new 7/01/03, 7/2/03, 8/26/03 9/8/03,10/06/2003,11/17/2003,1/8/2004,1/15/2004, etc
September 13.2008
Larry,
Sorry I haven't written sooner but I have been having to much fun enjoying my
Baby after a trip to the SHO Dr.- Eric Lehmann. She runs better now than she did
when i bought her six years ago.
I drove her back and forth to work for years with nothing more than the regular
service and oil changes. I felt at home and one with her on the road, I am sure
this is nothing new to other SHO owners. When she reached 120,000 miles i began
to notice an unsettling "tick" in the motor. I would check the oil and tranny
fluid to find they were fine. I had the local garage here in Springfield change
the plugs and do an upper tune-up on her and still the "tick" remained. I did
not know of the cam issue at this time and actually was surfing the web and
happened across your site when it hit me like a ton of bricks- My baby was bad
sick- I parked her until I could figure out who to go to and where I could get
her fixed.
I called Friendly Ford here in Springfield, Missouri and was told by their shop
foreman that yes they have had a few SHO's in that requested the cam weld
procedure but they had no one to send them to here locally and that I would have
to drive or haul my car to someone and have it done or I was looking at a
$8000.00 yard ornament. Needless to say all Ford Emblems are coming off of her.
Ford will not claim her and by golly she refuses to claim Ford.
Anyway enough of my ranting on that all to familiar subject. I posted requests
on several sites trying to find someone local. Finally, I was able to locate
Eric Lehmann and we set a date and time to get my cams welded in Lombard, Ill.
Not exactly local but worth the trip considering what was at stake. Then through
another site a person by the name of Kirk D (fill in the rest) who welds cams
contacted me and told me he would be in St. Louis that weekend and would be
willing to do the weld for me. I thanked him and informed him that Eric and I
had already set a time and date for the procedure to be done. I then told Mr. D
that I would be interested in purchasing a programmer for her from him in the
near future. He told me in a n email that Eric had several cam welds fail on
him. This of course concerned me a great deal as i had never met either of these
gentlemen before and was about to put one of them in charge of fixing my baby.
I went to your site and pulled up the names and email addresses of all the
people listed as past customers of Eric's and sent each of them an email asking
if they had any problems to date with anything Eric had ever done for them. I
received several responses and they were all very positive. In fact one person
had him weld five different cams for him and no problems what so ever. I really
don't know or care what is going on with this other person, sounds like a little
ego issue maybe? I decided to give Eric a shot at fixing her.
We arrived late (11:00 p.m.) and unloaded my Baby off the trailer in Lombard and
the next day I drove to Michigan to see family. I arrived back at Eric's the
following morning to find that he had not only welded the cams and done every
one of the service issues he had agreed to but so much more. He even polished
and shined my headlight covers to where they looked new and not all yellow and
dingy. We discussed a miss and the possibility of a fuel injector problem and he
gave me a fuel injector free "just in case" that might be the issue.
I spent a few hours shooting the "bull" with Eric and learning so much more
about the SHO's that I thought possible. Then the best part- I got the offer to
ride in SHOrts- OMG what a car. The sound and the feel are just addictive. I may
have to drive back to Lombard for a fix soon. You can sure tell the difference
when a person is doing something they truly love and enjoy and when they are
just doing it for the money- Eric has a true love for these cars and it shows in
his work.
I am going to be doing some "slight modifications" to my Baby soon which will
include exhaust, programmer and eventually NOS. Eric has been kind enough to
offer his advise to me as we embark on this journey together. Me, My Baby and
Dr. Eric- I think we will be just fine now.
I have attached a picture of the Dr. right after surgery for you to see-
Thank you for your site and for helping me find Eric Lehmann.
Betty Bryant
SHOMeMo
1997 **** Taurus SHO 133,000 mi. WELDED by Dr. Lehmann
___________________________________________________________________________
June 15, 2008
Well the master Eric Lehmann has saved my SHO!!! i hope he will be posting
some pictures of the cams, he said that I was 3 turns past cam failure, I will
let him tell the story. I had the privilege to meet and talk with Eric and I
have enjoyed the trip immensely. I am going to tell anybody who has the gen 3
about this guy. It was very great to get behind the wheel of such a great
machine. Thanks Eric, for everything, and for the ride is S H O R T S. All I
have to say is I will be the first in line to buy her, and I am still trying to
wipe the grin off my face :)
Robert Moore
1997 TR almost cam failed
Eric Lehmann saved my SHO!!!!
137k on the clock
K&N filter
Flowmaster's soon!!!
____________________________________________________________________________
Thanks Robert -
It was really good meeting you guys too. I'll try to post pix a little
later - cleaning up a
little storm damage right now - 65 mph winds
this morning, neighbor lost a tree.
Anyhow, yeah, you were 3 turns of the ignition overdue for a blown up
engine, glad you listened when you were told to not start the car
again no matter what.
Tim, please give the man a number -
Robert Moore
1997 SHO with 137,000 miles.
VIN 1FALP54N6VA268893
Parked for weeks due to suspicion of walking cam sprocket. (Boy was
THAT an understatement)
Date verified 6-13-08
Front head exhaust cam sprocket extremely wobbly. Demonstrated this
movement to the owner. Very difficult to realign. 5 BACKSIDE welds
required just to square things up.
Eric Lehmann
97 Ebony 42k Welded - With the Angels Now so that I don't have to be.
Long Live the Garage Queen !
97 Ebony 182k Resurrected, Welded, Experiment in progress
96 Medium Willow Green Metallic 103k Resurrected, Welded, Eaton M90 inside
96 Rosemist 72k 2006 Best Of SHO, Popular Vote, 2007 Best Gen 3, Welded
96 Medium Graphite 120k - Resurrected, Welded
97 Pacific Green - Parting this one Out
____________________________________________________________________________
You can add my name to the list of owners with welded cams. Eric Lehmann welded my cams, cleaned the intakes, changed oil, filter, spark plugs and a damaged vacuum hose. He did a nice and clean job. He gave me pictures of the welded cams and the intakes (before and after cleaning). I would recommend him to anyone still waiting to have his/hers cams welded. Eric is pleasant, professional and will answer any question you ask him.
Walter Paetsch
96 Silver with 90K. Welded as of 9-13-03
Larry:
I just got my cam welded by Eric Lehman in Lombard Il. What a great job for a reasonable price. (450.00 includes oil change, plugs and photographs) Eric is truly a knowledgeable guy on SHO's . I could have talked to him for hours! Peace of mind is a great thing, if someone wants to get a cam weld I would highly recommend Eric
- Allan
ERIC LEHMANN CAM WELD FUN!
Just took my SHO to Eric to have the cams welded and received the surprise of my life. Poor guy takes everything apart and much to his, mine, and the dog's
surprise, they have been previously welded!
Actually, when only beginning to start he right away knew that the engine had been torn into before (he knew by sight which bolts had been replaced in the wrong holes) I must vouch for his credibility, professionalism, and extreme knowledge of cars and the SHO V8!
Amazingly after a couple hours of work and hundreds of my questions, Eric declined any payment! WHAT A STAND UP FELLOW (although I am sure I was within minutes of his "free work" deadline )
All in all, I got to meet 3 shocago members, the supercharged SHO, and best of all the SHOfa!
So... I now drive my SHO with the confidence and lack of fear of cam failure!
Thanks Eric for the revelation!
I of course have an interest in the where and when etc of this cars past. Dave has provided me with his VIN. Stay tuned - could be fun!! - Larry
Tim,
I finally got my cams welded this past weekend (06/28/03) by Eric Lehmann. I dragged my weary behind out of bed at 3:45am. I finally got on the road to Lombard, IL (Chicago Land) at 4:30am. I arrived some 280 miles later at 8:05 am at Eric's House, and we got started about 8:30. He let me have use of his jeep if I needed to go get something to eat, and he gave me directions to some local shopping areas. I stuck around and watched him work for a while.
He cleaned out the intake, the surge tank, wiped down the butterflies, checked the IRMC, changed the plugs, checked the wiring, changed the oil & filter, and did a nice weld job. All the while put up with my 250 questions. He answered each with patience.
Overall Eric did a great job. We did a short test drive (to which I think I scared
him ... opps), and I rolled out of his driveway at about 4:15. Even after my wallet was $450 less than I started the day out. I feel it was worth it. I arrived home at about 8:15pm.
Please add me to the list of happy folks who had their cams welded by Eric Lehmann.
Thanks,
Kevin Knipp
Vibrant White 1997 SHO.
With Welded Cams!
My understanding is that Eric has done at least a dozen cars and all his customers are well satisfied with his services and prices. - Buford
Eric did my weld job a few months ago and was a true professional. Sorry I didn't email you guys about Eric back then. He is the Lombard IL.SHO-MASTER.
Chuck,
I have had my cams welded by Eric Lehmann. He is in Lombard IL. About 5 hrs from St Louis...
I highly recommend Eric for your cam welding job. Yes it is near Chicago but well worth the trip. Eric is VERY knowledgeable about the V8SHO.
I was at Eric's house about 8:00am and on the road back to St. Louis by 4:30pm the same day. One other thing is that Eric cost is much more reasonable then the $800 to $900 some others charge. ($ 450.00) Weld, new plugs, oil and just a very good guy. Ask about the Trans Cooler also.
Again I recommend Eric.... Ask the see the Thunderbird and the potato CANON.
Eric's email is Zenriddles@aol.com
Gene
Thanks
Gene
99TR
ERIC'D
I just joined the V-8 ranks and purchased a 98 in Pittsburgh, trailered it
to Chicago and had Eric Lehmann weld the cams before coming on home to Des
Moines. I think I can now drive it as it was intended instead of worrying
about when/where the failure may occur. Thanks to Eric I now know I also
need a new IMRC Actuator, another example of Job 1 being performed
flawlessly at Ford.
Greg Jones
Many V6 SHO's, 1 V8
Larry,
Add me as yet another person to the list of very satisfied CAM weld customers of Eric Lehmann.
Dropped it off early on Dec 6th and it was done by 3 pm. He cleaned the intakes all out, put all the bolts back in the right places that my mechanic did not, checked all my plugs, welded the cams and just generally did an excellent job. He is also a wealth of SHO information and an absolute pleasure to chat with. I even got to see the famed SHOfa.
Anyone in the Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin or Indiana area thinking about having it done, this is the guy to go see.
Ritch Carroll
97 TR
K&N
Welds by Eric!
DIVINE INTERVENTION AND THE CAMWELD PROCESS.
I'm feeling very lucky. Through a series of events I became aware of the cam gear concern that is occurring on the Gen. III SHO's. One of my associates races his Cobra
Mustang, I was curious on where he got some of his suspension parts. He told me to check out the V8
SHO web site.
Imagine my amazement when I found out my engine was a ticking time bomb. I felt sick, like being told I had a disease that there wasn't a cure for. I looked over the related information on the web site and came to the realization that I could take my chances and hope my engine wasn't one of the ones that may fail or get my cams modified. I spoke with some of my coworkers and bounced the possible cures for my engine woes, locktite (yea right), pinning, or welding. You see the ironic part of this story is that I have worked for Ford Motor Company as a Service Advisor or Service Manager for the last 16 years! I have not heard or seen anything on this problem till I got on the net.
I reviewed the information on the people who will weld your cams and after much agonizing, research and yes even some prayers I contacted Eric Lehman. We spoke on the phone and much to my relief due to the holidays he had some cancellations and could get to my car. We firmed up the details and I set out for my cam weld hoping not to be Found On the Road Dead.
After a five hour drive from Des Moines I arrived in Lombard at the Red Roof Inn at 11:09
checked in and spent a sleepless night ( The room was okay, the mattress was under whelming, but the Semi Tractor idling 30 yards away from my room was no help at all.) with visions of cam shaft dancing in my head. Eric's directions were right on the money and easy even for a self proclaimed directionally impaired person like me. I got there at about 7:45 and Eric came out to greet me. We exchanged pleasantries and after shuffling two SHO'S and his supercharged, alcohol injected Thunderbird (one look under the hood and I knew I had someone who was comfortable with a wrench in his hand.) he tucked my car into the operating room and we got started. I have worked with a lot of technicians in my 16 years and I could tell Eric knew what he was doing 20 minutes into the procedure. He pulled the left valve cover and checked the cams on that side to make sure some one hadn't welded them previously. No such luck. The exhaust cam shaft had .002-.004 of play in it. I felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. Eric began to disassemble my engine and inspect the parts as they came off. He found I had some plug on coils that were cracked and we discuss a plan of action to replace them. I called a local Ford dealer and much to my and Eric's surprise they had 4. Not only that but they sold them to me at 10% over cost. Eric said my luck was sure to run out soon. As he was accessing the cams he explained what he would be doing and why he was doing it "his way". Eric is a cross between a motor head, engineer and an anal retentive mad scientist. The thing that impressed me the most was his unflinching attention to detail from covering the entire top of the engine with each weld to cutting the wire at the tip of the TIG welder before each weld. He cleaned the surge tank runners and lower intake. Oh did mention after 2-4 cans of carb cleaner we had to open the garage door to lessen our buzz. The 18 Deg. breeze made me perk right up . Eric worked tirelessly thought the freezing temps with no breaks except to up load my engine pictures onto his lap top and helping Uncle Larry by loaning him his floor jack to change the oil filter in his wife's Pontiac. My luck held out again when Eric's fingers let a surge tank bolt slip (think the cold had something to do with it.) and he was able to retrieve it on the first try. I credit his experience for that break. He now had all of the repairs done and my engine was back together at 5:30 PM. Eric warned that the initial start after all that cleaning may be rough but when he hit the key and the 3.4 l popped off and idled just as it had when we shut it off 9 1/2 hours ago. He shook his head and smiled in disbelief and said "than never happens". We went for a short romp around the block and then checked for leaks (none), changed oil and filter and I was on my way home to Des Moines.
This is the way repairs should be done! Fix the problem, don't cause any other problems and fix it right the first time.
Eric gets an A+ completely satisfied grade from me.
If you are looking for some one to weld your cams, look no further.
Greg Freshour
96 TR
Welded and damn proud of it
3/3/2004
Larry,
Sorry for taking so long to get you the
write-up
- crazy week after leaving Eric's. I am the original owner of a '96 with a little over 38,000 miles and you can add me to the list of cam failures (caught in time however by Eric Lehmann). I have religiously changed the oil three to four times a year exclusively with Mobil 1 since it's first change at 1000 miles (yes Eric, I know .... a little anal, but I figure it's cheap insurance). The car has not been raced/abused or otherwise beat on, however I do drive it as it was designed to be driven. I had NO outward signs of any problems with the engine (no ticking or other strange noises). But after reading about the rising number of failures I knew it was just a matter of time so I did my research into having the cams welded, reading the many reviews on the V8SHO site before picking Eric Lehmann to weld my cams.
After going
almost
a year wondering when cam failure might happen; doing the research on welding vs. Loctite; and basically worrying the entire time about when I'd have a candidate for the car garden - getting my SHO cams welded by Eric was the greatest relief a SHO owner can have.
What can I say, Eric did a great job! Everything as promised. I know he hates the praise, but he was great! Knows his stuff, genuinely concerned about these cars and one of the best
bargains
around for the peace of mind. If you're within driving distance (or towing distance) don't wait till it's too late - drag it, push it, carry it over to Eric's. In by 8:00 and out by 3:00 which was a little ahead of schedule even though I continually bugged him throughout the entire process with questions. Great guy! He even let me push him in the FUBAR car around the block! - (although my back still aches from that one).
I know for a fact now that I would have been documenting the car as an engine failure if I hadn't gotten the car to Eric as the #1 cam had 3/1000 play in the sprocket. When would it have failed? Who knows, but it would have happened. Now you can record me as a cam failure (fixed), engine saved, happy customer of Eric's and a lost customer of Ford's anytime in the future. And add my name to the class action suit - If my car with so few miles and as pampered a life had a bad cam, then I'm convinced.
Fritz Goetz
'96 Silver Frost
38,500 miles
Schaumburg IL
4/07/2004
Eric
is a
great
guy
and
knows
a
great
deal
of
SHOs!!
I
also
met
Larry
and
saw
his
famous
fogs
in the
grill
SHO,
what
another
great
person!!
Im
sure
Ill
keep
in
contact
with
E1
with
any
question
that I
may
have
regarding
the
Gen
III
cars.
Thanks
a
million
Eric
for
the
info
and
the
weld.
If you
need
to get
welded
please
see E1
and
check
out
his
famous
Shofa,
pretty
cool.
Billy(foesho2)
This
was
originally
posted
on
SHOCAGO
today.
U.L.
4/13/2004
Larry,
I
finally
got my
car to
Eric
Lehman
last
Saturday
to
have
the
cams
welded.
I had
made
the
appointment
about
3
weeks
prior.
Unfortunately
the
company
I
worked
for
closed
up 10
days
after
I made
the
appointment.
Eric's
charge
of
$450.00
is
extremely
reasonable,
but I
wasn't
sure
it
would
be a
good
time
to
spend
the
money.
What I
was
sure
of was
I did
not
want
to be
unemployed
and
making
payments
on a
car I
couldn't
drive
because
of a
cam
failure.
So I
bit
the
bullet
and
kept
the
appointment.
Because
it was
Easter
weekend
it got
a
little
hectic.
I
actually
dropped
the
car
off
about
5:30
on
Friday
evening
as I
had
other
commitments
for
Saturday.
I
didn't
get to
meet
Eric
when I
dropped
off
the
car.
My son
drove
me
back
to
Lombard
on
Saturday
afternoon
to
pick
up the
car.
We
spent
about
an
hour
talking
with
Eric.
During
the
cam
weld
process
Eric
also
replaced
a
broken
hose
(no
charge)
wrapped
and
insulated
the
wire
harness
along
with
the
welding.
Eric
is
truly
a
SHOhead.
He
knows
the
cars
and is
happy
to
share
his
knowledge
with
others.
Peace
of
mind
is
PRICELESS.
Pete
Roeters
4/22/2004
Larry,
You
can
add me
to the
list
of
another
happy
SHO
owner,
who
recently
had
his
cams
welded
4/17/04.
Eric
is a
VERY
intelligent
individual,
I
can't
say
enough
about
the
guy,
He
answered
ALL of
my
questions
and
even
explained
what
he was
doing
as he
was
doing
it,
I've
never
felt
so
relaxed
in
leaving
my
vehicle
w/ a
total
stranger,
he
treated
my car
as if
it
were
one of
his
own.
We
also
changed
2
coils,
being
I
drove
the
car
from
Kenosha
and
the
car
was
running
on 7
cylinders.
I just
bought
the
car
about
a
month
before
my
appointment,
and
the
dealer
I
bought
it
from
was
supposed
to
have
it
tuned
up w/
all
new
coils.
Upon
Eric
starting
his
teardown
it was
apparent
that
all
the
coils
were
not
changed,
and
the
plugs
other
than
being
the
wrong
ones,
were
barely
hand
tight.
I also
got to
meet
Larry
Eck
and
got to
see
his
"famous"
SHO
you
know
the
red
one
the
start
up up
page
of
V8SHO,
he
even
took
me to
pick
up
some
lunch,
thank's
again
Larry.
So if
anyone
who
lives
within
a
reasonable
radius
of the
Chicago
area,
and
has
not
had
there
cams
welded
yet no
fear
Eric
is
here!
Just a
class
first
class
guy
who
loves
these
cars
and is
VERY
reliable!
Mike
Baratta
Kenosha,WI
97'Red
SHO
welded
5/03/2004
Larry,
I just
took
my car
to
Eric
to
have
the
cams
welded
on May
1
2004,
after
reading
all
the
favorable
reviews
on
your
website.
I was
so
happy
to
learn
there
was
such a
knowledgeable
person
so
close
to me
to
take
care
of my
car.
Everything
Eric
said
he
would
do, he
did,
and
his
price
of
$450
is the
best
around.
I
don't
know a
lot
about
cars,
( Eric
can
certainly
verify
that)
but I
learned
a ton
just
talking
with
him.
All I
wanted
was to
feel
confident
driving
my
car.
This
is our
third
SHO, I
was so
excited
to get
the
V8,
then I
read I
was
driving
a time
bomb.
We
thought
about
getting
rid of
it,
but
there
just
isn't
anything
else
comparable
out
there
I want
to
drive.
So, I
am
$450
poorer,
and
the
happiest
mom on
the
road.
Eric
told
me
"Drive
it
like
you
stole
it" to
teach
it to
respond
quicker
and to
handle
better.
Well
now
that I
am so
much
more
confident,
I am
having
a
BLAST.
I
recommend
Eric
to
EVERYONE
who
hasn't
had it
done.
He
ABSOLUTELY
knows
what
he is
doing,
and my
car
feels
like
it's
brand
new!
Thank
You
Eric!!!!
When
you
go, do
not
leave
without
seeing
the
Shofa!!!
Jeannie
Autry
97
Silver
Frost
05.01.2004
89K
06/01/2004
Larry:
I have
not
forgotten
to
note
Eric's
cam
weld
work
on my
96 SHO
on
March
26-27.
Eric
was
able
(barely)
but
very
willing
to
begin
work
on my
96 SHO
immediately
upon
arriving
in
Chicago
on
Friday
evening,
only a
day
after
a
large
truck
shortened
the
back
end of
his
Jeep.
Eric's
work
involved
swapping
the
front/rear
sets
of
coils,
cleaning
the
surge
tank,
intakes,
and
butterflies,
welding,
oil
change,
and
answering
all of
my
questions.
(the
plugs
had
recently
been
changed).
Work was completed early Saturday afternoon - and the ride back to WI was surely a joy!
I
appreciate
all
information
on his
experience
with
the v8
engine
and
practical
advice
on its
care
and
feeding.
Eric's
diligence,
quality
of
work,
and
willingness
to
answer
questions
(and
seeing
the
SHOfa)
are
certainly
enough
to
earnestly
recommend
his
work
to
anyone
requiring
cam
welds.
Eric:
Any
recommendations
regarding
oil
changes
more
frequently
than
3K
miles?
Just
changed
mine
for
the
first
time
since
the
welding,
and
the
oil
seemed
a bit
dirty
-
relative
to my
frequent
2.5K
miles
max
between
changes
on my
'90
SHO.
You
may
recall
that
your
cleanup
of my
surge
tank,
intake,
and
butterflies
was
required
about
7 cans
of
Berrymans.
Is it
likely
that
additional
sludge
in the
crankcase
is
draining?
I also
have
some
rather
significant
squealing
seeming
to be
from
my
rotors
when
the
vehicle
initially
moved
when
cold -
I have
not
yet
examined
the
status
of the
brakes.
I
anticipate
brake/rotor
service
only,
but
should
I be
concerned
about
something
more
significant?
Another
question
- if
driving
steady
at
65-75mph
on
highway
(sometimes
in
cruise,
but
not
exclusively),
the
engine
will
rev
from a
constant
2200-2500
up
approx.
300
RPM
for
about
1
second,
then
back
to
2200-2500RPM.
Any
ideas?
Assuming
nothing
inherently
wrong
with
the
transmission,
I am
wondering
if
this
condition
is due
to the
tuning
of the
engine
response
based
on my
driving
upon
leaving
your
house?
I have
not
tried
to
retune
since
the
cam
weld.
I
enjoy
seeing
your
latest
efforts
on the
web
site -
when
next
in IL,
I may
stop
by to
see
your
latest
modifications.
P.S.
Larry,
I am
still
working
on
that
photo
for
the
next
version
of the
screen
saver
- I
will
attempt
to
obtain
a G.B.
Packers
"G"
placed
perfectly
on the
rear
window
of the
SHO -
however,
I am
sure
you
could
do the
same
with
the
Bears'
"C".
Although
I have
taken
little
time
to
implement
many
modifications
of the
SHO, (ATX
fluid
cooler
is in
the
garage,
saxocone
removal
will
be
next)
I have
noted
and
downloaded
much
of the
information
on the
website
- it
is an
excellent
resource.
Let me
know
if I
can
contribute
to
keeping
the
site
active.
Thanks,
Tracy
Reineking
96 SHO
TR
06/02/2004
Sorry
it
took
me so
long
to get
this
to you
but
time
seems
to fly
by.
I'm
happy
to say
that,
thanks
to
Eric
Lehman,
I
haven't
worried
about
my
cams
since
May
22nd.
And
like
Eric
told
me,
the
drive
home
was
the
best
drive
I'd
had in
my
beloved
SHO.
I knew
very
quickly
that I
had
the
right
guy
working
on my
car. I
bet I
asked
him a
question
every
10
seconds
for
about
7
straight
hours
and he
answered
each
one (I
would
have
killed
me
after
about
2
minutes).
Eric
is a
very
passionate
when
it
comes
to
these
cars
and we
are
lucky
that
he is
willing
to
help
us.
The
guy
does
unbelievable
work
for a
very
good
price.
The
$450
he
charged
is a
very
small
price
(investment)
to pay
for
cam
freedom
and
100K
maintenance.
I'd
recommend
Eric
to
anyone.
On a
side
note
to
anyone
considering
Eric -
after
he is
done
doing
his
magic,
not
only
should
you
ask
him to
pop
the
hood
on his
German
alcohol
fed
Thunder
Chicken,
ask
him to
start
it.
WOW
Thanks
Eric!!!
Joe
Wede
97 ES
- 84K
and
counting
9/27/04
Howdy
folks,
Well,
this
past
weekend,
I
finally
got to
take
one of
my
SHO's
to
Eric
Lehmann.
I
found
out
about
the
cam
problem
2
years
ago,
but
had
procrastinated
and
didn't
have
the
money
until
now to
get it
done.
It's
doubly
nerve
wracking
because
I have
2 of
them!
I left
Saint
Paul,
MN at
about
6:40
on
Friday
night.
I
arrived
at my
motel
in Oak
Brook
at
about
1am.
I got
up the
following
morning
at
about
7:15
and
arrived
at
Eric's
shortly
after
8am.
Eric
greeted
me at
the
door
and we
talked
about
cars,
kids,
the
SHOfa,
and
other
topics
for
about
20
minutes
before
Eric
backed
my car
into
his
garage
and
popped
the
hood.
He got
to
work
immediately,
and
had
most
of the
top-end
off
the
motor
with
the
cams
exposed
in
less
than
45
minutes.
My
engine
looked
pretty
clean
(Valvoline
5/30
synthetic
with
Purolator
PureOne
filter)
which
made
me
happy.
I
learned
a LOT,
including
potential
issues
with
the
wiring
harness
(and
what
it
actually
LOOKS
LIKE),
how
the
coils'
housings
crack,
and
proof
that
my
plugs
were
trashed
(although
Eric
said
the
car is
running
pretty
well
for
almost
100K
on
original
plugs).
I even
learned
that
most
TR
cars
are
all
different
colors!
Eric
also
checked
my
cams
to see
if
they
had
failed
(not
yet,
thank
God)
and
showed
me a
baby-failure
and
full
failure
cam
(scary!!!).
About
that
time,
Larry
Eck
stopped
by
with
the
newly
rebuilt
SOWHAT9.
Larry,
Eric
and I
chatted
for a
bit,
and we
looked
at
Larry's
resurrected
car
for a
few
minutes
and
discussed
transmission
coolers
(my
next
project).
Larry's
is
working
off an
indentured
servitude,
so he
helped
with
the
cleaning
of my
intakes,
etc.
We
talked
about
different
mufflers
and I
got to
hear
Larry's
bullet's
and
the
glasspacks
on one
of
Eric's
cars.
I hung
around
for
awhile,
and
watched
Eric
start
the
welding
process.
I
learned
that
our
cams
are
all
hand
stenciled
with
serial
numbers.
By
about
11:00,
hunger
got
the
better
of me,
so
Eric
loaned
me the
side-exhaust
SHO,
and I
toodled
down
Roosevelt
and
found
a
restaurant
to
have
some
food.
I then
stopped
at
Trader
Joe's
for
about
an
hour
(there
are
none
in MN)
and
drove
back
to
Eric's
to
check
on the
progress.
Some
observations
about
driving
the
side-exhaust:
1
Cherry
Bomb
Glasspacks
are
loud.
2
People
are
looking
around
for a
car
with
this
big
booming
V-8.
3 You
can
hear
all
the
rpm
changes
with
the
torque
converter.
4 You
get
off
the
throttle
when
passing
by
police.
A
little
much
for my
taste,
but I
did
enjoy
cruising
around
in it
for a
bit.
I got
back
to
Eric's
a
little
before
2 and
he was
finishing
up
already!
We
filled
out a
little
paperwork,
looked
at the
rest
of the
old
plugs
(way
gone),
and
talked
a
little
more.
I got
my
requisite
picture
on the
SHOfa,
then
asked
for a
ride
in his
Thunderbird.
For
those
of you
who
don't
know,
let me
tell
you a
little
about
this
gem of
a
car.
It
looks
like a
typical
non-descript
early
90's
T-Bird.
Only
the
mellow
exhaust
rumble
and
the
Daimler-Benz
"KOMPRESSOR"
badge
on the
trunk
are
present
to
warn
kids
in
their
VTEC
Acura's
that
this
may
not be
the
best
car to
mess
with.
But
under
the
hood,
is a
blown
302
with
other
mods,
and
this
car
flat
out
HAULS.
Eric
took
me for
a
jaunt
and we
did a
1/6 to
1/4
mile
to
really
show
me how
much
this
car
scoots.
AWESOME!
I was
out of
there
around
2:45,
as a
much
happier
camper.
No
more
nervousness
about
spontaneous
engine
implosion
(at
least
on
this
car),
and
yes,
the
car
runs
stronger
and
smoother
than
before.
I
stopped
by my
wife's
uncle
and
aunt's
house
nearby
before
heading
back
to the
Twin
Cities
at
about
4:40pm.
After
asking
Eric
about
it, I
put 87
octane
in the
car
for
the
first
time,
and
yes,
it
does
run
fine
folks.
I
arrived
home
at
10:35pm,
only
26
hours
after
I
left.
Tired,
but
happier
about
my car
than I
have
been
for a
long
time.
I will
be
back
with
my
wife's
TR as
soon
as I
have
the
cash
(and
Eric
has
the
time).
We
only
pray
that
her
car
will
remain
intact
until
then.
Some
final
observations:
Eric
is a
class
act
and
does a
tremendous
service
for
our
community.
I
learned
as
much
about
our
cars
on
Saturday
as I
had
the
previous
5+
years
I have
owned
SHO's.
Larry
is
also
an
amazing
person
and
deserves
much
credit
for
maintaining
this
list
and
our
website.
It was
great
to
meet 2
of the
many
fine
folks
who
populate
this
list.
They
made
me
proud
again
to own
SHO's
after
feeling
somewhat
upset
for
buying
two of
these
cars
once I
learned
of the
cam
issue.
Thank
you
Larry
for
your
hard
work.
And
thank
you
Eric,
for
servicing
my
car,
providing
valuable
information
and
technical
expertise
for
our
group,
and
for
the
great
ride
in
your
T-Bird!
Eric
sent
me
pics
of the
work
too!
I know
there's
more
stuff
that I
wanted
to
share,
but
can't
think
of it
right
now.
Cheers!
David
Jones
'96 SF
(welded
by
Eric
on
9/25/04)
'97 TR
(will
be
welded
by
Eric
in
'05)
*blush* Thanks Man
U.L.
10/09/2004
Larry,
I'm
writing
to
give
Eric
Lehmann
the
highest
recommendation
concerning
the
cam
weld
procedure
he
performed
on my
white
1999
SHO in
August
of
2004.
Unfortunately,
I was
not
able
to
make
the
trip,
but my
father
drove
from
K.C.
to
Lombard
and
was
highly
impressed
with
his
knowledge
of the
SHO's.
My
father
(a
mechanical
engineer)
is not
impressed
easily,
but he
had
only
the
highest
remarks
for
Eric's
professionalism.
I
would
recommend
Eric
to my
family
or
friends,
as
well
as
anyone
thinking
of
getting
their
cams
welded.
It
still
wonder
how he
does
all
that
work
for
just
$450.00,
but I
guess
he has
a true
love
for
these
vehicles.
I also
want
you to
know
V8sho
calmed
my
nerves
in
providing
vital
information
on
choosing
who
would
perform
the
procedure.
Thank
you
Eric
and
V8sho.
Healthfully,
Cale
Van
Cleave
99
white
(welded
cams)
92 red
02/06/2005
He did
the
1998
SHO we
own.
Perfect,
along
with
the
satisfaction
of
knowing
our
car
wont
end up
in a
junkyard.
Pulls
nicer
now
that
its
clean.:)
Took a
while
to
convince
my dad
to
weld,
but
after
he
learned
about
Eric,
he had
no
problem
letting
him
work
on his
pride
and
joy.
He
also
did my
1997
SHO.
Perfect
yet
again,
his
knowledge,
and
banter
make
the
day
fun,
and
watching
him
put
his
expertise
to
work
is
awesome.
One
very
satisfied
SHO
family.
Jon
Martinucci
1998
Silver
Frost
1997
Ebony
Satin
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Gullette <charlesgullette@gmail.com>
To: Larry@v8sho.com
Sent: Sun, 10 Jul 2005 20:38:06 -0500
Subject: A thanks and some other stuff...
Hi Larry,
Hope all is well.
I just wanted to write a note to anyone else out there that may have the Ford Taurus SHO (applicable years for cam issues) and wondering if they really "need" to get the cams welded.
I just want to say:
DO IT NOW!!
DON'T WAIT!!
DON'T THINK "everything is fine".
I have to admit, to be humble, that I was skeptical; but after hearing my car
sound like a diesel engine for several hundred miles and then having Eric
Lehmann weld the cams, I am a believer!! It purrs like a kitten and roars like a
lion now!!! What was it you guys said?..oh yeah...drive it like you stole it!! I
can do that now!
Oh and is it ever nice!!!
Eric told me that I was one more key turn from several thousand dollars worth of engine repairs. After seeing what I saw and now knowing what I know, I have absolutely no reason to believe otherwise.
To add just a bit more; I thought my beautiful lady friend (Kathy) had an interesting observation on Eric Lehmann during our visit.
"No matter how upset Eric is at Ford for allowing these engines to continue to run without admitting there is a problem, he is passionate about these SHO's!"
Sounds like - Love the sinner; hate the sin!! Kudos to you Eric.
To anyone interested in getting their cams welded, wherever you are: Call Eric Lehmann in Lombard, IL. He is extremely knowledgeable, extremely passionate, inexpensive by comparison and just one heck of an all around nice guy. Way worth the trip.
Kind regards,
Charles
Peoria, IL
P.S.
In the words of many wise men before me:
"I have been to the "SHOFA"; and it is good"
7/25/05
Hey Eric,
Just wanted to say thanks again for a job well done. The car ran great on the way home.
Well thanks again man, and keep in touch. I just wanted to tell you that everyone in my family and friends, including my girlfirend, thought I was nuts for taking my car all the way to you, but I guess I SHOed them huh? LOL. Well take care, and if you still come across a throttle box for me, let me know please.
Thanks
Your Friend
Steve
05/27/06
Hi Larry
You can add my name to the folks who had their cams welded by Eric Lehmann. I bought my 97 Silver frost (117,000 miles) in Dec. 05 last year and only put on about 150 miles in 6 months. I was terrified to drive it because of the Cam issues. I did some checking on to who was one of the more
knowledgeable people in welding Cams. Well, everything kept pointing to Eric Lehmann. The best part; He lives only 20 minutes from me! How lucky is That! Well I brought the Sho to him on Sat. May 13th. at 8:00am sharp and picked it up at 3:30pm the same day. The relief I felt knowing the cams were welded was unbelievable. Talking to Eric you can see how passionate he is about the Sho. By the way his Rose Mist Sho in his garage is Beautiful! I highly recommend contacting Eric Lehmann if your cams aren't welded yet.
Jeff Fry
97' Silver Frost
Cams now Welded
1/4/07
Subject: PVC pipe ram air..35 MPG on recent trip
Just kiddin of course, just thought this was a good attention getter. I just wanted to write to everyone out there who is unwelded. This last weekend I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Eric Lehman in Illinois who welded my cams. This man is an absolute genius when it comes to these cars. At first I was very apprehensions about letting someone else touch my car, but Eric and his amazing attention to detail blew my fears right out of the water. I'm tellin ya folks, for the money and the overall experience this man really is the best bang for the buck. All I'm saying is if this man can put up with me, my questions, and my quest for knowledge for over 8 hrs.... he can handle anything and deserves a medal. He really has a way of putting things in Lehman's terms (pun intended of course). The best drive I ever had in my car was the drive home when I knew that I no longer needed to worry about a cam failure. On top of that, the much needed tune-up that Eric performed on my car did absolute wonders for my performance. From what I hear the 120,000 miles on the original spark plugs is a good long life. I'll tell ya, those Bosch platinum +4's really did the trick. All in all folks don't wait another minute thinking about getting welded, just do it before you become another one of the growing failure population. To steal a saying, all and all I must say good form sir. If anyone has any questions about the entire experience please don't hesitate to write me off list and I'd be happy to answer any questions.
Jon Gore
'98 TR - 120K - welded (Finally)
Cone filter
Exhaust mods
other mods
________________________________________________________________________
04/12/2007
Larry,
Thankfully, I got my cams welded Saturday by Eric Lehmann. He is awesome when it comes to gen 3 SHO's. After 2 minutes of looking at my car, he knew more about it than I did after 2 months. He had the top of the engine off and down to the cams in no time. He could tell by the serial numbers on the cams that one set had already been replaced at some point, but fortunately, there was no walk at all on either set, and the engine was pretty clean, so it was smooth sailing. He was cleaning and checking everything, all the while explaining to me what he was doing, why he was doing it, and what to watch out for in the future.
As he dug deeper, he suspected that my engine had already been a victim of a cam failure, seeing as the cam numbers were mismatched, the heads had different amounts of wear on them, and somebody had been that deep into the engine before. Surprise, surprise, that wasn't on the carfax report, neither was the repaired front end collision that Eric also pointed out. In those first two minutes, he noticed a difference in the headlights, and the fact that the drivers side strut tower had been moved and re-welded. The stickers missing from underneath the hood was another sign.
I have some previous experience with machining, welding, and engineering, and I was pleasantly surprised at just how extensive Eric's knowledge was in regards to those areas. The amount of time he has put into researching the cam problem, including the solutions, is astounding. Throw in the time he's spent on researching the best oil filters, oil, and plugs, and you have someone who knows SHO's. He truly has a passion for the V8 SHO's. He treated my car as if it was his own.
I was in by 8, out by 2:30. I knew my car was in good hands when I pull up and see 3 SHO's in the driveway, not to mention the immaculate Rose Mist SHO in the garage. I can't even remember all the things he was telling me about my car, but I can't forget the SHOfa, it's what legends are made of....and I want a computer chair just like his, if you've seen it, than you know what I mean. Eric is one of the nicest guys I've ever met, and handled my 500 questions flawlessly. His attention to detail, and wealth of knowledge helped put my mind at ease immediately. I would recommend him to anyone, and everyone, looking to get their cams welded, even if there is someone closer, Eric is well worth the drive. I could go on for days, but I think you get the point.
As for results, it's like I have a new car. The ride home was the best yet. I was doing 85 on the freeway and it felt like the car wanted to go faster. I really had to watch myself. I have the peace of mind knowing I am now able to drive my SHO like it was meant to driven....with a smile and an open throttle.
Thanks again Eric, I am no longer afraid to drive my SHO.
subdermalpiercing@yahoo.com
____________________________________________________________________
5/02/2007
Hi Larry,
I'm writing to let you know i enjoyed meeting you this past Saturday at Eric
Lehmann's when he welded my cams. He is one awesome guy. I have to say that my
hood wasn't up 2 minutes and he could already tell someone had worked on it
previously. Apparently someone had already put in new injectors, a new coil and
1 new plug in #1. He also mentioned that my engine was very clean and there was
no play in the sprockets. I'd also like to mention that even though I ran into
some trouble getting home I really enjoyed the 700 mile trip back to my home in
Stephens City, VA. It turns out I ended up with a flat and I couldn't find one
anywhere. I ran it all the way home on the donut. I did feel very reassured
though, knowing that the cams had been welded. Oh, and i also got to see Eric's
"shofa". That was something! (LOL) He even helped me out by fixing some other
things too. He fixed my shifter because the button wouldn't release. He also
fixed my entry system by going underneath the dash and getting the numbers. Oh,
and I really like the CD changer he sold me out of the SHO he was parting out.
He was nice enough to put that in for me too!! I can't say enough about him,
he's such a nice guy. I really enjoyed meeting him and his wife as well. She was
very nice too. I just want to thank him again for the hard work he did on my
car, I really do appreciate it Eric, thank you so much!
Bob Miller
97 Silver Frost 90,000
Cams Welded 4/28/07.
4/28/07
______________________________________________________________________
As many of you know, I'm a professional musician. I spend about 7~8 months a
year on the road, traveling between live or recording dates. Many times in my
industry, plans change suddenly........for many reasons. People in
"entertainment" are notorious procrastinators, poor management/artist
communication, opportunity, obligations, etc.
Well, I was in Nashville for the last 10 days or so, having booked several
"sessions" back-to-back to make the most of my time in town. I had driven my car
as I carried part of my own rig to record with. I'm kinda partial to my own
stuff and I program most of my own "sounds". Being in the business for a number
of years (old fart), I've come to expect change....it's the one of the few
things in my industry that remains constant. Anyways.......an artist that had
booked me for a session over the weekend wound up having to cancel.....actually,
he turned out to be a complete flake but, that's another story.
Being one to make the most of opportunity, it occurred to me that I suddenly had
about 3 days free (Fri~Sun) and I immediately called my friend Eric Lehmann as I
needed to have my cams welded and other services performed. I had planned the
cam weld many times in the past with several vendors but, because of the
aforementioned aspect of change or schedule conflicts, I've had to cancel each
time. I figured if Eric could make a space for me, sometime during the weekend,
I was 7 hours from Chicago instead of 14 from Ft. Worth. Sure enough, he had
Sunday available.......more than enough time for me to finish up in Nashville,
drive to Chicago, have some quality (read, beer) time with the Lehmanns and the
Ecks and get the car worked on, Sunday.
I got to Chicago Friday night, checked into the hotel and got to bed early (for
me) at 3AM. After arriving at Eric's early Saturday afternoon, I observed as he
was welding/servicing a car and talked to him about the surgery he was about to
perform on mine. I was struck by the amount of attention he paid to
detail.......and the patient explanation.
On to dinner.........myself, Larry & Heather meet back at the Lehmann's for
drinks before dinner.....then, reservations for 5 at 7PM at Sal Carvao.....a
Brazilian restaurant. Famous for the waiters that roam the room with skewers of
broiled meats and swords to slice/serve it. An experience I'll look forward to
repeating. I left stuffed..........and amazed at how such a little person like
Heather could consume that volume of martinis and still walk & talk....lol!
Sunday morning, Larry and Eric start work on my car before I manage to stumble
out of bed. By the time I get there (noon), they're done welding and almost
finished cleaning my really filthy intake. Larry & I make a quick trip to the
AutoZone for a K&N and return to "Porterize" the intake and replace the cabin
air filter. I find Eric installing the new phenolic spacers onto the LIM and
reassembling everything. Shortly after returning, Larry has to leave for home
(Wisconsin) as Monday morning will come early. All that remains is the final
test drive.....we find smoke on our return and upon inspection, determine it is
Berryman's/excess oil, spilled on the rear exhaust manifold during the cleaning
process and decide to drive it again until it stops.....and it does.
The thing I notice, first off, is the immediate throttle response and the new
"growl" that's a by-product of the fresh, clean "Porterized" intake. At 3400 &
up, it's an unmistakable howl. After the final test drive, we return to find
Kris grillin' burgers and sausages. Pronouncing the job "done" we down the
necessary number of beers and critique her cooking technique. Not wanting her to
throw ALL the food at us, we decide to finish the critique AFTER we eat.
Seriously, I can't think of a better way to kill a weekend. Friends, food, beer,
more food, more beer, and somewhere in there a first-rate cam-weld service that
gives me great peace of mind. As a by-product.......my fuel mileage on the way
home (14 hours) averaged an incredible 27.4 mpg. Considering the fact that I had
the cruise set at 80 (an occasional burst above) and A/C on the whole way (I did
no worse than 11 gallons per 300 miles driven), I'm really pleased. My thanks to
the Lehmann's & the Ecks who, on a moments notice, made time for
me.........graciously.
Rex in Ft. Worth
'99 SF
73k
Mods
Welded
______________________________________________________________________________
Was great hooking up with Rex for some quality garage hanging out time as it was
to meet another SHO Owner Bob Miller from VA who also was welded. But I did have
other chores I had to attend to Sunday afternoon....
Yup quality hang time with Wills was the order of the remainder of the day! I think he's listening to Whiskey Girl, but not sure!
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