Shops in FL

[screamin3800]

I'm very interested in a 95 MTX for sale but the owner is saying the clutch is on its way out. I know finding shops to work on these cars is a pain,do any of you know of shops in Florida that will work on SHO's? I want to buy that 95 mtx as a car to play with.

The closest place I could find on the internet is here:

http://fordspecialists.com/Services.htm

 

[38SHO]

I could HELP do it..... maybe even some other Florida owners would too.......

we just like food and beer.... and strippers!

 

[screamin3800]

I have never pulled a tranny in my life and I've only owned GM cars. This thing will be foreign territory to me. The GM 3800 is a tinker toy compared to the SHO. The first time would be me handing my tools to you guys and being the tool bitch, which is unfair. I don't want to take advantage.

 

[pascofan92]

3800, yea shops that work on SHOs are a pain and qualified and competient mechanics are rare that have had experience on these cars but try asking a Ford Dealership service department if any of their mechanics are expirenced on SHOs.If you can swing it , the ford specialists you linked to in Georgia are pretty good from wht I have read and heard.-Alaric

 

[screamin3800]

hey pasco fan - I live right down the road from you in Wesley Chapel actually.

Do you just go to jarret ford off the 98 bypass everytime yours has a problem? Ugh I'd hate to drive to atlanta everytime this car has a problem.

Are there any shop manuals for these cars either? With the upper manifold removed, I bet setting the valve lash and changing the plugs would be a breeze (obviously).

 

[38SHO]

well fist off, doing a clutch job on a SHO is nothing out of the ordinary.....

there is nothing SHO specific and if you can do a clutch job on any other FWD cars you can do one on a SHO... in fact its probably easier unless were talking about a civic or prelude where the transmission just falls right out.

the SHO MTX is going to be easier to remove then a GTP transmission.......

I've never personally taken a sho mtx out before, how hard can it be? I've taken out a Honda oddessey transmission before, the newer v6 ones... now that was difficult... well time consuming at the least. 10 hours in labor to R&R that tranny, I did my first one in 7 hours....

I've even heard some people say you don't need to drop the subframe to get the MTX out....... if that is indeed true.. that is a lot less work to do. You won't have to take out the rack or engine mounts, support the engine, and you might get away without taking off the y-pipe.

if I didn't have to take all that stuff off, I could defintely do the job in 2-3 hours if everything is normal.

 

[SHOtime2511]

well fist off, doing a clutch job on a SHO is nothing out of the ordinary.....

there is nothing SHO specific and if you can do a clutch job on any other FWD cars you can do one on a SHO... in fact its probably easier unless were talking about a civic or prelude where the transmission just falls right out.

the SHO MTX is going to be easier to remove then a GTP transmission.......

I've never personally taken a sho mtx out before, how hard can it be? I've taken out a Honda oddessey transmission before, the newer v6 ones... now that was difficult... well time consuming at the least. 10 hours in labor to R&R that tranny, I did my first one in 7 hours....

I've even heard some people say you don't need to drop the subframe to get the MTX out....... if that is indeed true.. that is a lot less work to do. You won't have to take out the rack or engine mounts, support the engine, and you might get away without taking off the y-pipe.

if I didn't have to take all that stuff off, I could defintely do the job in 2-3 hours if everything is normal.

LOL...i put a clutch in my 94hatch abot 2 months ago....it did pretty much fall out!

 

[38SHO]

yeah even the bulkier auto's fall right out in those mid 90's civics........

Newer Accords and TL's you have to take out the front strut rod kinda piece and the subframe it attaches to up front...

oddessey's and pilots and I assume Ridgelines have a heavy ass subframe, like twice as heavy as a taurus subframe..... the rack has FOUR NASTY bolts to take out from the top way, and there is hardly enough room just to take the bolts out of the holes. Taking that rack off is almost ******.

I'm begining to be an expert in removing transmissions lol, there is a science to the whole ordeal.

 

[K-Dawg]

Don Donelson isn't too far from you. He's usually the go-to guy in FL. I think his email address is onebadsho at hotmail dot com. His forum name is 1badsho.

Chris and Jason live in Palm Bay and can crank out a clutch job in a couple hours.

 

[screamin3800]

sweet thanks for the info guys. If I'm confident the car will make the drive from Boston to Tampa, I'll get the clutch changed down here.

Are you guys happy with the OE clutch or should I go ahead and purchase the stage 1 from shobros?

 

[SHOtime2511]

sweet thanks for the info guys. If I'm confident the car will make the drive from Boston to Tampa, I'll get the clutch changed down here.

Are you guys happy with the OE clutch or should I go ahead and purchase the stage 1 from shobros?

what are your plans with the car?
if its going to stay stock and see nothing more than street driving than OEM is fine.however if you plan to mod or track the car than i go for somthing a little better

 

[screamin3800]

I will race it at Bradenton for sure.

 

[SHOtime2511]

I will race it at Bradenton for sure.

ahh then id go with a stage I

 

[SHOGIRL1994]

Clutch job is not anything you should have to take and have done, labor fees will eat you up. It's not that hard, I've done 2 in the past 6 months. Just get someone close to you that's farmiliar with it and you can have it done in a day. We're all usually willing to help out in any way we can!

 

[screamin3800]

I know but it's just I've never met any of you guys and I don't want to be a pain in the ass.

I do have my own garage at my apartment with a lot of tools, but its a small 1 car garage. My dad does live in Jacksonville so if you guys really want to help me (I've NEVER owned a Ford much less something as complex as this car) in my life nor have I ever dropped a tranny I could drive to jacksonville with it and we could do the work there. Like I said, its going to be me just being a tool bitch.

 

[38SHO]

thats ok, somebody gotta be it, glad its not me!

j/k

seriously if you want any help doing this just say so..... its not a burden, its fun and u get to meet some new SHO people.... might change your attitude totally on owning one of these cars

 

[screamin3800]

I WANT to own one of these cars, I wouldn't be flying to Boston this saturday and making the 23 hour drive back in one not to want it. Trust me,I have a good attitude about it I'm just a little intimidated of it as far as working on it. I've always owned pushrod GM engines, can't get much simpler than that.

 

[BodylessSHO]

So long as you also have another car to get yourself around with while it's apart, I see no problem with doing it yourself. You gotta figure it's already broken, so what harm can you do?

 

[38SHO]

get all the parts and we can finish it in 1 day.......

 

[screamin3800]

ok sounds good. I'll order that stage 1 clutch and new throwout bearing from shobros.com No ETA on when I can do it though..but I can drive my GTP to get around in like I am now.