MunchE

I went by that logic when I was running a lightning, he was still walking me at 135, and once my car (auto) hit 4th gear, he was pulling even faster.

I, too, gained respect for Lightnings after getting worked by one.


On the topic of CHP bikes, they've used the Yamahas for a while, and the new bikes they're getting are BMW bikes.

Oz Mickey T

If I remember that road right, it's fantastic, but it's like a billiard table isn't it?

Are Lightnings still good things when you throw in some dodgy camber, mid-corner bumps, high frequency/low amplitude strikes and longitudinal undulations like you'd get on a two-way road?

Z28Wilson

Probably not...but then again, the F-body with its live rear gets a little dicey at high speeds in those situations as well...

ProudPony

to you guionM...

I have said many times that I admire the guy who lives in reality and respects the competition more than the guy who cries foul.

The plain truth is those trucks are blisteringly fast - especially since '99.

The scary part is... there getting even FASTER for next year.
500hp, with a temp-50 more... when needed no less!
Who the HeLl needs 500 in a truck, much less 550 for cryin' out loud!

There are articles in almost every edition of MM&FF on how to tweak the L for a little more. There seems to be no boundaries with that thing. There are several with over 500 rwhp around my area, but they have never had the engine apart.

I can't say that Z28Wilson isn't right about a modified truck... many do get tweaked, but don't we also tweak our Camaros and Mustangs? Simple fact is... the truth hurts.

I will also come forth, and admit that I do not hassle or play with a competent L-driver in any of my newer Mustangs. I honestly feel that my '89 LX will outhandle the L at any point, but what the L lacks in road sticky it more than makes up for with *****. They will kill me curve to curve. I also feel certain that my 71 Mach 1 will equal or handle the L in a straight line to just about any speed, but the L CLOBBERS the old car in any curve.

So yeah, I too have seen the taillights of the L while goofing with car buddies and after racing events. We were just goofing around a little, nothing serious, but they are obviously some serious performers - a real "total package".

Speaking of total package, there's a guy coming to Piedmont Dragway from time to time who pulls his Cobra on a trailer behind his L... that gets you thinking too. Practicality AND performance, both at levels beyond even Mustang's capability.

Kinda leaves a guy wondering if the American sports cars like Mustang, Camaro, T/A, will ever have another hey-day, doesn't it?

PacerX

"I wanted to let all know from personal experience, at least from the 80-130 mph range, up mountains, and in modest uneven corners LT1 F-bodiess are shortwork, and I don't imagine LS1s (even the post 2000 cars) will fare much better against these things."

Here little trucky... I have a surprise for you!

99SilverSS

Well guionM ya got a taste of real world racing. Its not bench or magazine racing out there its the real deal!

A 99-03 L is a stout competitor and very capable of hanging with any 4th gen F-car through all but the top end and tightest of turns. With the mods available for those engines, chip, pulley, intake and exhaust mods they can get 450+ rwhp and more torque w/o much work. Thats enough to overcome the weight disadvantage.

I've had the displeasure of running several L's from modded to stock and they are impressive all the time. Stock they can run 13.7's and modded well the sky is the limit. A co-worker used to have a 99L with a chip, pulley and exhaust. We used to run quite a bit. And against my 99 SS 6M that had mods and could trap in the 110+ range he and I would be door to door till the top of third! Back then that was Ford's fastest competition!

ProudPony

I'm sure you do.
I'm sure you have a surprise for several of them.
BUT...

Right off the showroom floor, an '03 went over 147mph - officially clocked for the Guinness World Records.

Quote - "This may seem like fun and games, but high-speed stability is critical for a performance vehicle, even a pickup truck," says Tom Chapman, Ford SVT chassis systems supervisor and driver for the record-setting run. "The SVT F-150 Lightning is just as stable and planted at 147 miles per hour as it is at 55 mph; only the scenery's going by faster. "
You can read more in THIS article.

And THEN we start tweaking...

Quote - "On Nov 9, 2002, at Cecil County Raceway in MD, the PSP test truck runs 10.48 @ 131.2 mph. This is at full weight, 4760lbs!! "
From THIS link.


I digress. My point is not to belittle any vehicle you may have. I know there are some wickedly-fast F-cars out there, and you may in fact be faster than most L's - that's great, you have an awesome car.
But don't think for a minute that there isn't an L that can take you down. There are people out there with more money than sense, and they can make some violently fast cars.

Want me to link your post to SVTperformance.com and see if we get any takers in your area?

It's all good.

NEWBIE T/A

I've had the pleasure of playing w/ L's on both street & strip - lost on the strip in the '99 T/A to a lightly modified '99 L, and won on the street w/ the SS vs. a '00 , I think.


They are not practical as a truck like the Silverado SS, but dayum can they be made to move !!

(L can only carry 500 lbs in the bed - I think towing is in the normal range for a 1/2 ton.)

So -

If GM wants to play around w/ a supercharged cast iron block, wouldn't the truck 5.3 , 6.0 , or the 8.1 liter

be a neat place to start ???


Oh, I got to drive one, too - compliments of an ex co-worker.

I thought I had broken the dam thing the first time I stepped on the gas - that blower whine is loud .

I think I could probably get used to it, however.


Britt

guionM

Aqua '97 Z28 6 speed. Pretty much every option except the automatic. Only mods are a K&N, a flowmaster, and chromed stock tips.

Daily driver is a Black 1989 Thunderbird Supercoupe 5 speed (just bought the higher volume post 94 blower, but waiting till I change the exhaust before I install it).


I've read the press releases about Lightning running 147, and I know my Camaro will do over 155, so I guess I figured I'd get him at higher speeds. Reality is that it takes a really long streach of road to get over 140, and the Lightning has simply astounding pull right up to where aerodynamics takes over. While my engine's still winding up, that truck was long gone.

I've done plenty of freeway racing before (plenty of opportunities running from SoCal to Vegas, Arizona, or NorCal).

However, there are only about 3 streaches of road in (of all 3 states) I feel safe enough to do a 150 run on (smooth, flat, straight, no bridges or overpasses, and at least a 4-5 mile line of sight). I don't do it if there are other cars around, and if I see the other person is starting to get way too crazy (weaving around cars) I stop and just let them go. So though I frequently drive very quickly, I'm not going to risk anyone else's life to do it (my public service announcement).

That having been said, though I got badly spanked, it was the best run I've had in memory. The guy was adult about it (unlike the kids who have more guts than sense), slowing down when we got to traffic, the run included a hella winding mountain climb, alot of hills & curves, and alot of traffic gaps, and was fun till my live axle started scaring me enough on bumpy curves to slow down (something that I never worry about in the Thunderbird).

guionM

Lightning's payload is 1,300 pounds.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030813/dew020_1.html


If that's not practical, I don't know what is.

BTW: You are probally thinking about the GMC Cyclone.

NEWBIE T/A

Just all the more reason to like them, then !!




/\
|
|

Yeah, probably.

That reminds me-

I've seen newspaper ads here where they show a pic of a short bed non extended cabSS styled Silverado (front clip w/ the chin scoops, and the wheels) as well as a similarly equipped TrailBlazer.

The Chronicle doesn't carry pics online, so I can't link 'em - if nayone has access to a scanner, i could fax them to be "hosted & posted" !

It would be neat - and relatively easy - to turn those into a new 454SS & Syclone, respectively.

Wonder where the pics came from - ?


Britt

therealmagyver

He must have been modded. I spanked one on the open expressway. We must have done like 7 or 8 runs and I whopped him. He swore I was spraying and I told him if I did he would have been worse off.....plus my tank was at home. I wish I had it so I could have spanked him even more. He had a big mouth!

guionM

I noticed you're in Florida. My experience with my Thunderbird is that superchargers tend to loose a bit of performance in hot weather, and tend to be pretty ferocious in cool temps and unfazed by higher altitudes (top of the 'Vine is 4,000 ft). The temps in the area we ran were somewhere in the upper 40s to low 50s (nighttime in the mountains & we're having a cold spell), so the L was pretty much in it's element.

Perhaps that may account for the difference between out outcomes.

therealmagyver

That could be the case. In the winter time last year..I've only seem them do low 14s in the 1/4. So your car lost performance in the high altitude...I don't think he gained.

Oz Mickey T

They sound quick, and they seem to fire off the line pretty hard, but we ran the HSV Maloo R8 out to 160mph (256 km/h) radar checked at an airport earlier this year.
It had more in it, too. we just ran out of road.
it is, however, a bit slower off the mark. 6.1 for 0-100km/h