Three other choices:

-Mallett 435 C5 Vette w/450lbs of torque at about $72K

-Jaguar XKR Supercharged 370Hp at about 78K

Or if you REALLY want to dress to impress, and have something that you WON'T see at the Beverly Hills Car Rental Store:

-Shelby Series 1 at an even $100K...only 500 to be made.

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-Dominoe

'99.5 "White Lightning", CD Changer, tow, tonneau, GTS Omni-Guard, Vent Visors, GTS headlight covers, tint, Steel Horse bed-rug, PIAA driving "Whites", Snug Lid on order.

'94 Pontiac 25th Anniversary Trans Am GT Convertible

 

mswaim, Buy a viper sell the SVT, then you won't be around here anymore right? I am sorry if some of us need to have a 4 door car - SVT Contour, or can't afford to spend 30,000 on a vehicle - Lightning. It doesn't make us any less of a man as you have insinuated.

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99 F150 XLT Silver 2WD S/C 4.2 5-speed, Superchip, Flowmaster muffler // Rear door switch guards - check them out at http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/show/5031

 

Sorry to hear about your lightning but if you read any articles in motor trend almost every time they have tested a viper it has broken down and had to be repaired before they could finish testing it. Hope you have better luck with yours

 

Do ya really want a Viper? Check out this url: http://www.mkiv.com/main/index.html
The website shows 500 RWHP + Supra's without a whole lot of work. Just a thought. IMHO this is the best bang for the buck, but sadly they don't import them any more. There are used ones around, its a cool car but talk about small!! A good friend of mine owns a 97 twin turbo, what a rush!!!! (check out the kill stories at the site).

 

Well Darin, It sure did not take long to fire up a Conour owner, now did it. I'm curious though, in your signature you spell out in great length your 1999 F-150, but you don't list an SVT Contour? Do you own one, or do you just like championing causes? The last time this happened the original author posted a string on the Contour board which in a nutshell compared the power/performance of his Contour to the new generation Lightning. He stated that in a head to head run, the Contour could possibly beat the Lighning in the 1/4 mile, and would walk off and leave it in what they refer to as "the twisties". I know, I know, I told them they needed to lay off the funny smelling, smoking material................I guess some of us just don't recognize satire when we see it. Hey Darin, get a clue, I was not attempting to insinuate you were less of a man simply because you are a closet Contour worshipper..........Hell, I'm sure every Lightning owner wishes now he had opted for the Contour bedliner option. Heck, with one of those things loaded in the back, we would finally have that traction we need........

All of the member suggestions for better choices than the Viper, I must admit they are all good choices. Here in Fresno there is no shortage of fast cars, both heavily modified and factory produced vehicles. All I can say is I like the body style and overall good looks of the Viper. Besides, I don't think I will keep it any longer than I did my Cobra or my current Lightning.

[This message has been edited by mswaim (edited 11-19-1999).]

[This message has been edited by mswaim (edited 11-19-1999).]

 

first, i like fast mopars, old and new, and vipers turn heads where ever you go. during mardi gras this year, i was in paris near the ritzi hi dollar stores and hotels. there were ferrari's and lambo's all over, and no one even looked at them. "Arnold" pulled up in a new white/blue striped "GTS" and the streets and sidewalks came to a standstill. everyone was drooling over the car. Arnold gives the keys to hotel guy, and walks in, and "no one" gave him any attention what so ever. the car however stole the show

 

mswaim, a countour giving a lightning a run in a 1/4 mile? I will tell you my contour story: One day after leaving work, I noticed a countour screwing around behind me, so I slowed down and he passed me on the right (2 lane road) then I seen it was an SVT contour, so I gave the truck a quick throttle punch, and the guy in the contour laughs, and gun his car, seeing this I gun mine, but I couldnt stay in it for long due to the Grandpa in my lane, so I let out and figure oh this little weasel in the contour thinks he beat me, so I get behind him and play a little, and get stuck at a light, he was first in his lane, and due to traffic, I could not get next to him so I stayed behind him. He is in front revving his engine, and the light turns green and he guns it, well I guned mine too, he is staying in the throttle and so am I, I get in the left lane, and passed him like he was standing still. So I came from a car or better behind, and had at least 5 car lengths on him when I got out of it. At the next light, his smirk turned to a frown, and he wouldnt play anymore...


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Jim
96 Black Cobra,
K&N,OffRoad H-Pipe
NitrousExpress 150 shot
Soon to have a stroked 351W
1999.5 Black Lightning
No Mods yet

 

mswaim, I don't think it is neccesary to list my previous vehicles or my wifes current vehicle in my signature - 96 Contour SE. I also think you crossed the fine line between voicing an opinion about something and putting other peoples vehicles down. You wouldn't happen to know rustys would you?

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99 F150 XLT Silver 2WD S/C 4.2 5-speed, Superchip, Flowmaster muffler // Rear door switch guards - check them out at http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/show/5031

 

Do I know "rustys", well no, but perhaps Nathan if you could hum a few bars.......

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Mark Swaim
1999 Black Lightning
1997 Cobra (deceased)
1993 Cadillac Allante

 

Hello Mark, Sorry to hear you're having so much grief with your Lightning. I have a 99.5 also and it has performed flawlessly on the street and at the track. If you really are considering a Viper, do it. I also have a 97 Viper GTS and I wouldn't trade it for the world. All the talk you hear about buying this and buying that then modifying it to perform like a Viper, well, what do you have in the long run, not a Viper. And that modified vehicle you've put all that extra money into, did it hold its value and will you get all that money you've spent modifying it back when you try and sell it? NO! As far as quality goes don't believe the other posts here. I traded a 95 Collectors Edition Vette with full Greenwood package in on the Viper and it was way slower, noiser, didn't handle nearly as well, and the quality was no where near Viper quality. I have no particular loyalty to any one manufacture and will buy whatever is the best for a certain catagory at the time. The Lightning and the Viper both fill a niche that no other vehicles currently fill. Also no other vehicle Ive ever owned has turned more heads than the Viper. I know this is an Ford F150 forum but I had to speak up for the Viper. BUY THE VIPER.
HICHARG

99.5 Red Lightning/Slightly modified
99 Black Volkswagen Passat/Momo wheels
97 Red Dodge Viper GTS/Air box mods.
90 Geo Storm Super Gas/Highly modified.
40 Ford Sedan/Street Rod.

 

I agree with you HICHARG. I am not approaching the idea of purchasing a Viper completely blind. I have driven both an RT/10 and a new hard-top and found both to be a kick in the *** to drive. Over the years (and were talking many, since I'm older than dirt) I have owned and sometimes modified many cars. But none of them have had the combination of looks, power and performance of the Viper. many people point out its weaknesses in construction, but you need only read our own postings to see a similar trend in shoddy construction. Please remember, there were only 4,000 Lightnings built this year. Out of those, I continue to see postings for problems with fuel pumps, front end alignment, poor paint quality, ground effects mounting problems, piston slapping, engine smoking, mass air meter failures, starter failures, etc., etc., etc. So I would guess they all have problems. Heck, look at the new Cobra from our own stable of performance cars.

 

MS, Can you email me your phone number or email your address if you still have the Lightning for sale?



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Roger Lemere
F150online.com
Digital Mkt.Place Advisor
DBA Lemere Enterprises
Roger@F150online.com
916-361-2510

 

He Already Sold it Roger. Check it out below.
https://www.f150online.com/f150board...ML/000631.html