New Member !!

[gsmith]

Hello to everyone on the `Boost' forum, Gary Smith here and I am the guy that met Michael and Bill at the Circuit City parking lot last Thursday.   By now you may have seen the photo of my 1997 V8 powered SHO..  

I had no problem spotting Michael's SVT Contour in the distance.  You can always tell the SVT or SHO from the plain Jane Contour or Taurus (O:

Sorry to say that I keep my car garaged and stored November till August, then it comes out for cruise nights and auto shows for 3 months and unless I ask a fellow SHO owner to join me, I'm most often the ONLY SHO at these meets!  I can post more photos if anyone is interested to see them.  

I DO have a few mods.  The audio system is the `Mach 80'  I added a Rockford Fosgate 6 x 9" free air sub in the rear deck where the normal JBL sub would go on the 1996 SHOs, but in my year to the final year (1999) JBL no longer was the premium sound offering, so FORD cheapened up a little and omitted the subwoofer.  At least there are factory tweeter/midrange drivers in the sail enclosures high up in the front door window areas for great imaging.    My subwoofer amp and xovers are mounted to the rear of the larger rear folding seat.   I also have the SHOshop intake along with `Bullet' polished stainless steel mufflers.  Between the intake and the exhaust, it sounds like a big block muscle car and people will look for it and usually never think its coming from the Taurus (O:  Real Stealth !

I look forward to seeing your `rides' also and at least meeting some members of the group sometime.  My daily ride is a 1999 Saturn SL2 w/5speed, its all stock and runs very strong because its mostly plastic and weighs in at only 2400 lbs.  Has the 16v  124 hp. twin cam engine,  again, its light, so the HP really works well in this little 4 door (O:

You can also find me in the `DiamondCollection' show band, we are at the Taste of Springfield on the 21st, showtime in the evening (I think we are the last act on stage)  but, being a Saturday, most of you will be meeting somewhere?  

Ok, I am going to end this LONG post, as its just a kind of get to know the new guy thing..

Take care.

Regards,
            Gary S.

[imported_mklaro]

Hey Gary, glad to see you got on the boards and welcome... Can't wait to see the car in person.

[padderski]

Welcome, looking forward to seeing your car. =)

Hey Gary, good to see a SHO guy posting. I was the former owner of a 1995 SHO automatic, also did a few mods Superchip, UDP's, K&N panel filter. I used to love the SHO, but decided to sell it because of various problems. Best thing is the SHO community, it's very active and a lot of fun to belong to. Look forward to seeing the car, I've heard SHO's with that exhaust and it's very impressive (mustang sounding).  Welcome to the board

[gsmith]

Hello 953vgt and Goose !  (Michael too)  Thanks for the kind words!  hey 953!  Ok on the Gen II  They are nice and you still see a fair bunch tooling around.  My buddy Mark had a '95 Silver and traded it for a then, brand new 1999 SHO (found him in the COSTCO parking lot back then, and I pulled the same as with Michael and Bill and just walked up to the car and introduced myself).  

He really loved the GEN II, but is very happy with the '99 even though lots of things were cheapened up and left out in that final year.  NO microprocessor controlled struts and the OLD Ford autoshifter was brought back, meaning, NO control over 2nd gear!  I have the 1-2-3 and the Electronic button on the LEATHER shifter.   His is the 1-D-D with RUBBER shifter!   They took away the power antenna and lots of other little goodies :O(  

He took a SOLO ride in mine later that week at my house, and fell in LOVE with the intake growl and exhaust note.  By the following Monday, he had contacted the SHOshop and had his intake ON !   He has not done the muffs yet.  But, he is going the way that lots of GEN III owners go, and thats to get into a Lincoln LS !   They are not any faster then the SHO and weight in over 4000 lbs !   They DO drive nice and have LOTS of gadgets for sure, but not really my type of car.

In our `Breakfast Club', one fellow that owns that ever familiar Supra, owned TWO SHOs,  he bought a brand new black 1991 with the 5 speed (very fast, Borla exhaust, chip etc.)  Then, he gave that to his son, and bought a deep blue 1995 with ATX.  He and I ran a bunch of times, it didn't matter what speed we ran from, he always managed to progress ahead of my '97 !  Well known that the older ones are a tad faster.  The V8's run to 144mph time and again which is where the fuel pump shuts off (O:

But, you are right, the SHO bunch are a great group and I know personally the president of NESHOC who is one that went to the LS, but he owns a 1990 GEN I for a daily driver...

Ok, again, nice to meet you guys, I look forward to seeing your cars sometime!

I'll write later tonight should their be more conversation (O:

Regards,
               Gary

[slick]

Whats up man, welcome to the board

[Adapt]

Good to see ya Gary. We're all fueled off the good feedback you have. Welcome aboard!

[Carndiggity]

welcome...... it's nice to see another domestic (esp. a ford)

Welcome aboard Gary.  I just talked to Shawn last night, the guy with the FMIC green turbo beetle he said he knows you.