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Had To Teach a SHO a Lesson

3K views 27 replies 12 participants last post by  is2scooby 
#1 ·
So I'm behind this guy going toward the highway. I'm playing real cool because this was no time to race and I was talking with my wife anyway. But we get to the highway ramp, which is a big circle going to south I-75 and this turd won't do over 30 mph. You know, sometimes I like to enter the highway AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, but this goon won't punch it at all. Finally, we merge into the right lane and I'm thinking "screw it" so I jump over to the middle and punch it. Well, here comes the black smoke from his exhaust. Now I'm thinking "No, ah ah. You had your chance buddy." and I fly past him from 50 - 85. Bye bye.

I love it. All of a sudden it's important to go fast when someone is trying to pass you.

Better luck next time.

Oh! And if your WRX is having a harder time at the top end, get a new turbo. Works wonders.:D
 
#3 ·
The compressor is a T28 Super 60. What that means is that it's a more efficient (35%) compressor than the stock TD04. I can't really compare it to any other turbo because I haven't driven in any other WRX's with a new turbo. FP compares theirs with the VF34. But the Turbochargers.com upgrade makes no modification to the turbine side (no clipping). This was fine for me because I'm not making any exhaust modifications at this time.

Basicaly, the Turbochargers.com upgrade is an excellent turbo for an otherwise stock WRX. If you plan on doing the UP, DP and so forth, I would get a VF or PE because you'll be flowing more past the turbine and they have bigger turbine diameters IIRC.

This turbo shines 3rd gear and above without losing any low end responce or with any increase in lag. The stock TD04 is underated for our cars. This turbo fills in the gaps quite nicely. Pulls just as hard (if not a little harder) in the mid range AND keeps pumping all the way to the redline. I love it, and Turbochargers.com did a great job. Excellent workmanship.

The site doesn't have to much info, but you can always call. Ask for Tommy. He'll answer all your questions.
 
#6 ·
That's a nice looking wagon! Quick question for ya on the boost gauge.... Is that a 52mm or 60mm? Was it hard to get it in there? Did you have to dremmel anything? How did you get the vent outta there?

Thanks! :D
 
#7 ·
silverscooby said:
That's a nice looking wagon! Quick question for ya on the boost gauge.... Is that a 52mm or 60mm? Was it hard to get it in there? Did you have to dremmel anything? How did you get the vent outta there?

Thanks! :D
The gauge is an Autometer Ultralite 2 5/8" diam. Fit right in. All I had to do was simply remove the vent assembly and stick the gauge in. No Dremel action at all. It can be completely reversed back to stock. The vent has to come out the back but it's not hard. The final look is very factory looking, and I love having a big boost gauge.:D
 
#10 ·
Re: SHOs rule me? Not this one.

STI on order said:
I have a SHO for you. If you live in houston I'am game.:D
Come on up to MI. If your egnine can survive the trip, we'll race.
 
#12 ·
I raced a modded SHO on the highway from a 70mph roll. First off this SHO is fast. He has a custom exhaust and many other mods to the motor. Not your typical SHO. Well I pulled him hard in 3rd gear but when I shifted into 4th gear I slowly stopped pulling on him. Then I shifted into 5th gear, (yes 5th gear) and he stayed basically right with me but several cars back. We stayed like that for a while. I can only imagine how fast we were going. At least 155-160mph. I had it floored in 5th gear for a while. I hate having a 140mph speedo.

This same SHO beat me when I had Turboxs stage 2 setup in a similar race.

Moral to this story.
A modded SHO will easy kill a stock WRX at higher speeds. It took every bit of my Stage 4 setup to stay out in front of him at
155+mph!! ( We were flying)

But I won the race this time.
 
#14 ·
I have intake, exh, fuel modds, suspension modds, udp, chip, all kinds of tricks in the trans and its linkage, gutted and I know I am forgetting some thing. I don't have spray or boost(this one is being worked on for next mod). I run real well and believe me the motor can take all the miles you want to through at it.
 
#17 ·
I would also have to say you are pretty lucky you are heavily modded. I only say this because I have raced 3 different Rex's on the freeway, and have won everytime. I have an 91 SHO as well, with a few minor mods. (I raced 2 of them from a stop too, and got my ass beat:( )

But anyways, good kill!
 
#18 ·
the earlier SHO's with the Yamaha V6 were evil. these things could be made really fast and off the showroom floor were nothing to laugh at. A lot of people say that they were underrated and that many came out running around 300hp at the crank. (no lie, just read an article on this a couple days ago) Problem was that ford didn't like it's family sedan out running it's "muscle"car. So they detuned it severely. then they threw that god awful v8 into the new ones, and now i could laugh one off the street. but the 91's.... you gotta be careful about them.
 
#20 ·
Ya gotta love those big highway cruisers! My father's GS430 is the same way. He hasnt done anything to it (and doenst plan to) but back when my car was stock I tried messing with him on the highway late one night coming back from an Indians game. When I dropped it into third I got a jump on him but as soon as I shifted into fourth it was over. He walked by my and didnt let up until he had a good 6 car lengths.

I'm going back up in early November, we'll see who wins now. :cool:
 
#21 ·
Oh boy, look what I started.

First off, thanks for the acknowledgement. I was surprised, actualy, at how fast I past him at that speed. The new turbo has been a jem.

The SHO had probably the coolest engine to ever come in a Ford. Too bad it was a Taurus. The one I raced was a '92 - '95. The V6 with the redone body work (headlights, body cladding, etc) I don't know if it was an auto or MT. I would guess MT.

Stock '91 SHO

220 hp @ 6200
200 lb-ft @ 4800
0 - 60: 6.6sec
1/4 mi: 15.2 @ 92.5mph


Stock '02 WRX

227 hp @ 6000
217 lb-ft @ 4000
0-60: 5.5sec
1/4 mi: 14.1 @ 96 mph

Performance data for both cars taken from C&D data

So the SHO is fast, no doubt. But the WRX is faster. And the WRX can be made much faster at the same level of modification. I do agree that a stock TD04 WRX would have a much harder time on the highway, but that's not me so it doesn't matter. The SHO is, however, one of my favorite sport sedans.
 
#22 ·
koyokid said:

Stock '91 SHO

220 hp @ 6200
200 lb-ft @ 4800
0 - 60: 6.6sec
1/4 mi: 15.2 @ 92.5mph


Stock '02 WRX

227 hp @ 6000
217 lb-ft @ 4000
0-60: 5.5sec
1/4 mi: 14.1 @ 96 mph
I think that you said it about right. Yes the WRX is faster, or shall we say quicker. That data doesn't show 60-120 mph numbers. That is where the SHO shines (it has a VERY flat torque curve). And I have heard, but I don't own one, so don't quote me, that the WRX (stock) is kind of a dog after ~80 or 90.

Is this true?
 
#23 ·
SHO said:


I think that you said it about right. Yes the WRX is faster, or shall we say quicker. That data doesn't show 60-120 mph numbers. That is where the SHO shines (it has a VERY flat torque curve). And I have heard, but I don't own one, so don't quote me, that the WRX (stock) is kind of a dog after ~80 or 90.

Is this true?
Yes, a stock WRX dominates many higher powered cars from a stop, but after 80 mph the turbo just doesn't have anymore juice, coupled with a not so great 4th gear. My race with a Mustang Bullitt showed me where my weakness and strength was. 0-70, all WRX. Above 70 mph, all Bullitt. With a higher flowing exhaust, a WRX can be very fast on the highway, but it has three cats and that clogs things up quite a bit when at speed.
 
#24 ·
Cool,

I have a 91 SHO, V6 "Shogun". Very cool engine. modified it would kill a WRX, even an S4 (AWD would win out from a stop though...)

The key to that engine is it that the valves/camshaft/headers were designed by Yamaha. It was under-tuned even at the time. People modding the car now are getting well into the 8K RPM range without problems. It really is a big motorcycle engine.

Oh, and they have a supercharger kit for it. That's just wrong...

-d
 
#25 ·
I just bought a '90 SHO. And DAMN is it quick! The WRX is definetly quicker, but I would say they are about even in the top end. The SHO pulls very hard in 4th and 5th. With a good driver and a couple of mods (y-pipe, intake cone and runners, sticky tires), I think an SHO can run mid 14s. The WRX needs an EXCELLENT driver to be at 14.1 in the 1/4 mile. I think it is much easier to drive a stock SHO to 15.2 then a stock WRX to 14.1.
 
#26 ·
SHO's can be quite fun to drive, there a sleeper car for sure. I used to drive a 1995 automatic SHO. Best time was 15.1 @ 93mph
UDP, Superchips (Eprom) was the only mods. The 5-speeds are high 14 sec cars if driven perfectly.
 
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