1992 Ford Taurus

SHO Sedan

6 Cylinder 3.0 Liter

Manual

1FALP54YXNA151201

SHO 24 valve DOHC

Gasoline

Power Windows

I have been converted. I love my bicycle. I ride it every day, and I wont ever give it up. But, after years of lamenting needing to drive I have actually found joy behind the wheel of my car, the Ford Taurus SHO aka "The FoSHO". This came as a huge surprise to me. I don't really like cars, and I usually hate driving but I felt more than comfortable behind the wheel of the FoSHO. Being able to confidently accelerate out of corners going uphill delighted me to no end! --- SHO stands for Super High Output, and the original model's 3.0-liter V6 truly gave those words meaning. Arriving on the scene in 1989, the original SHO's engine was way ahead of its time, producing 220 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 200 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm when other V6-powered sedans from Toyota, Honda and Nissan were still years away from breaking the 200-hp barrier. While the engine could naturally rev to a lofty 8,500 rpm redline, Ford engineers cut the fun off at just 7,000 rpm to save any Taurus-spec parts like the A/C compressor, power steering pump and alternator from being spun to an early grave. The top of the SHO engine, however, is its calling card. Those long and short intake runners that weave together like a pair of hands praying are not just industrial art; they give the original SHO a dual personality. Below 3,500 rpm, the longer runners lift the torque curve for comfortable around town cruising. Above 3,500 rpm, the short runners transform SHO v1.0 into a she-devil that howls up to redline with a demonic frequency. An engine this great needs a good operator, and back in 1989, computer-controlled automatics couldn't be trusted. So the last ingredient was a five-speed manual transmission borrowed from Mazda that put Yamaha's gem of an engine in the palm of your hand. --- Alas, I need to be able to haul more than 4 people (and their bikes); thus, I have been exiled to Mini Van Nation. But do not cry for me. I can no longer stand to be a 2-car family onto myself, and this ride should go somewhere she can be properly enjoyed. The FoSHO has got to go! FoSHO is a clean machine. She is in good working condition, run and drives well. She just passed Portland's stringent DEQ, has had no crashes and no rebuilds. She has a clean title, good tags... hell its never even got a ticket! A considerable achievement considering I was able to drive it across the country and back. But that is all I needed her for. Those highway miles make for light wear on a fine machine. But there are a few points worth mentioning. Paint is not immaculate, but good condition. Ignition assembly has been removed. I use a specially redesigned screwdriver (included!) to start the engine. In combination with the key-less entry made my life more simple. Half of the turn signals function properly. The 4-way, emergency, reverse and headlights are are all great. The original cigarette lighter was malfunctioning, thus a special cigarette lighter running directly from battery provides power to devices. The driver's seat is worn the other seats are in very good condition. The dashboard is showing wear with some air vent fins missing. The "add coolant" indicator is malfunctioning. The sun roof is fully operational, but the overhead controls can slip off if the button is not pushed properly. The antenna was stolen by some thieving bastard. The alternator went out and was replaced with a new one 3 thousand miles ago. Power hungry? FoSHO is equipped with Power seats, power windows, and power locks. She also comes with never used snow chains and a new stereo with 1/8" aux jack for ipods. The rest of the stereo is stock. Clutch is in good working order and should last a while if you know how to drive stick. Power Steering is excellent. Brakes are Excellent. Acceleration? Have you ever driven a Ford SHO before? This is a hidden gem, an American/Japanese blended car with exciting engine performance from Yamaha, and solid Ford parts that are inexpensive and easy to find. The Title and tags are from Oregon, but the car is presently in Seattle where I have recently found home and employment. I could deliver it to some parts of the west with sufficient advance notice. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I bought it. Only after some research did i learn about why it feels so good to drive. So if you want to join the strangely elite class of SHO owners here is a pretty good opportunity. Do some mods, make a hillbilly hotrod, go 0-60 in a under 5 seconds, or just enjoy a well designed engine with a lot of miles left in it.