SHOstar

[rockin86ranger]

so i found a 95 windstar with a blown 3.0l motor, and i know where theres a 90 sho i can get a deal on, i know the windstar is based on the taurus, so it should be a fairly plug and play swap to put the 3.0l sho and 5speed into the windstar, right? it would probably need custom shift linkage and some modifications for the pedals to work, but the motor and trans should just bolt in and then swap the engine harness over and do alittle wiring.

i know its not gonna be fast but itll be different and a little shocking, and i have always liked windstars, its what i learned to drive in and theyre handy to have.

i know ford made a version of this but i have no clue what it took to do, anybody ever thought of this or see why it wouldnt work

 

[fangotango306]

nothing is going to be plug and play the sho was a yamaha motor and all its own, you will need to swap all the wiring from the taurus into the van. as well as probably some fuel system components. i doubt anything will even bolt in. and im pretty sure you will have to relocate the rack and pinion in the van to clear the oil pan.

 

[MountainMike]

But do it anyways It would be a fun rig.

 

[rockin86ranger]

well the whole front of a windstar is basically a taurus so i dont think ill raelly have to relocate anything, and i was planning on swapping all the underhood wiring from the taurus to the windstar, then either fusing it in to the windstar dash or swapping the taurus wiring harness under dash too. ive found a few places that say it should pretty much drop in but nobody had actually attempted it.

and waht i meant by plug and play is not alot of custom stuff required, i also dont think the fuel system would require any modifications as i think the sho uses the same system as a regular taurus which should be similar to the windstar.

if im wrong correct me im just trying to get an idea of what id be in for.

 

[MountainMike]

If you do it, convert it to a 98+ front end, as far as I know all you need it the hood, grille, lights and bumper cover. I've always thought that front end is way to aggressive for a van. But one hiding a praying mantis engine under the hood would have some Go to match its Show. See what I did there

 

[03Fx4MN]

All I can say Doo iiiitttttt

 

[jhammel85]

If you've got the time and money...

DO IT! It'd be sweet.

 

[bobbywalter]

eec wiring would be easy.


fitment should be fairly easy.

 

[rockin86ranger]

well im hoping to get to do it, but ive had some unexpected expenses, shouldnt be too much we will see, i got a bad tire on the ranger and on the way home from an auction the muffler broke off, and the trans has been acting up for awhile and is getting worse, and i gotta find a vehicle to drive to school casue i cant drive my truck 90miles a day, but thats kinda what i was planning on doing with the shostar.

so i figure the motor should bolt in and the wiring should be fairly simple especially since id have both vehicles to look at and pull harnesses from. the only think im worried about now is getting the trans to work, because there is no way a factory windstar trans could even dream of handling a sho, i think the pedals will be easy with the bracket from the sho, what kind of clutch does the sho have, is it hydraulic?

 

[bobbywalter]

well im hoping to get to do it, but ive had some unexpected expenses, shouldnt be too much we will see, i got a bad tire on the ranger and on the way home from an auction the muffler broke off, and the trans has been acting up for awhile and is getting worse, and i gotta find a vehicle to drive to school casue i cant drive my truck 90miles a day, but thats kinda what i was planning on doing with the shostar.

so i figure the motor should bolt in and the wiring should be fairly simple especially since id have both vehicles to look at and pull harnesses from. the only think im worried about now is getting the trans to work, because there is no way a factory windstar trans could even dream of handling a sho, i think the pedals will be easy with the bracket from the sho, what kind of clutch does the sho have, is it hydraulic?

tranny is shit in all of them on one point but they get better...i was under the impression you were converting manual.

the later windstar has plenty of trans capacity over the older sho units. iirc the latest 4.2 even had more power. slightly less hp but more tq.

kind of a waste of an sho engine in that light.

 

[rockin86ranger]

no the plan is to convert to the sho trans, i was saying that there was no way the windstar trans could handle it so i needed to convert it, i was asking what type of clutch the sho has to i know whats its gonna take to hook up in the windstar. i plan on taking the pedal assembly out of the sho and putting it in the windstar, but am i going to have to reinforce the firewall, i know i've heard of some vehicles putting stress on the firewall where the clutch master cylinder is mounted, but if teh sho is cable operated then i shouldnt have this problem right?

lol sorry for being so unclear, i understand what im typing but i know what im trying to say so i can fill in the blanks.

and mountain mike i agree that front end will end up on it eventually, and very punny lol

 

[bobbywalter]

i think i am thinking of the freestar...or monteray?...same thing though aint it? one of the inlaws had one....like the last year they were made...i thought it got around pretty good really.


i would have to look at one closer to advise on the clutch situation. never did this before either. if i was going to dick with one it would be awd taurus current sho swap.....oh wait, they call them explorers now

but i likely wouldnt worry about beefing it up for a clutch untill it failed unless i see something obvious...but i dont have one to look at.

 

[MountainMike]

Old thread bump. I just was cruising the net and found this awesome feat of manly minivan.

http://daddytypes.com/2008/12/01/mi...lens_supercharged_saleen_windstar_on_ebay.php

 

[rockin86ranger]

i saw that when it was on ebay, i dont remember it ever giving a 0-60 or 1/4 mile time, thoose would have been very interesting to see. i originally wanted to take super coupe and rip the supercharger and internals out and put it in my original windstar, but i think the shostar would be really sweet too

 

[Off Road SHO]

I have the 3.0 liter SHO engine out of that SHOStar project minivan. I sold the transaxle and subframe that was with it. The power steering resevoir mounting bracket has been modified to fit the WindStar's strut tower and the throttle body control bracket is also modified. Other than that it is a stock SHO motor with supposedly 87 miles on it. The intake has been polished as well as the alternator. The upper timing cover has been painted to try and simulate the polished aluminum of the intake.

I can supply pics if anybody is interested.

Tom