This guy in a new model Ford Lightning tried to race me for like 4 or 5 miles so I decided to run just to see what my 87 Z-28 could do against a new SVT. We started from a 15 mph kick, my dang camaro geared down to first and flat out screamed! I left him by a little over a car length all the way up to about 70mph before I let out of it. All I have is a LG4 305 with hooker headers, y-pipe & 3in
exhaust, K&N, cold temp thermostat and a 3.73 gear but the car runs very strong. That made my day, we pulled over and talked about the run, he was cool as hell. Just some older dude but he had a nice truck.

 

Are you sure it was a real lightning? If it was there must be something really wrong with it. Because I dont think the fastest N/A 305 on these boards can take a new lightning. I would guess your running low 15's with your mods and hes running low 13's. Im not trying to say your lying it just sounds a little impossible.

 

ligtnings run low 13s? I see lots of low 14s and HIGH 13s in the area.

 

you'd be surprised, the car has always ran strong from a kick, and besides, those Lightnings aren't that fast and I got lucky.
There's alot more to racing than flooring it too. I also own a 98 WS6 T/A with a 6-speed and that car is very fast, it will hand a Lightnings it's *** with no prob. My camaro is actually decent for a 305, I know they aren't nothing compared to newer camaro's or mustangs but it moves the old car around pretty good.

 

My friends 2002 ran consistant 8.5's in the 1/8 which is about a 13.3 in the 1/4. He does have a catback exhuast though, but I highly doubt that it added more than a tenth of a sec. So we will just say they run mid 13's.

 

thats pretty good times, I've never ran either one of my cars at the strip yet but I will as soon as I get off of overtime. Whats the HP rating on a newer Lightning?????

 

my gramps new lightning with street tires and a k
&n rana 13.30 @115

 

Now if we had raced from a dead stop or on the interstate he would have stomped my ***. I don't lie and I am not bragging, but I thought it was pretty cool so I wanted to share it. He was pulling on me fairly hard when I backed out so, yes, eventually, he would have blown by waving but from 15 to 70, thats not bad in my opinion. And why do ya'll pop up all of these different time slips for a Lightning? Do any of you really know what your talking about????? seriously! I race autocross for the ETRSCCA in Tennessee so I know a little about racing, not much, but enough and I have seen a Dodge Omni outrun a 5.0 mustang so anything is possible. Sorry to offend anyone but come on Guys!!!

 

Yes I do know what I am talking about, I just wanted to let you know that I saw with my own eyes a friend mine run those times. Its like I said I am not calling you a lier anything can happen on the street. Your car may have down shifted way before his and he could have been trying to take you in second gear at a low rpm or something who the hell knows.

 

that is a HIGH mph for that time, unless its a typo lol


thats a nice time though!

 

no way a stock Lightning is going to trap 115mph. 03' Cobras dont even trap that high and they have more power, and less weight

the typical stock Lightning runs low 14s - high 13s at 99 - 102 mph

 

Friend has a 2002 Lightning, thing is fast, he ran 14.1 he said at 100mph

 

did they make a lightning in '93? if not then my friend is full of it

 

ur saying that u pulled a ford lighting with a near stock 305 when a lt1 has trouble running them. im sorry but i have to say it was a stock f-150 with the duels and a lighting kit put on it that would make more cents.

ps. its still a kill on a ford v8 good job.

 

While anything IS possible, some things are just highly unlikely.

For instance, that Dodge Omni was probably one of the ones that were turbocharged from the factory. They could actually turn out to be fairly quick cars. I've heard of Dodge Shadows running low 12s. Its pretty easy for a 12 or 13-sec car to beat a near-stock 5.0. So yes, the Omni may have beat the 5.0, but I'm sure that Omni was far from stock, whereas your car is nearly stock.

Nevertheless, I do believe you, it just seems that there was something wrong with his car or something.

 

I agree, anything can happen. Ive seen hondas eat Lt1s for breakfast!

 

I have an Fbod and an L....I think the Bird would get me off the line, but after 60'...NO WAY!!!!!

Check my sig for times on the L

YOUR RIGHT...NOT THAT FAST That pass was with a K&N and gutted airbox

Later

 

I don't care what that truck runs or how many mods it has. If it is missing the driver mod, anything can beat it.

 

No, not till 2000 I think.

 

do they have a auto lighting? if so, that may be why he didnt run you. You must have caught gear well before he did or maybe his auto didnt shift right into a good gear. My L98 and stock stall tranny sucked at geting into the power band. Now with 2800 stall the car gets up well. Cant wait untill my 3.27's or 3.70's.

Still though, I find it hard to believe all the way up to 70. Was he closing fast and going to get you past 70? I would guess he would. Those things are fast, especially the new ones. But anything could happen and if it was legit, congrats. Just my opinion.

 

The first gen Lightning was made in '93 (maybe 94 I think)

Second Gen Lightning was made in '99

 

Yeah a friend of mine had a early 90's lightning but it wasnt much of a truck though. Not that fast or agressive looking. Not like the new ones today.

 

All Lightnings are autos...Until Gen three next year!!!

My L has TORQUE off the line like my TPI 350 HO (but weighs about 2000 more pounds). Once the thing gets past the 60' mark...PULLS LIKE A SON OF A GUN!!!!!

Once it reaches 100-120...The brick like aerodynamics slows it a bit.

All in All......I must say if you beat the guy..Congrats.

I am wondering if you ran a Gen 1 or a 2 ?? I know you siad it was a newer one, but the Gen 1s ran mid 15s. A more likely run than a gen 2

Later

 

I knew it was around there. I had no idea there was an old school lightning. The new ones are the serious contendors. Thanks for the heads up.

 

to be honest with you, I have no clue what year this thing was, however, it was the newer body style but I looked at some on the internet and it wasn't the 03 or 04 so maybe it was a 2000 model. I just got lucky evidently, oh well, I know that my 98 Ram Air will smoke it, thats all that matters to me. the camaro did run strong which really surprised me, usually the car doesn't pick up like that but it did.

 

say it was more then lickly a newer f-150 v8 model with a lighting kit on it

 

now, a plain *** F-150 is slow as hell, this truck was NOT slow and it was not a regular F-150 with a lightning kit, he did pop the hood and it was supercharged. I know for a fact that a stock Lightning can run, but, like I said, it was from a 15 mph kick to 70 which only lasted a couple of seconds. HE WAS PULLING ON ME!!
Not all 305's are slow, I know they ain't worth a damn for performance, but I am installing a LS1 and T-56 at the first of the year, things will change, any Lightning that wants a piece will see nothing but taillights. Enough said.

 

No just Lg4's Sorry I had to say it.

 

evidently most Irocs can't hang with the LG4, whats wrong with that picture? people talk alot of crap and think they know it all but when they get their *** reemed by a lightly built LG4, they face reality. The quad 4bll LG4's are very quick with a good gear out back, thats why they are slow from the factory. If you open up the exhaust system a little and alow the thing to breath and put a decent gear out back, they will get up and haul ***. Not like a 350, but better than any tune port 305, however, it is easier to get power out of the TPI cars. I build these cars on the side and have been doing so for several years, I am a member of the ETFBRA, and a ASE certified mechanic ( that doesn't matter though ), so I know a little. It's funny how offensive you guys get since I outran a Lightning with a LG4 car. **** happens, get over it. I have been smoked by stupid cars like a lightly built new chevy 1500 pick-up that had the 5.3 in it, a new monte carlo SS, and some family cars. I didn't cry about it, it pissed me off but hey, **** happens. This weekend I start my 406ci swap and I will run that motor untill I can afford to put the LS1 in it. That motor has around 475 horse at the crank, I just got through breaking it in last month so it should haul the camaro around pretty damn good. Guys, get the hell over it!!!!

 

If you have a 475 horse 406 then why go LS1? For the cool factor?

 

I want the LS1 because it is a more efficient and practical motor since my camaro is a daily driver in the summer. I originally built the motor ( 406ci ) to go in a 1980 chevy monza to race on the weekends, but I decided to run it in the camaro for a while just to play around and to see how good this motor is going to run. I've always been amazed at the LS1 since I own a 98 LS1 T/A and I love the power and gas mileage combo.

 

My stock 2000 L runs high 13's @ 104 mph.
It's rated at 360hp, whereas the 2001-2004 Ls are rated at 380hp.

My 87 305 TPI IROC-Z (when stock) ran 15.9's @ 84 mph.
Rating? 190hp.

Then there's my '03 Cobra.....

 

Wow, the lightnings you guys talk about are fast! Around here, the fastest I have seen stock lightnings run is like a 14.1, Must be the they are only slow around here!! Either way, a LG4 would get spanked by a lightning, maybe he didn't know you were racing until you dropped it down, floored it and pulled away? either way good kill.

 

.... and Ls are 4900 pounds. With basically four bolt-ons, they are capable of high 12's. With more bolt-ons, low 12's are possible. Incredible for that weight.

Willie

 

oh, no doubt do they move. I give credit for that, but the average Lightning around here runs 14.5-14.8's, its really funny actually. They do respond to mods very well tho.

 

i raced one couple weeks ago, he ran a 13.52@105 to my 14.11@97, mad tire spin and no WOT 2-3 shift on my part would be why i didn't have a 13.5 timeslip that week. i am desperately looking for that 13.5 timeslip from my 305 and expect it next time i am at the track: m/t drag radials and new tranny/converter combo going in before the next trip to the track.

 

Heh, I was gonna call BS on this too, until I scrolled down and read the above remarks.

If ss400hp will admit to getting beat by lesser cars, I suppose it's possible that the Lightning driver was caught off guard and lost. Yep, racing on the street can yield some odd results. My other-than-thirdgen car has shocked a few people on and off the track, so what the heck. You just never know.

Still, I'd like to see what kind of 1/4 mile times ss400hp can run, if he gets the chance to make a few passes at the track.