5k: Dennis Gage Owned: 1990 Ford Taurus SHO
The first generation Ford Taurus SHO was engineered by the nutters on Ford’s Special Vehicle Team starting in 1989. Today it is an appreciating classic, but this particular example is owned by mustache enthusiast and My Classic Car host Dennis Gage. Find this 1990 Ford Taurus SHO here on eBay
currently bidding for $6,000 with 3 days to go.
The recipe for the first generation Taurus SHO (pronounced “show”) involved sticking a Mercury Sable hood on top of a Yamaha built V6 that displaces 3.0 liters and makes 220 horsepower and 200 ft-lbs of torque. The iron block V-6 used an oversquare (bore is larger than stroke) setup and 24-valve DOHC alloy head to achieve a 7000 rpm redline.
Most of the first gen Taurii SHO you find for sale have been ridden hard and put away wet — not this one. This one has been pampered and spit shined with only the finest of mustache waxes. It will be interesting to see where the auction ends, but whoever buys this car gets an instant great story.
See another celebrity garaged modern classic? tips@dailyturismo.com
Love it. A well known car guy. Looked at the car in the background on my phone. Expected a Ferrari and it is an Opal GT. Really like the Opal GT. Have to believe the SHO is well worth the money.
I recall the original adverts for these cars, wherein the name was pronounced "S. H. O." vs "show" as it is currently. Super High Output.
youtube.com/watch?wc=EwlrHAx+AXRDBBJuBwwdEwgJUxQ=&v=anEh0OQWZN4
Yes, I've owned these, got one now, mine's better mechanically (non-stock, but VERY VERY VERY non-stock) but it still needs a bit to catch up aesthetically.
When I first shopped the choice was between a used '90 and a new (well, dealer-demo) '91 and the '91 wheels sold the deal. Those '90 basket wheels are hideous.
Lovely engine, not big power by present standards but at the time it was really something special and it makes great noises. Transmission sucked then, sucks now, will always suck, but that can't be helped, get used to it.
Later cars got a different shifter, shorter throws but heavier and more noise, you pays your money and you takes your choice.
140mph car witih 90mph brakes.
There's fixes for everything wrong with the car except the transmission, but you've got to be willing to spend money you'd never get back on resale.
The biggest problem with SHO ownership now is getting parts, good luck finding rod bearings (a noted weakness of the SHO motor) or body/trim parts anywhere but a junkyard.
They're a great, useful car but it's best if you have an acre or five on which to park some parts cars.
That is the cleanest s.h.o I've seen since 1998. That was on the other side of the planet where they don't use road salt. Here these where rusty in 1992. And in the scrap hard by 2000 if they lasted that long.
Is the Opel GT for sale?
A few years back I would see a dozen SHOs every time I went to the junkyard. I'm talking 5 years ago but in So-Cal, so not typical for the rest of the planet, I know. There would always be a smattering of 1st-gen and 2nd-gen cars with both the manual and auto trans. Helped buddies pull 2 engines for various projects.
5 years later, and *poof* they are mostly gone. I never see them anymore.
I never know how to feel about My Classic Car. On one hand, Dennis is impossible not to like (unlike John Davis of Motorweek fame whose voice is nails on a chalkboard) and his enthusiasm is apparent, but on the other hand, he has the exact same "WOW, awesome" reaction whether he's riding in an Isetta or a Mercedes SLR, and I can only enjoy seeing him tell a car owner "This is SO COOL" so many times before it gets repetitive. verdict: 6/10
"My Classic Car" always turned into "My Classic Nap" for me.
Years ago when the pilot for My Classic Car came out they asked for suggestions from viewers. I suggested that when they had a rare type of muscle or sports car on the show and they were blasting around in it don't talk over the exhaust note. I get frustrated with most car shows where the knob hosting the show has to fill every square second with his obvious comments or worse, cheesy music and we can't hear the car…. Dennis for the most part lets us hear the car (Thanks Dennis)
(Another show that lets us hear very cool cars is Victory by Design with Alain De Cadenet: He frequently drives the bag off vintage Aston Martins,Jag racing cars and vintage Formula 1 cars. Here Alain drops an f-bomb after a Spitfire lowpass/haircut:
youtube.com/watch?v=4iOoiEbtf2w
Years ago when the pilot for My Classic Car came out they asked for suggestions from viewers. I suggested that when they had a rare type of muscle or sports car on the show and they were blasting around in it don't talk over the exhaust note. I get frustrated with most car shows where the knob hosting the show has to fill every square second with his obvious comments or worse, cheesy music and we can't hear the car…. Dennis for the most part lets us hear the car (Thanks Dennis)
(Another show that lets us hear very cool cars is Victory by Design with Alain De Cadenet: He frequently drives the bag off vintage Aston Martins,Jag racing cars and vintage Formula 1 cars. Here Alain drops an f-bomb after a Spitfire lowpass/haircut:
youtube.com/watch?v=4iOoiEbtf2w