Modifying the Taurus SHO
Why modify?
"Speed costs money. How fast can you afford to go?"
If you're a true gearhead, you already know the answer to this, BUT for rhetorical purposes... :-)
Most SHO owners will be perfectly satisfied with the level of performance they get "out of the box". Like other cars, though, the SHO isn't so good that it can't be made better. Maybe you have a '89-'91 car and would like a better shifter or 16-inch wheels; or perhaps you want that little extra bit of firepower to surprise unsuspecting Camarobirds; or you might like to try a sportier suspension. While there aren't as many parts available for the SHO as for, say, a Mustang, a wide variety of options exist to let you tailor your car to your exact tastes. This section will try to help you get started. Be advised that lots of stuff listed here "in California may legally be used only on a racing vehicle which will never be operated on public roads."
Once you've modified your SHO, the best way to test the performance difference is Dyno Testing.
Exhaust
Intake
- Removing silencer cone
- Modifying the Air Intake System
- Poor Man's Ram Air
- Poor Man's Ram Air Mark II
- College Student's Ram Air
- MAF Sensors
- Throttle Body
- Forced Induction
- Extrude Hone
- Head Porting
- Port Matching Heads to an EH Intake
Engine
- Aftermarket EPROMS
- Camshafts and sprockets
- Underdrive Pulleys
- Engine Swaps?
- When do aftermarket fuel injectors become necessary?
- Increasing fuel pressure on the SHO
- Engine Support Beam
Transmission
- Clutch and Release Bearing
- Aluminum Flywheels
- Aftermarket clutches throwout bearings
- Rod Shifter Conversion
- Limited Slip Differential
- Synthetic Fluids
- Bypassing the clutch interlock
- SHO Transaxle Drain Plug Installation
- The Quaife Limited-Slip Differential (link to BaySHO site)
- Using other transmissions with the SHO engine (in kits/conversions, not a SHO!)
Suspension and Steering
- Camber Adjustment Kits
- Koni Installation Instructions
- Wheel Offset
- Custom Wheels
- Springs and Struts
- Lowering Discussion
- Suspension Bushings
- Solid/Police Subframe Bushings
- Strut Tower Braces
- Anti-Sway Bars
- Sub Frame Connectors
- Adjusting the VAPS (Variable Assist Power Steering)
- Federal Mogul/TRW Catalog page on Steering.
- Federal Mogul/TRW Catalog page on Suspension.
Brakes
- General brake upgrade information
- Brake upgrade packages
- '96 Upgrade Procedure for '89 - '93 SHOs
- '96 Upgrade Procedure for '94 - '95 SHOs
- Steel braided brake lines
- Gary Morrell's Brake Series
- Leigh Smith Brake Survey
Exterior
- Headlamps
- Fog lamp replacement
- Daytime Running Lights
- Adding lights to the "fish tanks"
- Converting to Amber Turn Signals
- Rear Spoiler
- Police Grill
- Car Covers
- Trailer Hitches
- Bike and Ski Racks
- Filled body lettering
Interior
- Steering Wheel
- Aftermarket Pedals
- Additional Gauges
- Disabling Autolock
- Enabling Autolock
- Express-Down Passenger Window
- Adding Remote Keyless Entry
- Changing the factory keyless entry code
- Modification of the Fog Lamp switch
- White faced gauges
- Seat Covers
- Installing headlamp relays on a 1989
Audio System
- Stock JBL audio systems
- Upgrading the Audio System
- Interior Frequency Response
- Volume and Tone Controls
- A note on Speaker Placement
General
- Other Diagnostic Tools
- Weight Loss
- Driving School
- How much is too much?
- "Super SHOs" (heavily modified SHOs)
- Doug Lewis - 1989 with NOS
- Tom Guagliardo - 1989 Supercharged
- Jeremy Prine - 1990 Turbocharged
- Nick Chrimes - 1990 Supercharged
- Don Donelson - 1991 Supercharged
- John Mears - 1992 Supercharged
- Lee Miller - Ninja Turtle SHO (Leonardo)
- Mark Nunnally - 1989 lightened, with NOS (offsite link)
SHOguns
The SHOgun is a custom built car using the Ford Festiva chassis, and the SHO v6 engine.
- FordFestiva.com's SHOgun writeup (offsite link)
- Special Editions SHOgun #001 - Ron Gallo
- Special Editions SHOgun #002 - location unknown
- Special Editions SHOgun #003 - Jay Leno
- Special Editions SHOgun #004 - Rob Cook (coming soon)
- Special Editions SHOgun #005 - KJ Byrnes
- Special Editions SHOgun #006 - location unknown
- Special Editions SHOgun #007 - location unknown
SHO Engine in other Applications
- SHO Powered Cobra Kit car
- SHO Powered Lotus Esprit (offsite link)
- SHO Powered Taurus Wagon (offsite link)
- SHO Powered Ford Probe (offsite link)
- SHO Powered Ford Ranger (offsite link)
- SHO Powered Mercury Topaz (offsite link)
