I just picked up a 97 F150 standard cab, 2wd, flareside, with a 5.4. (pretty much the framework to most lightnings, for the most part)

IF i threw on a set of aluminum heads/cams and a blower, how close would i be to a far as the motor is concerned? (including all the other little things like injectors, MAF, etc.)

My biggest question is the exhaust on it now.. It is a single in single out side exhaust, stock. (it goes out in front of the rear tire unlike most of the f150's i have seen) Now i would almost think that an aftermarket lightning exhaust system would hang right up?

If anybody else were in my shoes what would you do or start out with? Please don't say sell the truck and buy a lightning... I gurarrentee i could make this thing faster then any stock lightning with half the money i saved from buying it instead of a lightning.

Im thinking wheels, exhaust, and get it lowered 2" in front and 3" in the back.

Im not really trying to make a clone here just a fast , decent looking truck.. Wheels maybe the only thing i really change on the overall appearance...

 

Hi and welcome!

The regular 5.4 is higher compression than the Lightning motors due to them being naturally aspirated. Not sure how well a blower would work, but I don't think you can reach the same level as a Lightning.

 

well i did notice that the lightning is what 8.5:1 compression.. What is a standard F150? maybe 9.5:1, or is more? A good tune and use premium gas and there should be no blower problems...

I could be wrong for I am much more familiar with pushrod motors. I will say my stang runs on 91 octain and i run 9.5:1 compression in it and with my new fuel pump i should be looking at 5 and 1/4 at the rear wheels, if not higher... (low 11/ high 10 sec car power)

Anyways im really only looking for 300-350 hp... The truck is actually for my gf... We would be hauling my car to and from the track with it(never know when your going to break). And occationally letting her see what she can do with it at the track.

 

damn you must really love your gf..no bf has ever done that for me lol

what yr stang you have? ,,i just sold my 88 a couple months ago...kinda miss it but on to bigger and better things

anyways welcome to the site..im new to the lightning scene and hopefully will get mine soon...good luck with you "lightning wannabe" lol

Stephanie

 

My car is a 94 gt... And actually to be honest... She is paying for all the mods im just doing the labor in putting them on...

Here are a couple pics of the prodject truck at hand... (somewhat close in apperance to a lighting...)





Then here is a pic of my baby.




for more pics/info of my baby... (not been updated for awhile.)
www.homepage.macomb.com/~dlb1982

 

Welcome

 

300hp at the rear wheels is fairly easy with a regular F-150 with the 5.4. It will never be a lightning unless you spent about 10k on mods. I prefer to make my own beast and not pose as a lightning. If you want a lightning, buy a lightning!

 

1. Your sig says you ran a 12.2 so farin the stang on street tires. Lil ****y to think you could knock 2 whole seconds off with adding slicks.

2. 300-350 HP is not going to make that truck anywhere near a lightning.

 

Stock lightnings only put down about 350hp at the tires.

 

HP is nothing in the trucks without Torque, you can match the HP #s but most forget about the Torque. which is what gets em off the line

 

If you look a my dyno, you'll see that I could not agree more!

There is a good balance between horsepower and torque. The trick is finding the perfect balance and making it work in the 1/4.

 

The side exit exhaust on your truck that exits in front of the right rear tire was only used on 97 F-150's. I think a set of Dynatech long tubes with a Kenne Bell blower and some 4.10 gears would be a good idea. The Kenne Bell would be great for your truck since you have higher compression and the stock Kenne Bell pulley only gives 6-8 psi. All this with a nice computer tune would make for a sick/different ride. Good luck.

 

lol that was completely untuned and i was maxed out in power at 5000 rpms due to a crappy fuel pump... I ran faster then that NA... Not to mention the fact i was against my rev limiter. Your going to tell me adding 150 rwhp isn't going to push my times down a nice chunk? Also your going to tell me slicks aren't going to help my times out that much... You ever seen a person run 11 sec on true street tires? I have seen it once... and i go to the track quite abit... You reach a point when extra power doesn't help out cause you spin so much. again my low mph was due to the rev limiter.

I watched 1000 hp cars go 12 sec due to no traction. They were old ventage cars that smoked the tires the whole length of the track.

I will say i don't know much about mod motors but i will say i can make a stock shortblock pushrod motor put 420+ rwhp pretty damn easy... All it takes is a h/c/i swap with a small blower...

 

slicks obviously will help.........but not 2 secs.

 

.........and nice looking GT.