43 replies to this topic

[Brian_05_SEL]

Any 96-98 Taurus sedan with ABS will have the rear disc components that you need. You're not limited to SHO's, and (IIRC) the Conti has a different rear suspension setup than a Taurus or Sable so the brakes may not swap directly.

I bought my lip spoiler on eBay for pretty cheap (about $40) over a year ago. I haven't seen the same item re-listed in a while, but this one from JC Whitney is something that you can look at as a reference. It just attaches with 3M mounting tape. I had mine paint-matched for ~ $130 at the local bodyshop; they come in black un-primered polyurethane.

[SHO-WGN]

Anyone interested in a set of powdercoated Toreador Red metallic valve covers for a Duratec? Fellow in Ontario (see Kijiji Hamilton: http://saskatchewan....QAdIdZ279998148 ) is selling these if you are interested. He has them priced at $80.

Me, I asked about the headers. His reply was he bought them in the States a couple of years ago and no they were NOT for sale. Question, has anyone else seen tubular headers like these? If so, where and how much? Thanks Brian, for good information. (At my age dementia means I may ask the same question many times - and already have.)

[Vash]

they sell headers for contours every here and there (does shosource have a set maybe? cant remember) i believe though that they only fit with the manual trans so unless you do a swap they may not work.

[SHO-WGN]

We're back! Home, that is. Now to get started on the Taurus winter beater before winter. We (my son and two friends) drove two Focus cars to the Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. While we did not win any of the major awards (geared mostly to the Mustangs and older Fords), our SVT-WGN did win Best 00-06 Wagon honours in the Focus Rising group as well as helping increase the numbers sufficiently to take first place in the club competition.

The two dozen or so Taurus entrants were almost all limited to the Taurus SHO. I only spotted two non-SHO Tauruses in the entire bunch. Even more frustrating was that the Mercury Marauders out-numbered the Ford Tauruses. Even Pintos and Merkurs were in greater abundance. However that is only a minor complaint. We had a blast both in attending and in the drive down (well over 2000 miles each way.)

While this is a Taurus forum, and as my forum identity implies, I am a long-roof fan. As time passes, the probability of building a wagon with SHO underpinnings becomes smaller and smaller, so the ownership of a performance Focus wagon does fulfill some long and old yearnings. The SVT Focus wagon is unique (the only one in Canada as far as we know) and very rare even in the USA. It features six-speed manual, disc brakes all around, 17 inch SVT rims, Borla exhaust and most of the other SVT accoutrements. My youngest son built this car for me this past winter. The drive down to Pennsylvania was uneventful, but it did reveal some minor bugs which will be addressed this winter. So hopefully, the car will only get better.

The Taurus winter beater is our current project. Maybe I will drive it down to Carlisle next June if there is interest.

[Rusty]

Not much of a Focus fan, but man, that is one sweet ride that I would be proud to own

[SHO-WGN]

Thank you for your comments Rusty. Hopefully the "Winter beater" Taurus comes out as fine. Considering we drove that modified and altered SVT Focus wagon there and back to Pennsylvania (total of over 6900 kilometres or about 4320 miles) I thought we did okay. Next winter, the Focus project will include swapping the front bumper for the SVT version, changing the side skirts to SVT, fabricating a rear bumper cover to match (this will be the hardest to do), a fresh paint job to cover all of the little nicks and dings (and mosquito holes) and the replaced body panels.

The Taurus SEL (as currently planned) needs all the front sheet metal and radiator, then front and rear spoilers, possibly some new wheels (always have my eyes open for the right vehicle to come along) and a paint job to make everything match. We have all of the major pieces except the spoilers. The rest is just work. As we finish, I will update this thread.

Oh, one more thing. While we were in Carlisle, I saw a black Generation IV black Sable. Generation IV Sables were never sold in Canada. If anyone spots a wrecked Gen4 Sable front clip, in good condition (no rust) and in black at a reasonable price, let me know, please. Swapping a Sable front onto the Taurus would be a completely different appearance up here. Of course what may be reasonable to me may be considered über cheap by everyone else.

Edited by SHO-WGN, 16 June 2011 - 02:46 PM.

[Rusty]

Will keep a lookout. Love the idea. Don't see black Sables often, though. Sucks, cause I want one

[Kyle's 03 SES]

lovin that wagon!

[Vulcanator]

That is one pretty Focus.

[machausta]

Rusty, on 16 June 2011 - 02:50 PM, said:

Will keep a lookout. Love the idea. Don't see black Sables often, though. Sucks, cause I want one

I saw one! It is in the most recent 'red robin' commercial. (I'm pretty sure its a sable, you only see it for a second...)

Red Robin Commercial

[SHO-WGN]

I found a front clip in Ohio on EBay. No wonder some of you asked what SGI meant. The seller of this Sable wants nearly $2000 for the front clip (no engine, etc. just the front sheet metal.) Even the Lincoln stuff up here goes for less. I will admit some of the SGI employees are telling me they are starting to feel the heat a little. Private wrecking yards are complaining the popular stuff gets sold to guys like me (enthusiast) and they cannot make as much because they have to outbid us.

Taurus? Popular stuff? Give me a break. It used to be the private wrecking yards got the stuff for free (or the price of towing) and made a good living at it. One of the sets of wheels I bought at the private yard cost me $100 per wheel. Now I buy the entire car for half that, take the wheels and pass the remainder on to my local wrecker. He eventually will make money, either through the sale of body panels or for scrap metal. Just not from me.

So I guess my dream has been dashed to bits. There is no way I can justify putting on scratched, second hand rust belt sheet metal priced at $2000 onto the front of a $251 clean, low mileage vehicle. Add in the shipping and the total cost for unique was ten times what the base cost. Not a chance. (Yeah, I am that cheap.)

[Rusty]

machausta, on 17 June 2011 - 11:45 AM, said:

I saw one! It is in the most recent 'red robin' commercial. (I'm pretty sure its a sable, you only see it for a second...)

Red Robin Commercial

It's a 98-99 Taurus


Don't blame ya, SHOWGN. That's just nuts.

Edited by Rusty, 17 June 2011 - 12:38 PM.

[SHO-WGN]

Australian Ghia interior (Generation 3)

Just doing a little dreaming up here. Has anyone ever done a Taurus installation of an emergency brake between the seats? There must be parts available because the Taurus Ghia in Australia has a hand e-brake (see photo). The foot-operated version just does not impress me (you can only use it for parking, not spin control).

Maybe the question can be answered in one of two ways; parts list from the Australian Taurus (forward a copy to me) or alternatively, what and how you did it with domestic parts.

[Rusty]

That steering wheel is on the wrong side...


ACTUALLY! On a G4 (don't ask how I know this   ) and I would assume it's the same on a G3, a Chapstick when positioned behind the PB release lever will hold it out in disengage position, rendering the PB usefull for slidy-ness. You hit the PB pedal, let off and it pops back up, since the relese is held open.  

[Bull Geek]

zenriddles was in the process of this iirc

[ilh]

SHO-WGN, on 17 June 2011 - 12:12 PM, said:

So I guess my dream has been dashed to bits. There is no way I can justify putting on scratched, second hand rust belt sheet metal priced at $2000 onto the front of a $251 clean, low mileage vehicle. Add in the shipping and the total cost for unique was ten times what the base cost. Not a chance. (Yeah, I am that cheap.)

Not just yet...

Cross Canada Parts

If you're not intimidated by a spray gun... you could probably have a brand new Sable clip for under $1000 through Cross Canada.
List price is pretty ambitious... It won't look like that on the actual invoice. Call them for a quote.
Ordered floor pans from them, for my truck.... real nice stuff.

[Brian_05_SEL]

Bull Geek, on 23 June 2011 - 05:28 PM, said:

zenriddles was in the process of this iirc

He has the console with handbrake lever and appropriate cupholder console already installed on SHORTS, but it is not yet fully connected because there needs to be a hole drilled through the floorpan to run the parking brake cables from that handle. It's an issue of time and good weather to do the job in his driveway- he hasn't had that chance yet this year.

[2005silverse]

are the wheels on the blk sel in good shape ? are you willing to part with them ? i think they would look great
on my silver bull

[SHO-WGN]

Help, my fellow Taurus aficionados.



I have the opportunity to purchase a set of four 17 inch Lincoln LS wheels. Problem, no lug nuts are included. Looking into the bolt holes, the appearance (on these wheels at least) is that a flat washer is involved rather than the tapered type nut used on the Taurus. From several  websites, it seems the thread specifications are the same as the Taurus (12 mm by 1.50 thread size). So my question is, will my existing lug nuts work with these wheels? Or do I have to find matching lug nuts?

If anyone can find me Lincoln LS lug nuts at your pick-a-part yards, it would be appreciated. Remember who I am and to include the words cheap, tightwad, or is that understood? Remember, I only paid $251 (Canadian) for this black Taurus.

Edited by SHO-WGN, 06 November 2011 - 03:07 PM.

[Brian_05_SEL]

Here is the type of lugnut that is recommended for those wheels: http://www.ebay.com/...=item56468f884c

Rock Auto has them for reasonably cheap- http://www.rockauto....c1416697k971056