Goto: http://206.139.32.21/ls1forum/Forum16/HTML/000952.html

 

Wow, that was a great link!! Those Bow Tie guys are almost as impressed with the Lightning as we are. Ha ha. Wish I could find one or two of those guys in Carrollton TX for a little excitement.

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1999 Red Lightning
Bed Rug, Soft Cover, Super Chip

 

Steve,

I really appreciated the link to the LS-1 site to see the comments posted. It's nice to know that we are appreciated, even in the enemy camp {grin}.

If you don't think it will start a flame war or anything, you might consider posting the following for me:

Mine is likely the one you saw the dyno numbers on. I made 404.5 rwhp on an 80 hp shot of spray. When we calculated the crank horses, they came out to 494 hp.

These dyno runs were done at Motorsport Technologies, Inc. in Houston, a GM only speed shop near my house. The guys who ran the dyno were notably impressed that a Blue Oval could make those kinds of numbers, especially in a truck.

As to grenading the engine with a shot of the fog, it came from SVT with forged pistons, rods, and crank. I have found that the motor doesn't even strain under the fairly mild shot it's getting. It actually seems to enjoy it.

I had the opportunity to put a calibrated boost gauge on the system and found that after removing the stock airbox and replacing it with a PowerStack dual cone air filter, I was making approx. 11.5 lbs of boost.

The combination of the two makes this baby wake up and roar like a lion.

I won't be able to take her to the track unitl next weekend at the earliest, but anyone wanting to know some track times can come on over to F150Online in the Lightning forum and see what you think.

I'm not saying that my truck is the all time killer of all GM products, far from it. But, I have had more than my share of wins chewing up Camaros, Firebirds (a bit tougher than the Camaros), and even the odd occasional C5 (driver probs, certainly not car probs). Mustangs, T-birds, and various Mopar products have also contributed to the protien intake of the Black Beast, she is not a finicky eater.

P.S. Some of us "old guys" are likly to fool you, we can afford the ticket {grin}

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Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Black 99.5 Lightning
CD Changer; Tow Pkg.; Lojack; Sal's custom nitrous chip; G-Tech/Pro; SnugLid; BedRug; Invinca-Shield, full kit; NOS KIT 80 hp shot (currently); Clear and smoke Lexan fog light covers; 3M Ti Window Tint; Bel radar detector (shouldn't be an accessory); PowerStack cone filter (a.k.a. supercharger waker upper); American Auto Designs ram air hood - in transit; Cal-Tracs traction bars



[This message has been edited by Wyldman (edited 10-14-1999).]

 

Steve,

After having read some of the posts on the rest of LS-1 online, I may have to rescind my earlier request. The flame wars over there are at least 10,000 times worse there than I have ever seen here.

Kinda makes me even more appreciative of the group we have here.

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Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Black 99.5 Lightning
CD Changer; Tow Pkg.; Lojack; Sal's custom nitrous chip; G-Tech/Pro; SnugLid; BedRug; Invinca-Shield, full kit; NOS KIT 80 hp shot (currently); Clear and smoke Lexan fog light covers; 3M Ti Window Tint; Bel radar detector (shouldn't be an accessory); PowerStack cone filter (a.k.a. supercharger waker upper); American Auto Designs ram air hood - in transit; Cal-Tracs traction bars

 

Tmi

 

Hey guys im new to the Message Board =). i have had my beast for about 2 months and was wonderig the web looking for info on the our beasts and fell across this. i have been reading this for about a week and decided to join up and pitch in my two cents on things =).

In the two months i have had my lightning i have beaten comeros, kept up with corvettes, sloughtered cobra's (not to diss the stable mate) and galore.

When ever im at a auto shop getting goddies for the truck (wax, 104+, ect...) i pop the hood to show the sales men my toy and a swarm of people come and start slobering, then i of coude i have to say: "IT IS OK TO DRULL BUT PLEASE NOT ON THE TRUCK =)" and the guys still do it any way. Well gzzzz i did that too for the first 2 weeks i came up wothe stupidest reason to go out look at her, or diver around town, or just to even rev the motor in the drive way (just love to hear that superchargger sing).

i am still planning on keeping ym stock the way i got it from the dealor.

About the N2O (N.O.S.) Um you could flip the switch on after you launch to elimate the will spin (saves money when you have to buy new tires)

well that has been my two cents ill c-ya guys around.....

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WHITE BEAST

*WHITE 99.5 LIGHTNING

 

Great site!! Competition is always good. I don't know if I like the comments about being over 40 to have a lightning. It's not like the TA's and Camaro's are CHEAP! What's another $7,000? A $60 a month increase on a car payment!!
I'll still take the ride, comfort, power and PULLING ABILITY of the Lightning over any LS1 or C5. What I really love is the "RESPECT" the Lightning is getting. I have a guy at a local Amoco station that is running a stock 98 black TA. He actually laughs, stating "any-time, for any-money" HMMMMM! Wonder what his house looks like!!!!!!!

 

2000Silverbullet,

Thanks for sharing these great LS1 comments with us!

Speaking of respect, I had lunch the other day with the former president of my old company and he tried to buy my Lightning from me. Said it's the most awesome stock truck he's ever seen. Offered me $30,000 on the spot. I turned him down, of course. (Also offered me a job. I'm still thinking about that offer. )

Mike Philpott

 

Dear Wyldman,

Amen to that! F150online generally has one of the very best groups of people who know how to get along that I've ever seen on the Internet. Tons of great information, and mostly without the flame wars you see in almost every other Internet-based anything.

It reminds me of the civil, professional, and polite atmosphere that we had in many of the CompuServe Forums over the years, where people paid a lot more money for access, so we generally got a little bit older crowd. This is better, as we get the younger people here too, the first time I've ever seen that type of atmosphere on the Internet, so F150online will always have a special place in our heart!

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Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com

 

Hey FRDPLAY, if those TA's and Camaro SS's are being sold for $18k or more then we can throw out the $7k difference. I got mine on "A" plan for $25k and I know not everyone could get it at that but I wish everyone could. I agree with you that having the option to pull or haul stuff is a big plus over having a car. How many TA's and Camaro's have you seen with a class III towing hitch? Lastly, the best yet is to ask someone how much they are paying for insurance on that TA or CamaroSS, especially if their under 25. Insurance for this truck is one of the best secrets out there unless you found the thread in here that was posted a while back.

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99 Lightning- the guinea pig year.
Color- arrest me red
Mods-still stock but not if I can help it.

 

Frdplay.......Have to let you know you can't compare the Lightning to the C5. Your statement that "you will take the Ride, Comfort, Power and Pulling Ability of the Lightning over the C5 " tells me one thing.....you ain't never been in a C5 for any lenth of time. I have both and they are both truley Great rides......but I have to say with the C5 against the Lightning, the Lightning only wins in the Pulling catagory.

Two different rides that you can't compare...But I would never trade one for the other...later....Tybee

 

my best friend has a c5 which i drive all the time when he is out of town, he drives my lightning when he wants to be noticed. the c5 will drive circles around my lightning. it has slightly less hp (stock) and is about 1500lbs lighter!!!!! this is a world class sports car and is not to be compared with a world class sports truck. with a few mods the c5 could make a lightning look like a pickup truck. the power to weight ratio is completely in it's court.

 

Here's an analogy that I think fits here.

I have a Buell S3 motorcycle that is hands down one of the MOST FUN motorcycles I have ever owned. I never have anything but an ear to ear grin after a ride. It's not the fastest, not the best handling (that's up for debate) nor the smoothest or most reliable but WHO CARES. I love it, and so do thousands of converts that have the luck to own one of these beauties. It's also unlike every other motorcyle on the planet and that alone is the only explanation I can give when someone asks me to explain my irrational love of this machine. (check them out at www.buell.com)

Now enter the Lightning. Not the fastest, best handling or most advanced automobile on the planet but undeniably one of the most fun to drive. It does things that god never intended a truck to do and that's the best answer I can give when someone asks me what it's attraction is.

Getting into the "mine's better than yours" debate misses the point. You can't quantify this affliction. Just learn to live with the fact that only 4000 of us a year will be able to understand :-)

Mark W.

"Do I ride or do I drive, I got it, I'll put the bike in the truck and decide later!"

 

I guess that I can be more objective here than most on this subject because I came from the LT-1/LS-1 group. I was one of the first members a few years back on LS1.com. I have seen too many flame wars to boot and you just learn to ignore them. There have been many interesting things that go on there and it was quite exciting to see the next free mod that someone came up with. All in all...a good number of the people there are great folks and really are nice to chat with...however, there are way too many "cases". My personal history had an LT-1 Camaro...it was a pile of crap...a lemon is what it was. I was towed 17 times to the dealer. I traded that car for a 98 LS-1 Camaro....it was better, but I started seeing things that I didn't like and I decided to bail on it as soon as I could, not to mention the outrageous insurance rates. The seats are horrible, the interior plastics are very cheap and things are generally put together in a rather shoddy/uncaring fashion. I know that the TransAms are a bit better as far as seating and interior ergonomics. However, again...one has to realize that these cars are built with a purpose, to go fast at a cheap price. So...in reality, the quality isn't as high as what is in our trucks. I couldn't fault anyone for buying the newer Camaro's/Firebirds! They look just great IMHO!!!! Just be prepared for some major maintenance issues as it gets older.

I have always been a truck guy and will remain that way now probably forever. I feel safer, I like the view when I drive and the looks that my Lightning gets.

I also have to say that there are really nice folks here and this is just a very CLASSY list, plain and simple....I have found my home.......

Paul G........99.5 Red Devil

 

Well said, Paul. I agree completely!

Mike