updated 2/17/03, 2/26/03, 2/27/03, 2/28/03, 3/25/03, 6/8/03,7/1/03,10/21/2003, 11/10/2003, etc
08/24/2007
I made it!!!
As it turns out, the noise was caused by a dislodged EGR. This caused a small
hole to open up just behind my headers, which is why the car sounded like it did
when it started up. I've got to admit...had it not been for the metallic rattle
of the loose EGR under throttle and the loss of power, I liked the sound!
Exhaust modifications will certainly be in my future once I've taken care of
more important things (Like new ball joints and an auxilliary tranny cooler). On
that note...
I know where I'm going to get the work done. Doug's shop is simply awesome, and
the whole staff at FPS treated both my car and I extremely well. I have never
seen a more impressive car collection, and the experience was definitely worth
the trip. There simply isn't anything they cannot do with a car. As an example,
Doug showed me a '79 ford pickup with a complete Mustang GT 4.6 liter drivetrain,
complete with 5 speed manual! I saw supercharged Gen II's, and actually got a
chance to talk to one of the Gen II drivers who received a Bondurant racing
motor while his car was serviced. I saw 2 of the most beautiful Gen 2 SHO's I'd
ever seen, one of which had barely over 30,000 miles on it. I won't even start
on the mustang collection...If you like Ford performance vehicles, you have to
see this place...even if you don't have anything wrong with your car. I did,
however....
What a long day. I was up at 3 a.m. to make the drive from Charleston, SC to
Atlanta. Got there slightly after 8, and spent the entire day at the shop. I
came in with the staff, and left with them :) While I was there I got the EGR
fixed, got the cams welded, and had various brand new engine gaskets installed.
The pricing was very reasonable considering the amount of work that was done,
and Doug was a gracious host. When the fun was over, it was back to Charleston.
I arrived home around midnight, after a 20 minute stop for gas in which I
answered several questions about my car from complete strangers. I was up for
nearly 24 hours, and was dog-tired. Now, on to how Doug keeps prices low...
He makes very good use of his resources. He showed me a heater that he uses in
the winter that runs off of waste oil from oil changes...if only he had an AC
unit that does likewise! The facility has an AC system, but it is a former
warehouse that is not insulated, so it would jack up his overhead costs if he
ran it. However, the 100+ degree internal temperatures in the building might
make it worth it... Regardless, if you're going to go spend some time there, go
when it's cool out if you can! At the very least, bring a cooler and dress
light! As a former college football player, I'm used to hot conditions...but
even I felt a little drained after that one. I don't see how those guys do it.
All stories aside, if you want the work to your SHO done right and you're in the
Southeast, definitely go check out FPS. I'm headed back over when I get my next
quarterly bonus.
I also want to thank everyone for being so helpful and for taking such a
personal interest in my situation. If I can ever do likewise, I certainly will.
Now, a question...
I ripped my K & N Panel Filter out of my old '98 SE when it died, and the SHO
uses the same stock airbox as the SE. I'm going to clean it up with the kit and
throw it in. When I blew the motor, it ejected oil onto the filter, but with a
good cleaning Doug said it would be useable as long as it didn't have any holes.
Lacking money for better intake options, I'm definitely going to install this,
but I was wondering if there were any other ideas to make it even better. I've
heard about drilling the airbox, but I would hesitate to do something like that,
as I know what conditions feel like under my hood. Eventually intake and exhaust
modifications are in my future, and Doug and I had a very preliminary discussion
about that while I was there. I'm certainly not an expert by any means, but it
would appear to me that the real performance bottleneck in the stock setup is
the intake, not the exhaust (although it is very restrictive). Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Nick De Primio
'97 ES
WELDED
K&N panel filter going in tonight...
________________________________________________________________
06/29/2007
Just returned home from having my cams welded and 100k service at FPS in
Atlanta. Nothing but good things and kudos to Doug and his crew. All very
friendly and very informative with what they had done and what should be done.
Anyone thinking of making the trip to Atlanta for welded cams or anything else,
highly recommended! I will definitely be returning. I'm sure other list
members had like experiences at FPS, so I'm just adding my service satisfaction
to the list.
William Mullen 1997 Green
northgajaguar@windstream.net
*Ed Note* As this thread started in 2002 I chose to update with newer
information at the top. Of course feel free to scroll through all the comments.
Doug does amazing work.
U.L.
____________________________________________________________________________
9/16/02
Most of you know this already, but after the experience I had last week with FPS I wanted to publicly thank Doug Lewis and his team in Douglasville Ga. These guys are true professionals!
I took my 96 down to FPS last week for the 100K service plus Cam Weld. A 1,000 miles round trip! It was the best experience I have EVER had with a car shop. I have driven SHOs for the past 9 years, so you know that I have spent plenty of time and money in repair shops.
From Connie at the front desk, "Mr. Ed" in the shop, to the man himself Doug Lewis, everyone treated me fantastically. They performed the work they said they would, at the price they said they would do it.
Bottom line: they were honest, and fair priced.
During my road test with Doug, I told him that with the reputation that FPS has they could afford to be jerks, but it was quite the opposite!!
Thanks again Doug, Connie, and Ed!
Eric Eaton
96 SF w/ Welded Cams!
9/17/02
Just got back from FPS in Douglasville, Ga. I have never had a problem since
I bought my SHO new in '96, but why take a chance. Like others have stated, the
experience I had at FPS was well worth the money and the 900 mile round trip. I
had the cams welded, new plugs installed, and oil changed. The only thing they
need around there is a couch. After you go to the family restaurant across the
street and have one of their family breakfasts, you're looking for a couch when
you get back to the shop. In less than four hours they had me back on the road
to Indiana. I highly recommend Doug and his staff to anyone who wants their SHO
serviced.
Greg Bachert
9/17/02
I tend to be redundantly paranoid, (and slightly distrustful). Most of the time when I visit FPS they have found other things to repair. I have had to take a close look at this and wonder whether they were watching out for me or themselves, (given my experience with Ford dealers). After 3-4 very positive visits I have come to greatly respect & trust FPS. Every time they do find something, (exhaust leak, bad ATX pump shaft, ect) it was absolutely necessary, and I am grateful they found it and fixed it on the spot.
I mention this because FPS is a wonderful place to have a SHO expert give your car a once, twice, three times over. I have never found them less than less than 100% honest and capable. (I guess the % honest missing from Ford dealerships had to go somewhere) My other point is to have them thoroughly check out your car is NOT a bad thing. They have saved me bundle of grief & bucks time and time again. The last point is (put your self in their situation) FPS is loathsome to have a SHO leave their shop in half-asp condition. At 70-100k your SHO could have problems you don't know about. FPS can & does have a way of finding those problems. (Thank God) Every time I visit FPS I assume they may find something else that I will want them to fix. Much better FPS fix the problems then the Tools r' Us rejects in your own home town.
FPS has taken a whole day to weld my cams and do misc PM. I guess they have done so many they have gotten a lot faster & better at it, or maybe I take so long just because I am a redundantly paranoid, PITA. I don't even know if they have the time to do unscheduled repairs they way they are working now. But, I recommend if you are making the pilgrimage to FPS to allow a little extra time & bucks for the unexpected, you will be glad you did. One last point, they have a good collection of spare parts. When my IMRC was toast, a new one would have been $200 and 2 weeks from Ford. Doug made me a hell of an offer on a used one he had in stock, got me back on the road, the same day, for a lot less bucks than if I had to wait for new parts.
I don't think my experience is that different than most folks. I have been accused of being a FPS fan. Ok, I plead guilty. I have yet to met the first guy to return from FPS unhappy. Most folks get a legal high driving home knowing their cams will not fail. It is a long drive, you get tired, it costs money but having your cams welded is among the top 5 feelings in the world, and I will not list the others, thank you. ;-)
Have them flush the PS, check suspension, charge the AC, do a general PM. It is an opportunity you don't want to pass up.
re: couch. I had them drop me off at the local multiplex for a few hours. I called them about every 2 hours in case they needed my permission to fix anything they found. They aren't too many shops I trust that much. Most shops I want to watch the mechanic like a hawk, hope they don't drop my car off the lift, or worse.
Buford
I just returned from my trip to FPS. I had them do the 100K valve adjustment and cam weld. We replaced the back 4 coils. ON the road trip home, I had to stop and replace the front four coils in Washington D.C... failed on the road. Doug gave me a break on the coils, but the Lincoln Mercury dealer didn’t.
Side note: I had the frame rail extensions welded on also. It seemed to stiffen it up a lot, along with a number of other little *Aw-Schytes* we found on the car during inspection, like the sub-frame bolts being loose. Mr. Ed, Connie, and Doug.. Yer a great gang of folks.
TO RON PORTER: Yes an A/C clutch can be done in the car on the Gen 3, it involves disconnecting the sub-frame and jacking it up and down to get the various bolts and connectors loose. If I had only known!
The way Mr. Ed pulls an intake off, only takes about 20 minutes to strip it down for a plug change, and a lot fewer busted knuckles! I will provided information on this if anyone wants to hear it.
Al Primm
Welded and melded, 135K
Back in Tyngsboro, MA.
more than a couple mods now.
That is entirely consistent with my FPS experiences. They will give your car a good look over, and if they find something "You may want fix" is is something you really should fix. That doesn't' mean they are running up a bill or even mean they need the extra business. Let someone else do it later and it will cost a lot more and the quality of work will be less.
I recommend folks who visit budget extra time and funds to allow for such contingencies. It hads always been a good deal for me.
Buford
On 100K Tune up and Cam weld:
The 100K Valve adjustment is ~550$ by itself, plus 15$ apiece for any shim
they don’t have, or is opened new. Old shims are flipped over and reused where
possible since so many sizes are no longer being stocked (Out of Production) If
they have to order shims, be prepared to stay over an extra day or two.
The 100K tune up, complete is ~700$ plus shims.. if ALL shims get replaced with
new, it comes out to about 1299$. I needed 8 new ones. It should include Tranny
filter and oil. Oil change. Intake system flush, Fuel Filter change, Serpentine
belt replace, new plugs.
The cam weld, in conjunction with the 100K is only 100$ extra since they have to
tear down to exactly the same point to do the valve adjustment.
I made an appointment for a Monday, and was there at 830AM. It was all finished
by 5. There is a Holiday Inn express about 2 miles up the road (Exit 34 off of
I-20). More importantly there is a HOOTERS across the street from the hotel as
well as KFC, McD's and WalMart, etc.... and a nice home style cafe across the
street from FPS. Its open from 7AM till 230 PM.
If, as in my case, you need coils they are extra. I suggest you go ahead and get
8 new and less expensive ones. I had to replace all 8 on my car to get home.
Doug cut me a deal and charged me only 150@ and the L-M dealer charged 198@... I’m
sure you can get them for less. I on the other hand was unprepared for that, and
had to pay the price.
While I was there, I got the sub-frame connectors installed. Each install is a
custom fit, due to the way the car is built. I like them, but its a personal
choice.
The best part was being able to stand there and watch Mr. Ed, and talk to him..
ok.. GRILL him... while he works. It is informative and he doesn’t mind
talking. Also there isn’t much else to do while you wait. Doug takes you out
for a test drive afterwards and if you have questions, this is the time to get
them answered. He is pretty busy with other stuff during the day, on the phone
most of it, while Ed does the work on the SHO's.
the cost to me was:
$1279 for the Cam weld, 100K tune up plus shims and the Sub-frame connectors.
$700 for the first four Coils from Doug.
$1000 for the second set from the L-M dealer in Washington D.C.
Call FPS, talk to Connie, and she can explain it all.
Al Primm
PS: Let me add here, if you have the 100K tune up in addition to the weld, you get NEW Valve cover gaskets.
10/11/02
Just a note to say thanks to you, Ed, Bob, Connie and the rest of the guys! I could not have been more pleased with your sincerity, honesty and technical abilities. As soon as I got home on Tuesday after the 5.5 hour drive, I called my 89 year old Grandfather to tell him about my experience at your shop. My Grandfather is a retired Ford and Chevy mechanic that has more than 40 years of knowledge working on cars-he was pleased about your abilities and open bay policy. He said that it sounded like the old days when mechanics knew what they were doing and were not afraid of letting people see them work on their car rather than hiding them from everything. Again thanks for everything and I will sing the praises of FPS everywhere I go.
Sincerely,
Tim Dove
99 SHO
10/21
This is getting to be redundant but I wanted to pass along my experience at FPS. What a great bunch of people. I have had my '97 now for three years without a problem but like some others have stated... why take the chance. So, I took Monday off and set out on the 350 mile trip to Douglasville. After a nights sleep at the Holiday Inn Express down the street from FPS I was up and at the shop by 8:15. I was scheduled to have the cams welded, oil changed and the PS flushed. All were performed without a hitch and I was back on the road headed home by 2:30.
While I was sitting on one of their not so comfortable chairs I started to think was I nuts for driving 350 miles just to have someone work on my car? Absolutely NOT. If anyone is thinking twice about having it done... DON'T. These guys know what they are doing and it showed in all the people coming in from miles around. One guy there even drove 900 miles each was just to have Doug work on his F-250! Anyway, just wanted to put my two cents in.
J.P. Maydak
'97 ES
10/26/02
Got back from FPS yesterday! Cams welded, seatbelt fixed (the boys sat next to each other the whole way home, guess out of habit), 100k tune up, K&N (I splurged), new battery (optima), and other various stuff done. The stealth drove back smoooooooooooth as silk! On our way Monday afternoon, we stopped in Pensacola to go swim, and saw a silver Gen III parked off of Pensacola Blvd. We drove out beyond Pensacola to go to the beach. Pulled into the dead parking area off of the beach, and parked next to….. a Gen III Black SHO (Indiana plates) . No owners nearby, so we started walking to the beach. The owners were coming up the boardwalk as we were going down, and their kids were yelling "look mommy!! A SHO just like ours!" So, we met, and talked. They were aware of the cam problem, but didn’t know about v8sho.com. Now they do!
Got to Georgia that evening, and took my baby into FPS Tues. morning, There were two other SHO’s there getting welded (from Kentucky and New York), along with SHO’s strewn about the parking lot (SHO heaven!). Doug needed to keep the car until Wed. afternoon, and then he took me on the TEST DRIVE. WOOOOOOO! I was warned to buckle my seatbelt! We beat the 18 wheeler! Need I say more? Loaded up the boys and my dad in the car, and started home to TX. Got home safe and sound last night, to 882 messages in the inbox from v8shoer’s. Now we are ready for the LSSHO club Fall Run next weekend!
Pamela Lee
97black- CAMS WELDED!!!
95 white- "Bullet-proof"
I just got back from FPS and thought I would share some observations.
Best regards,
W. Jay Kellogg
Buford
I have just returned from FPS having my cams welded on my 96 SHO with 115,000+ miles. The experience was worth both the money and the 500 mile round trip drive. I had not experienced a camshaft failure but every time I drove my SHO I was wondering if this would be the last time. The professionals at FPS truly know the meaning of customer service. Ford should take a lesson. Doug and staff were very helpful and answered all my questions and gave me a lot of helpful advice on the care of my SHO. When they were doing the teardown, it was discovered that one of my cam sprockets had actually begun to slip...talk about relief. I am so glad that I did not wait any longer to have this done. I
can't brag enough on the job done by Doug and crew at FPS. Just being around folks who actually know something about a SHO was a great experience.
TIM ADAIR
96 SHO
2/26/03
Went to FPS and had my cams welded 2/25/03. Brad did a great job. They put in new plugs, change oil [ my oil , their filter] and cleaned everything up for $568 and some change. Beautiful welds, excellent attention to details, and great conversation. Arrived at 8am [with an appointment] was ready to go at 2pm. Needless to say I was very pleased and impressed and will return for my 100k despite the 1000m round trip. Unless they open a shop closer. THANK YOU v8sho.com and all the folks at FPS
RICKY PETTIGREW
98silver
welded and well at ease
Buford,
I had a great opportunity to get my cams welded while on a business trip to Albany, GA, so I scheduled it with FPS in Douglasville, GA for 18 Feb. It took two hours and three neighbors to dig my 99 SHO out of the 2 feet of snow we had in the DC area over that weekend, but I got onto I-95 South and 10 hours later arrived at the Ramada Limited in Douglasville. At 8:15 AM the next morning I got over to FPS and Brad began working on it right away. He said that this car had to be the dirtiest SHO he'd ever had in the shop! Once he got the cams welded, Doug Lewis brought me into the garage and showed me the welds and told me the engine looked good with no effects of hard driving and no evidence of any slippage on the cam shafts (mileage was exactly 58,000). Once Brad replaced the plugs and changed the oil, Doug took me for a 115 mph test drive on I-20. Everything was great and the total was only $558 of which I'll more than cover from the government rate of .36 a mile for my trip to the Marine Base in Albany, GA. :) The FPS folks have done over 400 cam welds so they know what they are doing when it comes to these SHO's and you can definitely trust them even though they offer no warranty with their work.
I now have piece of mind while driving my SHO and with regular transmission flushes this car should last a long time! Thanks FPS for a job well done. Now if they can just make their waiting room a little bit more comfortable...
Doug Mount
Dumfries, VA
99 SHO Black
FPS cams welded at 58K
PS - Here's a couple pics of my experience.
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2/28/03
A friend and I went last Sunday, to Georgia to get my baby's cams welded. We stayed in the wonderful Lee's Motel. "5 star let me tell ya" I wont go too far into the motel :( . We tried to get some beer, only to find out that you cant buy beer on Sunday's.
Oh well, Monday was great. A huge thanks to Doug, Brad, and Connie for the services provided. We dove from Pope AFB in NC, and it was well worth it. Welds, flowmasters, tranny and p/s service, tire balance, and an alignment all in a day. I did find out that I had a bad tire and 2 slightly bent rims, damn Fayetteville roads. After all the work we went for a 120 mph test on I 20, I couldn't help but smile. We also took a ride in a 93 or 94 or 95??? supercharged 3.2, this thing was a monster. I liked mine more though.
The drive home was great. No worries. The hum of the flowmasters almost made me fall asleep. ( I wasn't driving.) All together... $919.00 for everything. Not bad.
Again, thank you all at FPS, I'll be back for a FPS tranny and maybe a superch....? My resource advisor (wife) wont go for that.
Matt Hempfling
97 black/grey
welded finally!
3/25/03
Tim,
This past Friday, 03/21/2003) I took my 99 V8SHO to Ford Performance Service in Douglasville, GA (770) 949-7191, to have the cams welded and a couple of SES issues corrected. I can't say enough good things about Doug Lewis and his crew. The feeling of security is well worth the money. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but these guys deserve it.
Jerry Duke
- Savannah, GA
4/03/03
RE: FPS Cam Weld Experience
I would like to add my appreciation to that previously expressed to Doug Lewis, Brad and Connie at FPS. Spent two days in and out of their shop in Douglasville while they performed a few modifications in
addition to the cam weld. Enjoyed the experience. How often can we say that when it comes to car repairs? Brad explained what he was doing as he went. Very beneficial. Car runs extremely well now, even without the switch thrown ;<) Well worth the trip from West Texas.
BTW, for those SHO owners delaying the weld, please consider this. The sprocket on my back exhaust was loose and had moved about 1/8 inch. Absolutely no noise yet. I'm a very lucky guy and I truly do appreciate that fact. Thanks again.
Jim Bledsoe
Lubbock, TX
I have to give props to all the fine folks at FPS in Douglasville, Ga. I headed up there Wed. afternoon, and arrived in Douglasville around 11:30 pm. I had my appointment at 8:00 am Thursday. I left the car there, and they told me it would probably be done Friday after 12:00. I planned for that, and got a rental car and hotel room until Fri. afternoon. Lots of other SHO's there, of all gens. Saw about 5 Gen III's 4-5 gen II's , and a couple Gen I's. It was literally a SHO parking lot.
Had a nice time in Douglasville. Went to the movies, Best Buy, etc.. It's a pretty nice town.
Anyway, got dropped off at FPS by Enterprise Rentals around 10:30 Friday AM. It still wasn't ready...they got everything back together and discovered a bad IMRC. As I thought about it, I did recall the car had been acting really sluggish lately, and I was going through A LOT more fuel than I usually do. I was getting about 12-15 MPG. If I was driving a Ferrari, that would be great...but not the SHO! So, they replaced that. 1:00 pm rolls around and they finally pull her out of the bay, and drive my baby down the road. I rarely get a chance to hear the SHO opened up without me behind the wheel, so that was a treat in itself.
Brad Dunn, the mechanic who did the intake cleaning and other stuff was going over the final inspection with me, explaining to me in detail everything that had been done. New belts, hoses, tranny service, everything. He also explained that Doug usually does this, but he was leaving for some reason. I saw Doug leaving earlier, so I already knew he was gone.
Finally, it was time for me to drive. I noticed right away that when I floored it, it was quite some louder than I remember. Engine over Flomasters, easily. I asked Brad what that was about.. and the fact that it put us both back in our seats. He said it was a combination of me having gotten used to not having true secondaries (hence bad IMRC) and what he called a "Stage 1" intake polish. He said he was able to get a really nice, smooth finish on the intakes, and divulged that he "probably ported them out 'some' when he polished them." He never went as far as to say he actually ported them, but I got the message. Whatever the meaning, you can really hear the engine open up right at 3500 RPM's. Talk about Vroom! I was really able to open her up on the interstates, pulling hard from 80-130 within seconds. What a rush...I can't believe how much just a bad IMRC affects performance. It hasn't been able to do that in a while. Not to mention the "cleaned" intakes, and all the other stuff that was cleaned up in there.
Also, the piece of mind of having my cams welded would take up another half page, so let me say to anyone on the list that hasn't had it done, it's worth having done. I was told the sprockets looked "really good" with apparently no signs of slippage for a 100k mile engine, (100999 when I rolled into the shop Thur. AM) but why tempt fate?
Again, many thanks to Doug, Larry, and all at FPS. And especially to Brad for taking the time to explain to me all that had been done. All these guys and gals at FPS love Fords, and have a special place in their hearts for SHO's.and it shows. ( bad pun intended )
Juan D.
97 Pacific Green
6/30/03
I'd like to add my comments for FPS, they deserve all the praise they can get. In this day and time it's not every day you find honest, very nice and professional people any more.
The most amazing thing is, I was strongly considering selling the SHO...what a mistake that would have been. Now that I don't have to listen for diesel sounds and worry, I enjoy this car so much!
I don't mean to ramble on, I'm just not used to saying "good time" and "car worked on" in the same breath.
7/1/03,
I took my '97 (68K) to FPS on 5/30/03 for a Cam weld, ATX service, and P/S service. After Brad got started, he found that the valve
adjustments were out of spec, and I wanted to go ahead and pay extra to have the IMRC cleaned so I ended up agreeing to the full 100K service + cam weld + ATX, P/S, front endlinks, and K&N cone filter. I was impressed with Brad's enthusiasm for the SHO and comfortable having someone familiar with the car work on it, especially after all of the positive comments on the site. Larry at the front desk was kind enough to take my wife and I to the local mall to kill a few hours while they worked. We drove down from Louisville, KY (430mi) the day before so we could get there first thing in the morning, and we were planning to drive straight home when the car was finished, but it didn't exactly work out that way.
It was quitting time and Brad was putting the finishing touches on the job, running the engine while topping off all the fluids and then he took it for a test drive. It sounded really good and I was looking forward to a nice ride home until he got back with the car a few minutes later. It was missing on one cylinder. Brad said it started about halfway into his test drive, and thought it was probably a coil gone bad, but after
Doug pulled the ignition fuse and cranked it, it was obvious that it had lost compression on one cylinder. Doug took us to the Atlanta Airport so we could rent a car to get home, and promised they would be "all over it" on
Monday morning, and that he would call me as soon as he knew something, sometime
Monday. Dammit. Monday came and went without a word, and Tuesday I called him around noon. He told me that "somehow" a trim screw had gotten into the engine while it was apart, and had lodged in one of the intake valves on the back side, and went on with his theory that the screw must have been dropped on top of the engine when the car was assembled and probably fell into the surge tank when the took everything apart. He also mentioned that they had been all over my car and there were no missing screws like the one in the engine. Hmmmmmm.....
So out comes the engine, off comes the head, and to the machine shop to have the seat reground and the valve replaced. Throughout the next TWO WEEKS I stay in touch with Doug and it has become
apparent that he wants me to cover half of the cost of the extra repairs, about $1200, his cost. I could not believe someone with a reputation like Doug's would risk damaging it over something like this. I think any reasonable person would agree that no matter how that screw got into my engine, it happened in HIS shop while HIS guys were working on it. I have to give him credit for telling me the truth about the screw, because I guess if he really wanted to "screw" me he could have made up just about any story to tell someone 430 miles away. Nonetheless, I was and continue to be very
disappointed in his refusal to take full responsibility for this issue. I already owed FPS $1608.56 for the work I had agreed to on 5/30, and we
negotiated to even up at $2000.00. I already had $200 in the rental car, and was looking at another $200 or so in additional travel expenses to make the extra trip to get the car back, no mention of the inconvenience of being without the car for two weeks. I didn't expect Doug to accept responsibility for my travel and rental expenses (although it would have been very well
received) because it wasn't his fault that I live so far away and had such a long drive. We discussed the issue of the price at length, and he was always very courteous and polite. He was very gentlemanly about the whole issue, despite my challenges and disagreements, but I don't think either of us was happy with our settlement.
I pulled in to FPS just after quitting time on 6/13/03, and gave Connie $2000.00 cash, took my keys, and before I even got the hood up and the engine started, the door was locked and she had left. I was
disappointed to find my light gray carpet dirty and full of oil dri pellets, and I noticed some of the firewall insulation was loose, as well as some
noticeable scratches on the appearance cover of the engine. But it ran good. Real good. And if not for having been charged extra over this mess, I would have still counted myself a satisfied customer. However, after closing this ordeal, I don't think I'll be paying for anymore car repairs anywhere. This is the only time I have ever paid anyone to do mechanical work on any car I have ever owned- ever. I made the exception in this case because I value an expert's experience on a car as specialized as the V8 SHO. I still think FPS is one of the best places you can take your car for that. My experience seems to be the exception to the rule, and most people have been extremely happy with them, which is easy when everything goes right, but when something like this happens you get the chance to see just how well people are willing to stand behind their work.
Jason Chanda
97 ES
Welded
K&N
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Good Morning! Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that I finally had the cams welded yesterday. I cannot say enough about my experience at FPS. Everyone was cordial and informative, and they definitely know their stuff. Mr. Lewis showed me how one of my cam sprockets had moved slightly. It was not loose, but it would have only been a matter of time before my car was junk. Phew! What a relief! I am glad I only put about four thousand miles on the car in the last two years...Now for the unusual; I had a rat's nest. Not under the appearance cover, but in the cabin-filter area! No wonder the nice leather smell of the interior would disappear with the a/c on! All in all, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Lewis and the fine folks at FPS. It was as painless and inexpensive as can be. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go drive it like I stole it!
John O. Erwin
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3/13/2004
During my spring break from school I took the trip down to see Doug at FPS to get my cams welded. I’ve been putting it off knowing that there was no way I could get away from school long enough to get it done, and finally decided now that my car has over 60k on it, its time to get it done. First off I have to give Doug’s service an A+ on all accounts, his people are excellent and they know their stuff. Doug even stayed around for over an hour after closing time to talk SHOs, he told me about some of his projects and gave me an engine bay tour of this blown gen-I. I really enjoyed my time, getting the cams welded did not feel like a chore at all. And honestly it was the only time I have ever handed the keys of my car over to anyone else and gotten nervous about how well it would be treated.
But the big surprise about the title of this e-mail, Doug tells me that one of my sprockets had started to walk, it came at a huge surprise to me, there was no sound, no loss of engine power, nothing to indicate that my car was about to have a cam failure, and possibly very soon. I can’t believe how fortunate I was that I got it into FPS when I did. For anyone else out there without welded cams, watching the odo tick away, and telling yourself that you’ll get it done, just later. Do make every effort! Don’t put it off; your car may depend on it. They seem to be failing without the signature ticking sometimes also; it’s not worth the risk of going unwedded!
Thanks Doug, I owe you big time!
Mike
97 ES
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May 23, 2004
I took my car to FPS in Atlanta because the secondaries were stuck open.
I wasn't sure what to expect but I ended up being impressed with
everyone that worked there; Connie & Larry in the office, Shane the
technician and of course, Doug. They were all very friendly and helpful
but most important I was impressed by the quality of their work.
Shane cleaning the secondaries and replaced the IMRC, insulated the
wiring harness and switched the coils. I also had him install an
auxiliary transmission cooler and put on an underdrive pulley. I was
considering the Magnaflow mufflers but Larry & Connie convinced me that
I would like the sound of the Borla system so I had the third cat
removed and the cat-back system installed.
Shane didn't complain once about me looking over shoulder and was very
meticulous. He never left a clip off or took shortcuts of any kind. And
Doug spent several hours cutting & welding to get the Borla installation
perfect. I had the stock tips put on as I did not like the ricer look of
the Borla tips.
It may be seat-of-the-pants, but the car seems to be much more
responsive now. And I do love the sound of the Borlas!
Richard Wills
'99 TR Welded
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06/21/2004
Hi Larry,
I've been lurking at V-8 SHO since around '98 when I got mine ('Red '96). She
now has 73,000 miles and runs great. No mods to speak of except K&N stock air
filter and cam weld and 100,000 mile service by Doug at FPS at around 70,000.
I thank you and the rest of the gang at V8 SHO for all the info provided! If
you'd like to see her just visit my Member Page at Volusia owners league at this
link:
http://www.volusiaowners.com/members/page.asp?ID=7818
Let me know what you think!
Regards,
Norman
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10/15/2004
FPS/Doug Lewis cam weld experience.
Just got back from Douglasville GA , These folks are GREAT!!!
It is so nice to meet people who have a "Passion" for the SHO like I do, and the
knowledge
I wish I had. Connie makes you feel right at home, Larry listened to me ramble
on and on
without ever losing his smile, and Doug is an encyclopedia of Knowledge when it
comes to
these Great Cars. I got a nice discount at the Holiday Inn express just by
mentioning FPS
so that's a good little bonus.
Dropped the car off Thursday Morning 10/14 at 8am, Talked Larry's ear off until
10am,
Larry fired up the GEN II Supercharged SHO and hauled my butt back to the hotel.
The wife and I spent the day Wal Mart ing and such.
At 5:30pm Doug called and said he was on his way to pick me up at the hotel.
We did the test drive together...approx. 2hrs enjoyed every minute of it.
I can't begin to express how much I appreciate Doug and His people at FPS!!!
CAM WELD=NEW PLUGS=NEW GASKETS=OIL&FILTER CHANGE=MAGNETIC DRAIN PLUG
Thanks Doug...I'll be back with my Gen II for it's 120k service
and Brembo's for my Gen III
97 SF-FPS Welded Oct. 04
93 EG
Cya, STEVE
12/16/04
Hey everyone - I've been lurking here and there for a while and just recently picked up a '99 SHO to replace my '92 MTX. I miss the manual but this Gen III is soooo smooth and is much more my style for daily driving. I purchased it in Chicago and drove it back to Atlanta...I got 25+ MPG, at one point getting 27 MPG, all on premium (it varied from 91 to 92 to 93 on the way down) and going 70 or so.
The numerous postings and warnings on V8sho.com convinced me to have the cams welded so I ran it over to Doug at FPS this week and had it done, also a STC Xcalibrator flash tuner, K&N filter charger & 3rd cat bp plus a fun test ride with Doug (we almost got her airborne but a kindly road construction worker stepped in the way....this reinforces the need to file your flight plans!).
It runs even stronger now and has a very nice V8 roar now when you mash the pedal to the floor. Aside from the more masculine exhaust note (still stock mufflers though), I do like how the new program makes the shifts more authoritative and when you hammer it, there is no worry about it shifting too early. I'll be watching fuel economy as we anticipate the new program should improve that a bit too...
-Tim
black '99 welded!
PS - There was recently a post I missed about a good place to pick up micron air filters...I deleted it but now see it's time for one on the maintenance schedule. If someone would forward me that note off-list I'd be grateful.
Also anyone interested in a '92 MTX w/ 160k, contact me off list.