Hey all, first post on the board.
I currently have a 1987 Grand National with many mods. It's an 11 second car, but its still an old car with old car probs. I'm currently in the works on selling it and very interested in buying a '01 or '02 Lightning.
How much am I realistically looking at spending for a used L?

Here's my questions on the motor's limits and whatnot....

1) How much HP can the stock motor handle before it needs internals?

2) How much boost can the stock supercharger effenciently put out?

3) How much HP can the stock fuel supply support?

I have a propane injection kit from my GN that I want to put on the Lightning to make it about 110 octane everyday driving. I want to get the max out of this motor hopefully with the stock motor and SC, but I will buy a different SC if necessary. If the truck is say 4670lbs, and I'm 200lbs, I'll need around 600+ HP to really get things moving


Thanks in advance!!

 

1) Depends on what year. 99/00 have stronger lower end. They can handle about 500rw i would say. 01/02 not so strong lower end. About 450 rw or so.

2) About 15-16lbs before it becomes a heaton

3) Most say around 500-550rwhp

As for propane injection. I have never seen it used on a Lightning. Most people go for water/alc injection and seem to get good results. But, if you are familiar with propane, i would give it a try, see what happens.

Good luck with whatever you do...

 

I do not agree w/ statement one. There is no physical proof that that 01s are any less stroger then any other year.
I ran an my 01 stock block to death. 8# lower, many 11 second passes and a lot of long drives in all kind of weather and never had a problem.
Its all in the tune.
Mat (SVT F150) just ran a 11.37 on a stack block with a KB on his 01.
Its all in the tune


Dr. Evil,

You sound like you want to go fast. I mean real fast. The stock block is good but definately not great. Mild mods O.K. for stock block but if you want to have fun then a built bottom end is the way to go no matter what year you get.

 

Okay, well heres my next few questions then.

What mods would I have to purchase on a 99/00 that a 01/02 already has? (isn't the TB already a 90mm on the 01-03 L's?)

Who would rebuild the bottom end and how much would this run?

How much power will that stock tranny take? will mods to the stock tranny take that kind of power, or will a different tranny be needed?

Would I just be better off getting a 99/00 and spending less than a 01/02, so I can get a bottom end and a KB SC?

Possibly a 01 with a KB SC, converter, propane and some decent boost is all I need. I just don't want to spend more money than I have to. Theres no sense getting a newer truck if I'm going to have the lower end rebuilt anyways.

 

save the money and buy a 99..The mass air flow is what needs to be changed, from80mm to 90mm. Not sure if it's b.s. but I have heard ALOT of people say the 99's have stronger bottom ends. But who cares if your gonna change them. I say buy a 99-00, do the basic upgrades, add a 6lb lower, 2lb upper, and let her go till she blows. Thats what i'm doing.! (haven't installed the 6lb yet)
Besides around here the 99-00 and the 01-up with the same mods are running the same times.

 

on a '99 L with 90mm Maf, Kenne Bell had a dyno test with....
100 octane, bigger air filter, larger TB, big inlet system (not sure what that is), KB supercharger, 9"X2.5" pulleys (22psi), and KB switch chip in the "power" position
no other exhaust or engine mods done
548rwhp 630rwtrq
http://www.kennedysdynotune.com/imag...ightning54.gif

I think that SC is about $3K, think that same power could be made on a 99 or 00 truck with those same mods?
The KB chip also has a "shootout" position with even more advanced timing and whatnot, with the propane kit I have and that, the numbers would be even higher.

Of course this is all pure speculation.....

 

TTT

 

99 is definatly a good year to buy used. Cheapest yet prolly one of the best, ( only say that cuase I got one).

All you need really is a 90mm maf. I'd leave the 3.55 gears instead of upgrading to 3.73 or 4.10's

Hope you find a good L, we need more racers