This just completely goes back to the fact that the competition is against TRUCKS. I have no problem with Johnny doing what he does to go fast. You are right about the suspension. But as far as this shootout they are putting together, Johnny's truck is the furthest thing from a Street Driven daily driver lightning compared to how they come out of the box. I like the weight and Ballast Idea. Maybe they shouldn't all weight the same, but within 100-50 lbs of each other. I think JL's truck was under 4400lbs , maybe more. It's not hard to add 500 lbs to the back of the truck. The tuners just have to do it ahead of time to adjust their suspension.

I say we all stay out of this. Let the Tuners elect 1 neutral person to set the rules between the 3. Make sure they all agree on the rules. And make sure they are all what they are supposed to be on track day. Having one of the tuners run the show is only going to lead to "he cheated".

MM&FF could do an awesome article on this, as well as some of the other ford magazines.

Maybe something like this would help open Ford's eye's to the fact that their are true SVT Truck enthusiets out there so let's get your **** together and start building!!!

 

I say do it in the spring (Cecil or Etown) and fall (Lfest) because you know the losers will want a rematch.

It's probably like sex. You can't do it too much.

As PeeWee said in Porky's before going to meet the prostitute, "I've gotta go warmup".

 

You are missing the point.

Jim posed a challenge to determine which tuner could make the most reliable horsepower. He did not propose that anyone try to set new Lightning speed records.

To determine which engine is quickest, there needs to be some commonality in weight, suspension, tire, etc.

Runnin' what ya brung will not achieve the stated goal.

 

HOLY crap! It actually happened! I agree with Tim

 

but only sal and myself showed up..

The first L fest I was there, you weren't you had an NMRA race that weekend. Second L fest that weekend I was on my way to California for a Fun Ford Weekend Race. L fest needs to be scheduled around NMRA and FFW.

As for Tubular Frames there is no way in hell I would cut my truck up to put a 4 link or tubular front end in. In fact my truck will weigh within the 4900-5000lb range this year with all the extras Ive added to it. It will retain 100% street suspension. One of the cool parts about owning a Lightning is that you can put a built motor, bigger supercharger and run 10's or even 9's on a everyday street driven vehicle. As long as the company has the technology to do that.


As for the race rules it doesnt matter to me where its held at or how much the truck weighs I am going to drive my truck to the event bolt the slicks on and race what I drove there with. As for you and anybody else for that matter you could strap yourself to a milk crate and an open frame with 4 wheels, tires, and a motor and it wont matter to me.

As for the date i think L fest is too far off. Like Sal stated he migt not even have his truck, I would like to do the end of February and maybe a re-match at L fest. I know my customers would like to be involved with this to show off their trucks. As for me If it dosent happen in February Ill just wait till March FFW is only 1 week before NMRA bradenton and Ill meet you there.

Jim@JDM

 

See what Jim started. Feel the love.

 

I will be having a new combinaton as well for next year.
I will be there proudly represent Johnny and Sue like always.

 

as soon as you start replacing and bolting up new parts to your lightning be it an exhaust or different blower by some of your guys definition of what a lightning is then i dont think a single person on this board has a right to call his or her truck a true lightning as intended by ford.

this is a grudge match not a class event. there should be very few rules if any. at this point its all about bragging rights right. if it were about prize money then i say yes let the rules fly. anyone of these trucks can have weight removed (my truck weighs in at 4130 and still has a/c and powersteering. minus a passenger seat but with the tailgate still on.) if there is to be a weight rule it should be a minimum weight only using my truck as an example its easy to get the weight down to 4200 so JL would have to add ballast and Sal would have the option to remove. i haven't seen or heard of anything of JDM's truck so i dont know the weight.

i also understand the whole big 3 thing but why just limit it to you 3? there are a number of other tuners out there that just might be interested in showing what they can bring to the table.

 

I hope you , yourself realize there's a huge difference when referring to a vehicle that has gone from a roots to a centrif blower.............and from a truck that has gone from a stock frame and suspension to a tubular set up.

I mean, let's not stick our heads in the sand and play stupid. Let's face it, there's nothing wrong with what JL did to his truck. The faster the better. People are just pointing out that as far as frame construction and engineering, his truck is the furthers from an actual lightning then Jim and Sal's. That' s no lie, no cheap shot, no **** talking. It is what it is.

Like Jim said, who cares. Strap the body to an f'n milk crate the gloves are off!!!!

After all, this is about power and tuning. So if Jim and Sal think their engine setups and tuning are better then Johnny's engine setup and tuning......leave the frame and suspension out of it. If Jim and Sal want to hack up their trucks, they could. They are gonna come as they are. This is for them to worry about. Not us. Let them straighten out how they all agree to do it and we can sit back and watch.

 

Doug, you get to take the pictures

 

Straight from the mouth of someone who knows what he's talking about.

 

Then what you are talking about is no longer a truck. Its a race vehicle that happens to have a truck body.

Take your argument further - racing a truck is just wrong - too heavy - too big - not aerodynamic - bad suspension - bad weight distribution .....

Like I said before why not just get a Funny car and slap a few lightning badges on it ....

Doug

PS its similar to the reasons we made fun of the Dodge - No towing capacity - wing keeps the bed from being used ... its not really a truck

 

you still get to take the pictures.....

 

Seems like you're the one scared. Why are you guys all wanting to force upon others the combination YOU run? It's a grudge match! RUN WHAT YA BRUNG!

And as for impressing customers, who said all Lightning owners WANT daily driven trucks? I, for one, would LOVE to have a Lightning race truck. I don't know about you, but my Lightning is just one of my toys. A project. I don't rely on it to get me to the grocery store or work. And I certainly don't want to just be another one of those ten thousand daily driven 10 second trucks JDM puts out.

Maybe PSP should argue that all trucks participating in the grudge match are RED and DON'T run a roots/twin-screw blower. Or maybe JLP should whine about requiring all trucks to have Diablo graphics, front coil-overs, and can't weigh more than 4200 lbs. Get my drift, son?

 

Your loss.

BECAUSE I'M HAVING A FU(K!N BLAST!!!!!!!