No SHO Yet, but looking

[tscare]

Hi,
I don't have an SHO, just a Gen 3 Granny blue Taurus. But I've been thinking about looking at a Gen 3 SHO for my next car. Just a little scared about the whole cam issue and can't figure out for sure what's been resolved with it. I've seen some nice cars reasonably priced, but how do you know if they've had the cams welded and if it was done properly?

I've also seen some that have obviously had the cam failure - is there any way of fixing these engines or are they basically toast? Is the only option then to find a donor car, because I don't see anyone selling remanufactured 3.4's (At least not under $5000)? And I would guess there's a pretty good demand for wrecked SHO's with good V8's in them - are these next to impossible to find?

I would really like to own one of these cars and am willing and able to do major repairs or engine swaps, but after doing a little research yesterday it sounds like that may not be enough unless you also have lot's of money to put into it. Is it just a matter of paying more for a car that has been well maintained and forget about trying to find a fixer-upper? If that were the case, maybe I'll just wait until I can afford a used 2010 (Long ways off!)

Anyway, that's what got me to this site. Hopefully, at some future point I will be a member that also owns an SHO!

 

[SuperHO]

keep an eye on the classifieds here, as welded cars pop up from time to time. as far as being a maintenance intensive car, aside from getting the cams welded and suspension work, i've barely had to put anything into my wife's 98, and i've put damn near 100k on it in 5 years. i've spent 3 times as much keeping my 95 running. i say if you find one that's been taken care of, get it, weld it, and enjoy it.

 

[Phoenix]

welcome in

 

[lowc]

welcome hope you find one

 

[sperold]

These are great cars that don't sell at a great car's price. For that reason, buy a good one with the work already done.
You can go the other route if you have lots of patience and a good line on disabled SHOs or the facility to store parts cars. Review the posts on here that claim you can reuse headgaskets and a variety of other things that are difficult or expensive to buy new. Each motor fails differently (left bank, right bank, various piston contact), so a fixer upper is possible.
Your problem is that there may not be a lot of cars to pick up in Minnesota for parts (and hauling them home), so flying to a place that has a good one and driving it home is a lot easier.

 

[tscare]

Thanks for all the good advice. I probably will just give it time and look for a good one. Maybe combine it with a driving vacation over the summer.

 

[Irish Pride]

Welcome in! My advice to you is decide what you want and then dont settle for anything else. If it takes you a year to find it so be it. These cars are addictive and if you dont get the one you want first you will keep searching for it even after you buy one.

 

[32MTX]

go drive a nice manual v6 SHO before just jumping into the v8 game if your not fimilar with SHO's

you might not know what you like yet...... just saying so you don't waiste money!

 

[Toolman]

Welcomed!

 

[tscare]

I took the plunge so to speak, and bought the "suspected" failure I saw at:

http://www.v8sho.com/SHO/CraigslistSuspectedCamFailure1199MinneapolisRed.htm

It's definitely a confirmed failure now, but after going to look at it, it was in such great shape otherwise I had to do it. I got it for 750, and happy with the deal. The interior looks like no one had ever sat in the car. The failure is on the front head. I got a good head off an sho that was going to the crusher for $100 (not to mention the brand new cooper zeon tires with wheels for $300). I only wish he had waited a couple weeks for the crusher because now I'm finding things like a missing jack that he would have given me. Oh well. Got the front cams welded for free (off the vehicle). I'm just waiting until the time is right to really dig into it. I'm finding out things like the $200 head gasket that I want to research a little before getting into it. I'm not cheap, but there's a certain pride I guess if I can get it back on the road for a minimal amount of $! I saw where sperold said there are links on here about reusing head gaskets? If someone could point me there I'd be grateful. For sure I'll be getting new head bolts, and getting someone to my garage to weld the back cams when it's torn down that far. I'm not sure about reusing the head gasket though - I don't mind shelling out the $200 if that's what it's going to take, but if they have been re-used successfully, I'd give that a try. Also, I remember seeing a website from someplace on the east coast that was selling rebuilt 3.4's for $2500 installed but can't seem to find that now. If I lived out that way, that would absolutely be the way to go ($750+2500 = 3250 for a $5000 car with a rebuilt 3.4 - seems like a no brainer!) Unfortunately I don't live out there, but I'm still exploring all my options and wish I had bookmarked them. Does anyone know this shop? I don't even know if this will get read in this thread, but just updating it. I'm in no hurry and want to do it right so any advice would be great. Thanks!


Well never mind about the head gasket question - I think I did find that thread elsewhere here. I think I will definitely be putting a new head gasket and bolts and possibly try to re-use some of the others. I wouldn't mind so much having to re-install an intake gasket, but anecdotal evidence of successful re-use on the head gaskets isn't worth the $200 to me if I had to tear it down that far again in 6 months. I would still consider towing it out east for the rebuilt engine though if anyone had info on that (or any other reputable 3.4 rebuilders in the Midwest?) I will say, one of the reasons I got into the SHO's is just the wealth of information available through this site and others like V8sho.com. I don't know if there's any other car model (or any product for that matter) that has as good a user knowledge base as the SHO's. I was amazed, and it makes a huge difference. I wish there was as good a resource as this for everything you bought, it would make life much simpler.

 

[SusanSho]

99 SHO for sale

I read that you are looking for a SHO. We are selling our 1999 SHO. It has 82,000 mi, one owner, and in great shape. I tried putting an ad on here last week but it still isn't posted (if it ever will be). We are also listed in Craig's List in the Green Bay AND Appleton WI section of Craig's List.

It has NO problems! We bought a 2011 SHO so we are selling our old one. I just thought I would enter that in case you are looking for a perfectly good working SHO.

SusanSHO

 

[tscare]

RE: "99 SHO for sale" - It looks like a beaut! I did already buy one though as I posted earlier tonight. Yours looks like it's in great shape. Thanks though. BTW - how were you able to bump the HP up to 270? You have what I want, but I already got me a project, and I don't have the $ you want anyway. It's a nice looking car though. Good luck, and have fun with your 2011.

 

[SusanSho]

Thanks for the kind words on the 99. My husband told me that it had 270hp so I'll have to ask him tomorrow about that. BTW....The 99 is OBO! The 2011 is a DREAM!!!!! We loved our 99 but the 2011 is really something else. I am amazed at all the bells and whistles on it (my department) but it rides so smoothly and quietly that you don't realize how fast you are going! SHO is really the only way to go.

SusanSHO

 

[sperold]

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=106250&highlight=reuse+head+gaskets
There you go...... enjoy.

 

[sperold]

Consider this as an option. Instead of towing the SHO to the rebuilders shop, reuse the head gaskets and head bolts and drive it there. Buy a round trip train ticket and come home, and pick it up when it is done on the same ticket.

 

[trainguy1989]

I would still consider towing it out east for the rebuilt engine though if anyone had info on that (or any other reputable 3.4 rebuilders in the Midwest?)

This is the shop:
http://www.nesho.com/products.html