SHO Continental

[Matt]

So guys.. some know I've had this project for a while now. Something like two years! anyways.. I have everything needed, new subframe, motor/trans, wiring harness, shift linkage, pedal assembly, ECU, interior, suspension.. etc etc. so now there's nothing I can use as an excuse not to move forward.

But, I was wondering what which you'd think would look better, leaving the front end as the current conti, swapping it to gen1 SHO, or swapping it to gen2 SHO. I have a full gen2 front end, fenders, hood, bumper, bumper cover, header panel, lights. Although if I went to gen2 I'd use my spare gen2 carbon fiber cowl hood. For gen1 all I have is a plastic "powerbulge" hood, but I could always hunt down the rest of that front clip.. or, I could just leave it how it is now.

choices for the swap..

Gen1 SHO
mocha gen1.. if I go for gen1 it'll be painted the original sandlewood of my conti
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/315214/fullsize/P7190247.JPG
the "powerbulge" hood..
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/315217/fullsize/P7190249.JPG

Gen2 SHO
fiberglass painted cowl
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/315215/fullsize/P7190262.JPG
mine with a black weave c/f cowl
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/315213/fullsize/DSC14727.JPG
far shot of gen2
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/315216/fullsize/P7190337.JPG

Conti as it is now
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/131515/fullsize/DSC04011.JPG

[CobraConti]

Honestly I don't know. Of course I have never seen a Conti with a Taurus front end so its hard for me to visualize. It would be interesting! I think I would stay Conti. That way it would be a real sleeper.

[pro-five-oh]

You'd have to do a lot of work to make a SHO front end swap look good. I mean, it will bolt up fine, but the Conti has that nice crease along the side that I doubt matches the Taurus fender crease.

Granted I am a huge GEN I Taurus fan (always have been since I was a kid) but I'd rather have the Conti nose on a Conti. The GEN II nose has headlights that are too thin for the rest of the Conti's hunky body.

[pro-five-oh]

Oh, and paint the Conti the stock color, dechrome it (black trim or body color trim like a SHO plus) and put those 16" SHO Slicer wheels on it. That's cool.

[Matt]

The line matches up perfectly. When it gets paint the chrome will all turn body color, I'm still thinking of what to do with the black around the windows, I may paint it all body color and leave just the B pillar black. Right now I'm not sure on wheel size, it'd be easy to put a set of slicers on seeing as I have 2 spare sets, but I just might go for some 18s.

Really though I'm not sure I want to get rid of the huge lincoln grill in favor of a low flow taurus grill..

[MichiganTeddyBear]

I vote for keeping it 'stealthy'.. keep the conti front end.

[pro-five-oh]

The line matches up perfectly. When it gets paint the chrome will all turn body color, I'm still thinking of what to do with the black around the windows, I may paint it all body color and leave just the B pillar black. Right now I'm not sure on wheel size, it'd be easy to put a set of slicers on seeing as I have 2 spare sets, but I just might go for some 18s.

The line matches up? Well, I still think I'd rather have the Conti face on there. But its nice to know the front ends interchange perfectly!

Do the window trim like a SHO plus, keep the b-pillars black.

[Matt]

I guess I'll leave the nose the same then.. The SHO plus has the the same window trim as the conti does.. black with the chrome outline. So I'll just redo that with the exception of having the chrome on the trim black.

[pro-five-oh]

So is the Conti getting a modified motor? 5-speed? Give us the details.

Oh yeah, which console is in the works? The taller GEN II or the low GEN I?

[Matt]

it's going to get a 3.2 with ATX.. going to strip out my '93 SHO for the swap. As far as consoles, I have a spare gen2 in mocha and a gen1 in black, I havn't decided on which yet.

[pro-five-oh]

I like the GEN I consoles better...tucks away nicer and looks more factory.

Nice to see its finally coming together!!!

[MichiganTeddyBear]

putting in a automatic?? I would keep the super stealth look then and use column shift!

[Matt]

putting in a automatic?? I would keep the super stealth look then and use column shift!

Yeah that's the original reason I picked up my '93.. but it was a pretty nice car so I kept it. But now I'll be swapping in full MTX stuff so I finally have free pieces to throw at the lincoln.

[Matt]

I looked into it a little more.. and the body line is waaaay off. so it's staying lincoln up front for sure.

[pro-five-oh]

That's what I thought. I like the Lincoln nose better anyway. :)

[DustyLBottoms]

it's going to get a 3.2 with ATX.. going to strip out my '93 SHO for the swap. As far as consoles, I have a spare gen2 in mocha and a gen1 in black, I havn't decided on which yet.

Matt, you still have that spare mocha center console?

[Nick]

I really want to drive an SHO for fun now, along with a Turbo T-Bird.