My first SHO - 10 yrs too late!

[tgsho]

:wave: Hi all. I am in the hunt now for my first SHO. My first car ever was a 1986 Ford Taurus SLO. That was in 1998, = long time ago. I have liked them for about ten years now (no the SLO's). Back then the sho was easily $10,000 for a decent one with higher miles.

Anyways, in the last month, I have decided to buy an SHO (I still love them, and now they are much cheaper). I have found two. A 89 and 90 (parts car). And btw, I have to get a Gen 1 MTX . Also, 10 yrs ago, SHO's were not in the condition they are now, so decpite my love for the SHO and not owning one yet, I didnt really intend for my "second taurus" to be a fixer-up-er.


1st car -1989 black/black -not running. (My initial daily driver)
The person selling the car says all it needs is a "timing gear", it has had service lately like, clutch, brakes, plugs, wires. etc. I have done some research here and found that "crank cancer" can be a huge problem. I have no idea why someone wants to sell a SHO that only needs a timing gear... maybe he has had enough of it

2nd car - 1990 white/black -running. (Original intended parts car)
Well, this one barley runs. I checked it out, very good shape in and out. Engine bay and engine is clean. Like I originally planned, a good parts car.
The owner says, " it blows smoke (he doesnt know what color), he feels like its running on four cylinders... it may be a blown head gasket"?

It seems my "parts car" may be my new daily driver, I don't know what to do, this is where I need the forums help!

 

[warmonger]

easy,take the better bodied one. pull the engine/replase engine..simple

 

[tgsho]

Remember, I have not owned a SHO yet. I could say I know my way around under the hood, I have done alot of research over years on this car. I want to buy both cars as they are both in really good shape... 89 = 7/10 and 90 = 8/10. those are my ratings... I just want to know which is going to be easier to fix intially. And by easier I mean no engine pulls, or engine replacements for AT LEAST 2 months... Both cars are great and i wouldn't mind keeping both to drive... Need some help...

In the future I wouldn't mind getting a low mile block to swap...

 

[warmonger]

whats the price on them? running rough could be as simple as bad plugs/wires/dis/coil pack...that would cause it to feel like its on four cylinders,because tech. it could be

 

[tgsho]

89 black/black moonroof - 1200 obo (only because he has put lots of $$$$ in the last two months but "giving up")

90 white/black moonroof - 350 firm

Now you see why I want both... haha

 

[93rev2sev]

Last weekend, I bought a 93 MTX SHO that was advertised as having no compression and bad timing belt or tensioner for $650.

I trailered it home and changed the crank sensor and it started right up...drives great.
I'm posting this pic in every thread I can justify.

 

[tgsho]

I saw this car on threads earlier... is this the one off ebay?? great buy!! lol.
Just a CPS, isin't that about $30? + labor... which by your sig, I can tell you must of changed yourself?

Again, great buy.

 

[JoesSHO]

You should probaly see if someone close can look at the cars with you- sounds like the rough running clean-engine car may have been powerwashed. The car with a bad "timing gear" would be a red flag for me especially if he did the work himself. Either it was done incorrectly, or wasn't done at all. It could be a jumped timing belt, but it should still run if that is still on the car. I would stay away from it out of fear of crank cancer, and get the other one. I doubt it is a head gasket- our cars don't blow head gaskets, although I guess anything is possible. At this point in these car's lives, I'd buy on body...

 

[BlackonBlack89]

just an FYI 89 never came with factory black interior so the owner should know what he has unless he has the years mixed up and told you 89. so this 89 might not be an 89.

 

[tgsho]

That is an interesting fact. I suppose 89 blacks came with only gray interior?
I am leaning away from this "89 black on black". It looks nice, but the timing gear issue is what really scared me from day one.

 

[93rev2sev]

huh, I had a black 89 with shredded gray interior. I bought the black interior from a newer SHO (rollover victim)from the JY ... is that 89 blk on blk a MPH car or a KPH car?

 

[tgsho]

kph, i'm from canada I think the first thing to do is get the white 90, and pull some codes from it and start from that. As far as the 89 black/black with the timing gear issue, he can hold it for a while. Thanks for your help so far, I appreciate it.

 

[tgsho]

And the owner says "just a timing gear, thats all it needs"... That could never be good, or could it?

 

[BlackonBlack89]

this is not a biased statement but 89's ae the best

maybe a timing belt??? but like said before i would check the car(s) out for yourself. That is the best way to see what you are dealing with.

 

[St Louis SHO]

nope, I'd look for a better car. I'd pick up the white one.. its cheap enough and diagnose it.. then look for a good car unless that white one turns out to be the one you want... between me and my dad we own 5.. so trust me.. these things are relativley easy to comeby if you just wait.

James

 

[tgsho]

this is not a biased statement but 89's ae the best

maybe a timing belt??? but like said before i would check the car(s) out for yourself. That is the best way to see what you are dealing with.

Hands down, the 89 SHO is my favorite year. 90 is 2nd, 91 3rd... and so on.

nope, I'd look for a better car. I'd pick up the white one.. its cheap enough and diagnose it.. then look for a good car unless that white one turns out to be the one you want... between me and my dad we own 5.. so trust me.. these things are relativley easy to comeby if you just wait.

James

I agree with you alot. I have loved these cars for a long time now, so I can see myself owning 5 alone in the next few years. I am getting the white one no matter what, but I will keep waiting, and sooner or later I will get the perfect SHO. (Hopefully not another 10 yrs -lol.)

 

[tgsho]

With some pics...

Here are a few pics of the 90...

Interior...
View attachment 105

back...
View attachment 106

engine bay...
View attachment 107


500.00 cdn / 420.00 usd = not too bad huh

 

[BlackonBlack89]

buy it


i bought a front end damaged parts 89 for 430 bucks, i would be all over that

 

[tgsho]

Do you have a CF hood for your 89? If not I will be at least getting one for any Gen 1 I drive. "was that a taurus... with a carbon fiber hood..... nah"

 

[BlackonBlack89]

Do you have a CF hood for your 89? If not I will be at least getting one for any Gen 1 I drive. "was that a taurus... with a carbon fiber hood..... yep wat rice"

:laugh_ti:

I can say that i want one (alot) but for 500 bucks idk, if i had the money yes but i spent too much on this car already and it is time for me to say this project is finally done (at least for a year or so) HS job aint cutting it no more LOL

anyways the CF hood would take away from the fresh custom paint job