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Author
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Topic: 93-95 lightnings
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grandestang
Gearhead Posts: 256
From: Lake Bluff, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 06-01-2003 03:04 PM
   
It seems like these particular years of lightnings are more like "real" trucks than the new ones. The new ones seem more performance oriented than anything else. The reason I bring this up is because living in the Chicago areas the winters are pretty snowy- I would never drive the mustang through that (saalty!). I like trucks but I want something that can not only get up and go, but also be treated like a real truck if I needed to haul or tow. This is where these Lightnings get interesting because again they seem to be more of a nice mix between performance/"being a truck" than anything else. They also seem to be relatively inexpensive. What are your reflections on this truck- how's the performance? and How much can you treat it like a truck? Plus they got the much aftermarketed 351W for future uprades 
Just looking for opiniosPaul ------------------
1970 Grande
H code 351W FMX
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 5105
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 06-01-2003 04:29 PM
I like mine. In stock form it runs prety good considering it weighs around 4600 lbs. (15.30's bone stock with over 150k miles). I haul my racecar with it, and have hauled stuff around in the back "like a real truck". However, having just moved to NC from Iowa, I will tell you this, the posi makes it terrible in the snow. Even with a couple of hundred pounds of weight in the back and trying to idle away from dead stops, as soon as you touch the throttle at all, all it wants to do is spin the tires and get sideways. Since I grew up in Iowa, I like ot consider myself as someone that knows how to drive in that crap. Maybe some dedicated snow tires would have helped (couldn't have hurt at all), but I never could afford that so I used the same tires all year round. Also, I have seen alot of people towing with the newer Lightnings and they don't seem to have any trouble.
On my '93, I did have to get an equalizer hitch to take some tongue weight off the back of the truck to keep it from squatting so bad. My racecar is relatively light, 2600 lbs without driver, and my trailer weighs around 1100 so it's not like I am trying to pull a 28' TAG.  I get around 12 mpg in town when I keep my foot out of it, and around 16 on the hiway. Pulling my car, I get around 10-12 on the hiway at 65 mph with the OD off (OD doesn't like pulling much weight, makes the trans get waaaaaaay too hot).
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grandestang
Gearhead Posts: 256
From: Lake Bluff, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 06-01-2003 09:39 PM
Yeah, I figured they may not be good in the snow. I'll have to look for a 4x4 for the winters. You can get the 351W in 4x4 trucks too I assume, and a truck the same size should perform about the same in a straight line, (minus the extra weight of the 4x4) right? If no, what makes the lightning so special? I'm pretty wide open at this point- just looking for suggestion for something that has good power like the lightning, and is decent in the snow.Paul ------------------
1970 Grande
H code 351W FMX
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 5105
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 06-01-2003 09:56 PM
The Lightning came stock with GT40 heads, and a special intake that was taller with longer runners, and designed specifically for those heads. Plus the cam is slightly "hotter" than the normal truck 351W cam. Plus the Lightning came with 4.10 gears stock, and 275/60-17s for tires. Granted you can get that stuff on other trucks, but it was standard equipment on Gen1 Lightnings. Heavy springs, stiff shocks, and thick sway bars front and back helped it out "g" a mustang GT of the same year. They are fun trucks and if you can find one relatively cheap, I wouldn't be afraid to buy it and maybe find a beater to drive in the winter when it gets really bad out. My truck has 174K miles and still runs great even though it's all stock, so they don't "wear out" very quickly.
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grandestang
Gearhead Posts: 256
From: Lake Bluff, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 06-01-2003 11:56 PM
Sounds like a great truck KV! I am very interested and the best part is they seem to be real cheap. I guess I may just live with the bad traction in the winter- maybe buy some snow tires- it is just something to drive besides a mustang in the winter. I really haven't heard anything bad about these trucks. One last question I swear, how bad is it in the snow?- cause if it is unbearable than I may have to reconsider for my future daily driver. I need something that can at least get me from place to place on those snowy Chicago days. Paul PS - My daily driver right now is my moms old station wagon, so I guess you could say I was a little excited when spring came and I could take the stang out again (except on rainy days of course). In other words I need to find a new daily driver that I can depend on when the weather is not so "mustangy". ------------------
1970 Grande
H code 351W FMX
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68F100
Gearhead Posts: 2111
From: Fort Madison, Iowa USA - United We Stand
Registered: Oct 99
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posted 06-02-2003 01:34 AM
I got a ride in Kid's Lightning and it sure don't run like it's got 170k+ miles on it. If I could find one in my price range, I'd jump all over it and never look back.
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BlueMule
Gearhead Posts: 1144
From: Kent Island, MD USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 06-02-2003 07:31 AM
Oh I don't know. I had a lawn tractor, engine hoist, engine stand, and other miscellaneous crap in my 2000 and it sure hauled like a truck. It could still blow the doors off a Hemi Ram. ------------------
-Paul 70 Mach1 351C
79 Ranchero GT
97 Expedition XLT 5.4
00 SVT f150 Lightning 4149 of 4966 Born on: 06/26/2000 'life's tough... it's tougher if you're stupid.'
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grandestang
Gearhead Posts: 256
From: Lake Bluff, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 06-02-2003 11:02 AM
quote:
Originally posted by BlueMule:
Oh I don't know. I had a lawn tractor, engine hoist, engine stand, and other miscellaneous crap in my 2000 and it sure hauled like a truck. It could still blow the doors off a Hemi Ram.
Hey, don't get me wrong here, I love the new lightning, I wish I could have one more than anything else (just a little out of my price range). If I did own one though I wouldn't exactly want to go banging it around treating it like one of my dad's work trucks. With the supercharged 5.4 I bet it would even be better off at hauling than the old ones, its just that I would tend to baby it if I had one, Kind of like I do the Mustang. I would still baby a 93-95 lightning, I just wouldn't feel as bad if it got a little scratched up as if I used a new lightning. So I wasn't so much saying the new lightnings can't do it (cause I know they can) I just wouldn't want to in one. Paul ------------------
1970 Grande
H code 351W FMX
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BlueMule
Gearhead Posts: 1144
From: Kent Island, MD USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 06-02-2003 11:22 AM
Bed rugs and stuff like that keep it from getting roughed up. Kind of weird getting a class 2 receiver 'standard' on a SVT vehicle though. I may use it to do some light hauling now and then, but driving it in the snow would be next to impossible even if I had to. There are even warning stickers on the doors warning the user not to drive it in the snow with the P295 45 ZR18s. With standard mud/snow grips on it, the back end is still going to come around on you. ------------------
-Paul 70 Mach1 351C
79 Ranchero GT
97 Expedition XLT 5.4
00 SVT f150 Lightning 4149 of 4966 Born on: 06/26/2000 'life's tough... it's tougher if you're stupid.' [This message has been edited by BlueMule (edited 06-02-2003).]
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grandestang
Gearhead Posts: 256
From: Lake Bluff, Illinois USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 06-02-2003 03:39 PM
quote:
Originally posted by BlueMule:
I may use it to do some light hauling now and then, but driving it in the snow would be next to impossible even if I had to. There are even warning stickers on the doors warning the user not to drive it in the snow with the P295 45 ZR18s. With standard mud/snow grips on it, the back end is still going to come around on you.
I guess that is a bad combo in the snow- light rear end, lot of power, and rear wheel driven posi .
Damn, I really like the old lightnings I really wish they had offered some in 4x4. Is there anything ford offered in 4x4 with decent acceleration/power like the lighting. I guess I'm spoiled from driving around mustangs, I don't think I'd be able to take a real slow truck. What to you suggest that is relatively cheap, powerful, and has 4x4? Did this even exist? [This message has been edited by grandestang (edited 06-02-2003).]
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MLariviere
Moderator Posts: 3578
From: Biddeford,Me.USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 06-02-2003 09:10 PM
You could go with a 3/4 ton with 4.10 gears. 
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