For this week’s Throwback video I dug up an old segment from MotorWeek that included their first take on the then-new 1993 Ford F-150 Lightning – the truck billed as a Mustang GT with a cargo bed. After going over the exterior aspects that allowed the early Lightning to stand apart from the non-performance F-150 models from 1993, the show goes under the hood to show off the 5.8L V8 topped by GT40 cylinder heads that offers 240 horsepower.
MotorWeek points out that they weren’t able to run a full complement of tests on the 1993 Ford F-150 Lightning, but they do talk about their observed 0-60 time of 7.2 seconds as well as the improved braking and handling capabilities that they believe allows this F-150 to handle nearly as well as a Mustang GT from the same year – although the reviewers in the video don’t have good things to say about the steering of this early high performance F-150.
This video doesn’t offer a whole lot in the way of seeing what the 1993 Ford F-150 Lightning can do, but it is interesting to hear the reviewer discuss the ins and outs of the early high performance Ford F Series pickup. It is also interesting to see how poor the video quality was back then so crank up your speakers and enjoy some 20 year old new truck review footage!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
