[Shotimes] 190k and hating it

[Justin Schick]

or, SHO diff go boom. =(

I was riding high when the odo clicked over 190k and my burnt clutch
finally started grabbing again, to the point of holding completely at
WOT, any RPM. Then it happened again. I think I mentioned before a
couple of times while driving, during slow corners, I would feel a
slight jerk and then momentary free-wheel feeling. Maybe more like a
light steering wheel. This was months back, and I recall worrying about
the diff at that time.

Fast forward to last Monday. I was taking a low speed right hand
corner, after a bumpy bridge (Red Bridge for anyone in KC). CRUNCH,
followed by some slight thudding that slowly dissipated. I babied it the
rest of the week, and had a couple more similar incidents during low
speed corners. There was also a high pitched gear whine noise while
decelerating in gear. I knew I was living on borrowed time. Today, I was
off work to take the CNE 6 upgrade test, which I passed. On the way to
work, heading east on College, I'm at the next to last light for my
turn. A hasty Johnson County-ite in a white Cherokee took off from the
light (Roe), and I instinctively pressed the gas pedal beyond the
feather distance I'd been limiting myself to. BAM. Now there's constant,
heavy thudding and jerking and I hope I can make it to the parking lot
at work. 

I do, and wait for my buddy to get off work. We go for celebratory
drinks and dinner and pool at Fox and Hound while the rush hour traffic
subsides. I decide to try and limp home, him following with hazards. I
had a tow strap just in case. The trip sounded and felt horrible, and
could barely shift between gears. I made it to State Line and had to
stop for a light, and after one last big jolt, letting the clutch out
resulted in nothing but clunking and banging, no forward movement. John
pushed me through the intersection and to the shoulder, and pulled
around. I had done what I said I'd do: drive it until it won't go any
more. But the final 5 or 6 blocks were behind my friend's Tahoe.

I'm at an impasse, because I know I wouldn't put it back together
without a quaife. With all the parts being obsoleted, I'm very close to
parting it out and looking for a new(er) daily driver. For now, I get to
drive my Mustang (historic plates, no heat, dumped flowmasters and all)
and fix my truck (down 70 pounds of compression on the #3 cylinder). If
I were to part it out, please let me know if you'd have any interest in
the car, part or whole (it will take me a while to make up my mind, and
nothing will happen until my truck is running):

92, silver on black, 211a, purchased at 100k, now showing just over
190k
22k on new shortblock and rebuilt heads (all shims were in spec)
SS CAI snorkel
Ford 80mm MAF, calibrated by Pro-M for X2J PCM (no LPM needed)
Taylor spark plug wires
SS Y with cats, glasspack resonator, single 3 chamber Flowmaster
SS aluminum flywheel, Grizzly TOB, teflon release shaft bushings
96 brake upgrade, Earl's stainless brake lines
Eibachs & Tokicos
Delrin subframe bushings
26mm rear bar
BRAND NEW Bridgestone Turanza LS-H 215/60/16s
Alpine CD player, Fosgate amp pushing 2 Pyramid 15's, awaiting
in-the-box Eclipse 6.5s an 5X8s and their Alpine amp
custom AC Delco 150 amp alternator (100 amps at idle)

SPARE PARTS INCLUDE
Ted B. LPM, old style removeable EEPROM, programmed for X2J PCM
ATX intake manifold
Big Bore Butterflies
cone filter for 80mm MAF
stock MAF with it's own cone filter and rubber TB elbow
spun ASP under drive crank pulley
stock alternator with underdrive pulley attached
extra X2J PCM
FODZ-6701-A rear main seal
E9DZ-6C335-A rear crank seal carrier gasket

I think that's it...

Justin
not cruising around KC MO in my SHO no moe, and was really looking
forward to a midwest convention