The ToySHOta Project

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fj55tlc

fj55tlc

10 Year 15 Year 20 Year
Joined
Apr 5, 2003
Threads
6
Messages
861
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Hello all. This is a build on a truck I have had for about ten years. It is a 2wd 1982 short bed base model. It has not had an engine in it since I have owned it. It has no transmission or gas tank. I installed a set of 1985 MR2 seats that I had, which fit good. Here is my plan:
I purchased a 1989 Ford Taurus SHO from a guy that drove it till it broke a timing belt. The owner was convinced it was an interference motor and was ruined. I bought it for cheap and had it running in about 45 minutes after I got it home. I didn't know what to expect with this car. It was a hoot! What a fast car. I discovered the SHO motor is not a Ford motor, but built by Yamaha. Uses a bunch of Toyota parts on it. I drove the car for a few years before the subframe broke. I removed the engine and trashed the car. All the Ford stuff was falling apart anyway. The Taurus is a transaxle type design. I wanted to convert it to a rear wheel drive vehicle and that's why I bought the truck. I rebuilt the engine with new rings, bearings, and gaskets. I did not upgrade any of it just yet. I want to keep it mostly stock till I get it all running. Yamaha designed this engine to develop 440 horsepower. Ford detuned it by 50% by restricting the exhaust, intake, cam duration, and ecu programming. Converting to rear wheel drive will require a different intake set up, exhaust, and some ecu reprogramming. So I figure this will develop around 280 horsepower. I machined out the end of the crank shaft to install a pilot bearing for the 1995 Borg Warner T5 transmission I am going to run. I found a bellhousing from an early 90's Ford Aerostar with a manual transmission. That was a challenge. That bellhousing bolts to the SHO engine. Mostly. It took some redesign by grinding out some of it to fit the SHO engines rear main seal oil plate. Then I had to make an adapter plate to adapt that bellhousing to the T5. I soon discovered that the synchronizers in the transmission were coming apart so I rebuild the transmission. The synchronizers are not brass, but "carbon fiber". Instead of a brass ring with the ridged teeth, it has a sand papery grip on a steel ring. That just means expensive.
Here are some pictures of the truck. Its a bit rough for now.
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Part 2: The Ford Taurus is a transaxle and that also means it has no real engine mounts and the throttle body is on the wrong end of the engine. Both a bit of a challenge to over come. The SHO engine has two big cast iron brackets on either side of the front of the engine. One side holds the power steering pump and the other side holds the alternator and air conditioning compressor. The truck has no air conditioning nor does it have power steering. I cut off the a/c compressor part and bottom half of the left side bracket. I am building a 22re for my 1985 4runner currently beside this SHO engine. I was looking at both engines side by side and found that the engine mount bracket on the right side of the 22re will bolt up to the SHO engine on the right side where the p/s pump bracket went. What luck! Not so lucky on the left side. As many of you know, the motor mount brackets on a 22re are different from side to side. I managed to find another right side 22re engine mount bracket and put it on the left side of the SHO engine. One of the holes lines up to the alternator bracket, so that's a start. A couple angle brackets welded to the 22re bracket and I was in business. An SHO engine with 22re motor mounts and brackets! I soon found when placing this massive 3 liter engine in the engine bay of this little Toyota truck was that the fit is tight and the stock truck mounts are too far back. I cut both mounts off of the frame of the truck and with a little grinding, cutting, and welding put them where they need to be to fit the SHO engine. I will need to move the steering box and pitman arm bracket forward a few inches so the tie rod will clear the oil pan. No big deal, I will do that soon. I have found several other challenges to tackle too.
As I mentioned before, the Taurus has the throttle body on the rear of the engine. That means it would be under the windshield. Since that's not going to work, I discovered the plenum is symmetrical. It can be turned around. I had to do a lot of modification to accomplish this. The plenum has casting for an EGR system but the 1989 SHO didn't have EGR so none of it was drilled out but the casting was all there. I cut all of that off. I also had to cut the top of the timing belt cover so the top of the plenum fits over to of the timing belt. I also had to do some extensive wire harness modification since all the sensors that were on the front of the engine are now on the back, and the sensors a from the back are on the front. Anyways, I got it to fit with the throttle body facing forward. I installed the SHO engine temporarily. I then installed the transmission to see how it would fit. Lucky again! The shifter for the T5 goes through the stock shifter hole!
Here are some pictures of the adapter plate and the transmission:
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Ok, last one for today. As I mentioned, I installed the engine and turned the plenum around. I test fit it and thought the throttle body stuck up too high. So I reinstalled the hood and found the ridge down the middle of the hood is perfect for hiding a SHO throttle body and intake tube! I didn't want to put a hood scoop or anything else on the ToySHOta that will give away what it has under the hood, so the fact the stock hood fits still is perfect!
Anyways, more pictures:
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I did mention that the interior is rough, so don't judge me too harshly.
 
I would imagine that truck weighs 1/3 of a taurus. I can only imagine the rubber it is going to lay down.
 
Thanks, I am a technician at a Toyota dealership and sure don't mind using the lifts and equipment to my needs.
You are right about the rubber issue. I need to get it running and I will tackle that problem next. I am also building a 1985 4runner that I have replaced is rear axle for a 2002 Tacoma rear axle with an e-locker, so I am planning to install that axle in this truck. Narrowed and with a spool.
 
If I remember correctly, Ford had to de-tune that Yamaha motor because they didn't produce a transmission that could handle the power. The first few years of the Taurus SHO were all manual transmissions for that reason. I worked with a guy that bought one new. Crazy fast for a FWD car. Torque steer was a major problem.

If you're looking for some inspiration search for some photos of the SHOgun. A Ford Festiva with a mid-engine Taurus SHO powerplant.
 
This is amazing. I am looking forward to seeing this thing come together. I love when guys think outside the box and come up with something cool on the other side. Keep the updates coming.
 
I have looked at the Shogun. What a crazy car! Ford build 9 total, if I remember correctly. Jay Leno is trying to get all of them. He even put nitrous on one! The transmission in my 1989 was a manual built by Mazda. The synchronizers where toast so I had 4 to 5 second shifts. Any car would beat it off the line but after 2nd gear not much could catch it. You are right about torque steer, very bad. Its like trying to wheel rocks before my FJ55 had power steering. Makes your arms tired.
Thanks for the support! Like I said, I have a FJ55 so I am used to thinking outside the box. Still, this will be a slow build. I did start on the steering relocation today and will post pictures of that part when it gets completed.
 
I got a little bit done today. I mentioned I have to move the steering forward a few inches. I got the pitman arm end moved forward, re-drilled, sleeved, and welded up. This truck must have been a massive leaker when it was on the road. Everything is coated in oily dirt. The awesome part is nothing is rusty on any part under the truck. More to come ...
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I installed the new front wheels. They are 15" x 7". They came with chrome steel center caps, but I really wanted to put the factory Toyota steel wheel center caps on. So I machined off the end of the chrome center cap and welded a cross piece on that houses a threaded rod that I attached inside the Toyota center cap. I like how it looks and it gives it a bit of a factory look. I installed them with Gorilla locks to make sure they stay where I put them.
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Unfortunately, no. I am stuck at the moment. I ordered a pressure plate from clutch net back in December and it still has not arrived. I need it to measure for a McLeod internal slave cylinder for the clutch. There have been no response to my emails and so far no call backs from leaving messages on the voice mail. It is a little frustrating.
 
best of luck to you. this project looks so cool, and i hope you're able to take it all the way!
 
Any head-way on the pressure plate?
 
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