]

I have spoken to Doug in Nashville who put me in touch with Kirk himself who will be in Nashville in June. If everything goes well he might have a motor he can bring down for me which will be the answer to my prayers. Thanks so much to all of you for the great advice. Looks like I will get to drive my car sooner than I thought.

 

[billyshoe]

The mini van advise is better. We are on the internet. Shomommy could actually be shobigdaddy! Think about it.