The original instructions are given below, interspersed with the original notes from SHOTimes FAQ in italics. Ford’s permission to reproduce these notes is also shown.

Many thanks to Nick Chrimes for getting the original instructions (as well as permission to reprint) from Ford.

 
 

This kit offered by Ford Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) has been designed to convert 1989-91 *Taurus SHO vehicles from cable shift transmission controls to rod shift transmission controls. The installation of this kit can be done with an average amount of mechanical experience, but it is very important to closely follow the instructions. Read each step of the instructions before beginning the installation and if you do not understand it go back and read it again.

*1991 Taurus SHO vehicles built after 6/01/91 have Rod Shift Transmission Controls.

SPECIAL TOOLS REQURED FOR INSTALLATION:
 

• Electric Drill
• 1/4" Drill Bit
• 7/16" Drill Bit
• 1/2" Drill Bit
• Reciprocating Saw
• Propane Torch
• Eye Protection
• Die Grinder/Cutoff Wheel [not needed. Left- and right-handed sheet metal shears are a good replacement.
• Reciprocating saw works well for the exhaust if you don't have a torch.
• Die grinder and hacksaw work for exhaust if you don't have a reciprocating saw, though. ]

M-7210-SHO ROD SHIFT KIT CONTENTS

Part	Part #	Description
Clevis bolt	E6DZ-7K104-A	Bolts shifter rod to shift actuator stub on tranny
Clevis bolt washer	E6DZ-7K105-A	Goes on other side of shift actuator stub  for bolt above
Clevis bolt nut	N620480-S2  /  (AM-18-G)	The above appear to be '86 part numbers, so they probably exist in the old setup.
Stabilizer	F1DZ-7400-A	Goes from tranny to center of car, includes 'box' and frame for the box, includes sliding insulator that bolts to car at shifter end
Shifter rod	F1DZ-7B140-A	Goes from shifter to tranny, attaches to tranny with clevis bolt.
Stabilizer/shifter support (upper)	F1DZ-7A147-A	support from top of floor pan for the lower part, through floor pan
Stabilizer/shifter support (lower)	F1DZ-7A147-B	support from bottom of floor pan for stabilizer, bolts to top part
Shifter	F1DZ-7210-A	Actual shifter handle, fits into stabilizer, attaches to shifter rod.
Shifter Boot	xxxx-7277-x	Shifter leather boot (not available anymore)
Shifter Knob	xxxx-7213-x	Not needed for conversion, use old one
Nuts for shifter support (6 req'd)	N801-1555-S2  /  (AM-9-KK)	Used on captive bolts in upper and lower shifter support which bolt together through floor pan, and on captive bolts in support which attach to the stabilizer insulator in the support
Resonator	F1DZ-5A289-C	Bent resonator to go around shifter

 

INSTRUCTION STEPS:

STEP 1: Disconnect Battery.

STEP 2: Raise the vehicle off the ground and support it with jack stands.

CAUTION: BE SURE TO SUPPORT THE VEHICLE PROPERLY TO AVOID PERSONAL HAZARDS.

STEP 3: Remove the two bolts holding the front of the resonator assembly. Save the bolts, springs and nuts removed for reuse. See Figure 1.

STEP 4: Use a die grinder or cutoff wheel to cut the heat shield at the point shown in Figure 2.

[Use the sheet metal shears to cut the heat shield. It's about as thick as construction paper.]

STEP 5: Drill out the front two rivets (See Figure 1) and remove the forward part of the heat shield. Leave the rear part of the heat shield attached to the floor pan.

[No need to drill out the rivets. The shield just rips off around them.]

STEP 6: Remove the rear exhaust clamp on the resonator assembly. Save the exhaust clamp for reuse.

[Get a new clamp before starting. ]
 
 

STEP 8: Locate the (2) shift cables (See Figure 4) and remove them at the transmission end. Remove the Cable to-transmission bracketry, but reinstall the attaching fasteners to the transmission. Save the clevis bolt (See Figure 5) for reuse.

[One of the "attaching fasteners" is a long bolt that goes through to a nut on the other side. There is also a small square plate around the head of this bolt. Just pry it out with a screwdriver.  The whole large bracket needs to come off which is attached by two large 15mm bolts into the trans.  The lower bolt needs to be reinstalled after the bracket is off and  the large bolt on the new shifter threads into the upper bolt hole so leave that open until step 27].

M-7210-SHO IS-7210-SHO

1989-91 TAURUS SHO ROD SHIFT KIT PAGE 6 OF 12

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 1/15/92

STEP 9: Remove the jack stands and lower the car to the ground.

STEP 10: To remove the console, remove the two plug buttons located on the base of the console, near the front, to expose two retaining screws.

Remove screws. See Figure 6.

STEP 11: Remove the gear shift knob. Remove gearshift opening panel (snaps out) and the console-to-floor bracket retaining screw.

STEP 12: Remove gear access panel (snaps out) and three console-to-floor bracket retaining screws.

STEP 13: Move the floor-mounted shift lever to rearward-most position and slide console rearward and up.

STEP 14: Disconnect all necessary electrical connectors and remove console.

STEP 15: Remove the center console supporting bracket by removing two screws.

STEP 16: Remove the shifter assembly by removing the two front screws. Disconnect the cables from shifter assembly and pull them through the floor pan and firewall.

It may be easier to cut the shift cable that goes through the firewall and remove it in two (2) pieces.

[Save yourself some grief and cut the cables underneath the car before lowering it. You will never get them "through the firewall" in one piece. Use the recip saw, boltcutters, or make sure your hacksaw is sharp! ]

STEP 17: The carpeting covers the tunnel and is cut down the middle of the tunnel. Cut the driver's side of the carpeting back about 2 inches. See Figure 7. Fold the

carpeting back and trim the insulation covering the tunnel, as marked in Figure 8

.

STEP 18: Scrape the mastic off the exposed tunnel, revealing four dimples in the floor pan. These dimples will line up with the studs in the Bracket Assembly (Item 1).

STEP 19: Drill two (2), 1/2" holes through the forward dimples in the floor pan.

STEP 20: Drill two (2), 7/16" holes through the rear dimples in the floor pan.

(NOTE: The completed holes are shown in Figure 9. The Bracket Assembly (Item 1) studs fit through the holes that have just been drilled.)

STEP 21: Using the Bracket Assembly (Item 1) as a template mark the large center hole on the tunnel.

STEP 22: Cut through the floor pan following the outlines of the large hole with a reciprocating saw. See Figure 10.

STEP 24: Raise the vehicle off the ground and support it with jack stands.
 
 

STEP 25: From underneath the vehicle, place the Lower Mounting Bracket (Item 3) over the studs on the Bracket

Assembly (Item 1). Install four (4) Nut & Washer Assemblies (Item 5) and torque to 10- 12 ft.-lbs. See

Figure 11.

STEP 26: Install two (2) Body Plugs (Item 2) through the cable holes in the floor pan and the fire wall.

1989-91 TAURUS SHO ROD SHIFT KIT PAGE 10 OF 12

STEP 28: Swing the rear part of the Transmission Gear Shift Control Assembly to floor pan of the vehicle and

tighten two (2) Nut & Washer Assemblies (Item 5) to 10- 12 ft.-lbs and secure it to the Lower Mounting Bracket.

STEP 29: Tighten the clevis bolt removed in Step 8 to 7-9 ft.-lbs. See Figure 12 and Figure 13.

STEP 30: Install the new Resonator Assembly (Item 6) with the fasteners removed in Step 3 and Step 6. Tighten

the front bolts to 20-29 ft.-lbs. Remember to install the spring removed with each bolt in Step 3. Tighten

the rear u-bolt to 28-34 ft.-lbs. See Figure 14.

STEP 31: Remove jack stands and lower vehicle.
 
 

STEP 32: Connect the Transmission Gear Shift Lever Boot Assembly (Item 7)to the Console Panel (Item 8) with

the four (4) Spring Nuts (Item 9). See Figure 15.
 
 

STEP 33: Reinstall the center console in reverse order, from Step 15 to Step 10.

STEP 34: Reinstall the shifter knob: turn knob until snug and then turn one additional time. The shifter lever will cut new threads in the knob.

The knob can be removed and reinstalled four or five times.

STEP 35: Reconnect Battery.

(NOTE: Installation is now complete. Check operation of Transmission Shift Controls before starting engine.)