Opinions on Ford Lightning
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Joined: May 2008
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Opinions on Ford Lightning
So here is the deal, we took in on trade the CLEANEST Lightning i have ever seen in my life yesterday. I snapped some pics on my phone but since i dont have a PDA i am sorry i will have them up later 
Anyways this truck is an 02 has 64k miles on it and is FAR from stock, as usual one of the used car sales managers ( i am in finance) has not a DAMN clue what this thing is. I popped the hood and started it up and know it has the follwing after drving it:
Bigger than stock pulley (visually)
Intake (visually)
aftermarket ignition (visually)
mild cam (EASY to tell)
exhuast (visually after getting under it)
upgraded brakes (visuallly can tell there NOT the stock size and there drilled and slotted)
suspension is not stock either by looking at arms, bushings, springs, shocks...all NOT stock
aftermarket intercooler (water)
has some tranny mods as the tranny shifts FIRM AS crap and chirped going into 2nd.
By judging since i have had some pretty quick cars this truck is over 400hp just by feel i believe. The paint is so damn shiny it looks likes glass, no curb rash on the stock wheels, brand new set on Nitto 555's. oh and its black on black only aftermarket gauge is a air/fuel. SO needless to say i was quite shocked to find out they have less than 10k trade on this truck, and of course EMPLOYEES of our company can buy $300 over....guys this truck would pull 15k on ebay.. I put it out back and am VERY tempted to pull the trigger on this thing tommorow and flip it, but its so nice I would like to just keep it. ANybody have one of these here? I know a little about them from keeping up with forced inducted cars over the years.
The guy that traded it in was the ORIGINAL owner and left his number for anyone that wanted to talk to him about the truck, and I already called and left him a voice mail
Anyways this truck is an 02 has 64k miles on it and is FAR from stock, as usual one of the used car sales managers ( i am in finance) has not a DAMN clue what this thing is. I popped the hood and started it up and know it has the follwing after drving it:
Bigger than stock pulley (visually)
Intake (visually)
aftermarket ignition (visually)
mild cam (EASY to tell)
exhuast (visually after getting under it)
upgraded brakes (visuallly can tell there NOT the stock size and there drilled and slotted)
suspension is not stock either by looking at arms, bushings, springs, shocks...all NOT stock
aftermarket intercooler (water)
has some tranny mods as the tranny shifts FIRM AS crap and chirped going into 2nd.
By judging since i have had some pretty quick cars this truck is over 400hp just by feel i believe. The paint is so damn shiny it looks likes glass, no curb rash on the stock wheels, brand new set on Nitto 555's. oh and its black on black
only aftermarket gauge is a air/fuel. SO needless to say i was quite shocked to find out they have less than 10k trade on this truck, and of course EMPLOYEES of our company can buy $300 over....guys this truck would pull 15k on ebay.. I put it out back and am VERY tempted to pull the trigger on this thing tommorow and flip it, but its so nice I would like to just keep it. ANybody have one of these here? I know a little about them from keeping up with forced inducted cars over the years.The guy that traded it in was the ORIGINAL owner and left his number for anyone that wanted to talk to him about the truck, and I already called and left him a voice mail
She can ride with me ;)
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Sharon, PA
Re: Opinions on Ford Lightning
I really don't know much about the Ford Lightnings. But what I do know is that you can use their intercooler pump and replace the SRT-6 pump with it. 
I ran into a guy at the drag strip driving one that would do low 12 second quarter miles, but I'm sure his wasn't stock.
I ran into a guy at the drag strip driving one that would do low 12 second quarter miles, but I'm sure his wasn't stock.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2008
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Re: Opinions on Ford Lightning
Originally Posted by LantanaTX
My best friedn had one and they are very nice trucks. You should buy it or sell it to one of your firends on here for $10,300
If I turned around and flipped it I would want to make a little profit for the work, lol...maybe like $11,000 
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Akron, Ohio
Re: Opinions on Ford Lightning
Originally Posted by Akers04Coupe
If I turned around and flipped it I would want to make a little profit for the work, lol...maybe like $11,000 
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 14,601
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From: IN
Re: Opinions on Ford Lightning
My neighbor owned a black one. My question to the owner would be, has the motor been down, meaning rebuilt? If just bolt on aftermarket parts, then it would be a good truck to own. Definitely has been taken care of by the owner, but, why did he trade it in? We car guys, know you will take a beating at a dealership, so why the trade? These are the only "flags" I see. If she was in that good of shape, I would have sold it "outright" not lose 2-3K on a trade. Wish I were in the market, 'cause those little trucks can run.
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: South Carolina
Re: Opinions on Ford Lightning
Originally Posted by Mimi05SRT6
You say the pulley looks bigger? The mod for that truck would be a smaller SC pulley. Larger would reduce the HP.
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Joined: May 2008
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Re: Opinions on Ford Lightning
Originally Posted by Bigkid
Mimi05 you must have a code 3. If it is a crank pulley it would be larger.
UPDATE: Ok so i talked with the original owner and the motor was rebuilt with forged internals in 2009 with 52k on thje odometer...apparently (and after researching i found this to be correct) those truck are WELL KNOWN for throwing rods through the block WOT in cold weather...and this is what happened to him after he modded the truck. All the mods I thought it had were CORRECT, lol
He has all receipts for the motor build and it cost nearly 5200 bux 2 years ago..I ask him why he didnt sell it outright cause he could have gotten 15k, he said he tried for 5 months to sell it after the motor was built and everybody kept trying to lowball him at 10-12k grand...so he just didnt wanna to deal with any longer and traded it on a brand new 370z.
He has DYNO sheets of the truck showing a pump gas tune of 458hp on 93 octane and 553 hp on C-16 VP fuel...so needless to say this truck is a BEAST... I KNEW it was fast on pump gas
The main thing is now is getting our owner to let me buy it at cost, the truck would bring 4-5k profit and they KNOW this and might not wanna let it go for 300 over..we will see what happens saturday
Last edited by Akers04Coupe; Feb 3, 2011 at 04:10 PM.
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 14,601
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From: IN
Re: Opinions on Ford Lightning
If I were the owner, I would sell it to you in a heart beat for 300 over. Trucks like that might go another 30K or 3k miles before they let loose again. Just depends on how experienced the engine builder was. And that you will never know. Nice toy, but I would pass. Good luck either way.
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