O.K. all,

I gathered up the complaints and thoughts we had about this pathetic article and sent it in the e-mail below to the editor. Follwing my note is his response.

I have a few thoughts in reference to your October Truck Shootout
article....

This is how the Ford Lightning was ranked:
Trucks were rated in 7 categories:
Results per category are as follows.
Fuel economy Lightning #2
Acceleration Lightning #2
Road Course Lightning #1
Slalom Lightning #2
Braking Lightning #2
Ride & Drive Lightning #1
Craftsmanship Lightning #4
Overall Lightning #4
It is astonishing that a truck that ranks 1st or 2nd in every category but
one, can come in dead last fourth. 200 points for craftsmanship, which is
totally subjective, proved to be the desiding factor for a sport truck.
Isn't handling, acceleration, slalom, braking, just a little more important
to most people? In all the other categories, the difference between the
first and last place was usually pretty close. In the craftsmanship area,
the GMC got the total 200 and the Lightning got 92 points or 46% of the
winning score. In all other areas, the last place truck had from 80-90% of
the winning score except in fuel economy where the big block Chevy got 50%
due to it's 8 miles per gallon, and that category was only worth 50 points
anyway.
I am pretty miffed that craftsmanship got so much weight and really feel you
owe your readers, and especially the lightning owners, an explanation of how
you came up with this subjective interpretation.

Alex Lansky
Sugarland, Texas

Here is the response:

Well you obviously did not get the point of the story, maybe you should re-read it. The competition was not comparing new trucks, it was comparing modified trucks and the owner of that truck completely screwed up any qualities that Ford built into it. It handled much worse that a stock one and was not as fast. It had a factory paint job where as the other ones had all been treated to custom paint jobs. In all rights that truck should not have been included but because we are always desperate to find nice modified Fords we had to settle for that one just to try and make you Ford guys somewhat happy which is impossible.

 

That guy wrote most of Biil Clintons responses to all his problems!
Tom

 

A talented editor. He managed to slight you or Ford owners eleven times in only one paragraph.

I wonder what he drives?

1 you obviously did not get the point
2 maybe you should re-read it.
3 the owner of that truck completely screwed up
4 It handled much worse
5 was not as fast.
6 factory paint job other ones had been treated to custom paint
7 In all rights that truck should not have been included
8 because we are always desperate to find nice modified Fords
9 we had to settle for that one
10 try and make you Ford guys somewhat happy
11 which is impossible.


[This message has been edited by Raoul (edited 08-16-2000).]

 

Please feel free to e-mail the editor back @

leeke@emapUSA.com

Heheheheehehe!

 

oh well... time to look for some good FORD magazines to read..

maybe we need to start out own magazine, so we can have biased opinions on ford vs chebby.
that way we could slam all of chevys new vehicles in favor of ford! just like hot rod, sport truck, trucking, and many others.

what are some good ford magazines to read?
i get MM&FF pretty regulary, but its mostly mustang junk. (not that that is bad, i just dont have one)
is there a magazine that has ford trucks featured in it?

------------------
brooks
'00 silver "L"
member NLOC #496
my zing albums - http://www.zing.com/member/?name=clonetek


_-mods-_

clunk (free with purchase)
V1 radar detector
colormatched ventvisors
redline waterwetter
eaton inside sticker
2" drop shackles
pro sport bed cover & bedrug
clear corners
clear tails - up next
waiting on lunar guages

 

O.k. I exchanged a few more e-mails with him and he eased up a bit. Here you go..

Me-

There is really no need to refer to me as a "Ford" guy as I have vehicles
from G.M.,Chrysler and Ford in my garage. Stereo-typing is a game for
losers. But by referring to me as such, you show that you are definitely
not a "Ford" guy and are biased against Ford owners and vehicles. Thanks
for the biased article!

Alex Lansky

Editor-

I'm not biased against any makes, I myself own 5 fords, 2 GMCs, 3 Chevys and a Dodge. Do you understand that the competition is about pitting modified trucks against each other and the Ford suffered because it was basically a stock truck that was even worse than stock. On top of that it had been used and abused. If it was there for anything, it was to show how a modified truck will perform against what would normally be a well rounded truck. I stand by the fact that the Ford did not deserve to win. I would love for someone to build a V8 Ranger and sweep the next Challenge but the last two Rangers we had coming broke down before the event. I could care less what make wins as long as the owner has built a worthy truck.

Me-

I understand your points, but you can understand my response and that of others when you try to compare apple's to bruised oranges. Thanks for your reply.

Editor-

Thank you for the comments, we always welcome response from our readers as to how we are doing. Just so you know you were not the only one with that viewpoint.


------------------------------------------

I guess I am satisfied with this exchange. It is good to be heard. Sorry for the long post but had to pass this along.

[This message has been edited by 1BADFRD (edited 08-16-2000).]

 

maybe some emails to some of their advertisers might be in order.....

 

Reading the editor's first response to you would lead me to believe that an average running Lightning with a killer custom paint job would have easily won the shootout.

Too bad they didn't give that impression in the article. It should have been titled "Paint Job Shootout" if that was the editor's intent.

 

"The '99 Lightning is now the benchmark by which all future sport trucks will be measured". Truck Trend Road Test

I guess past sport trucks, too.

------------------
Rich
1999.5 SVT Lightning - Red. Super Chip. K&N Filter. Viper Alarm w/remote start, Sir Michael's roll pan, smooth corners and steps w/billet inserts, clear corner lenses, Cervinis Ram Air hood, ARE Cover w/ wing, Momo billet pedals, cd changer, cover, Phantom boost and nitrous gauges, MTX Thunderform w/ 2 10" MTX Thunder 4000 subs. 5-channel 500w. Clarion amp.(APA5241), (4)Polk Audio 3-way, 130w. DX 7's, Color-matched Muth signal mirrors, Soundproofed cab, BedRug, AIM 2" Drop, Trenz billet grills, Piaa 9007 Super Whites, etc. Build #2755
TampaSVT@Tampabay.rr.com

http://home.tampabay.rr.com/tampasvt...cs/SigPic1.jpg


1999.5 Expedition XLT

 

Hit them in their pocket book.... don't buy the magazine any longer. Then they will think twice about what is written as a "fair" comparison.

------------------
John Armstrong
2000 Red Lightning
** Chipped by Swanson Performance
** <A HREF="http://www.swansonperformance.com

" TARGET=_blank>http://www.swansonperformance.com

</A>

 

I'm glad you got a few things straight with him, Alex.

I just find it nothing short of hilarious that they pitted highly modified trucks vs. a basically stock L...and the L still did very well in all the tests but the final outcome which was VERY subjective.

This is like me taking my mint condition/show winning/600hp/10-sec LX and pitting it against a '00 LS1 F-body with a few mods done to it. Totally not fair...completely NOT apples to apples.

It's a silly article.

------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--390rwhp/441rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--364rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html

 

I must say I just bought the latest copy of Sport Truck yesterday (runs a month behind here) and I'm getting so sick of seeing articles on nothing but GMs. Next time I see a copy at the newstand I will be looking at it more close before wasting a few bucks!

Andrew

 

Sorry to bring this post back up to the top I have had a dislike for Sport Truck Mag. ever since they gave a 4 door Dodge pick up sport truck of the year. Thats right a 4 door as a sport truck. Like some said before I cancelled my mag. and sent back all issues they sent me.
And if you look around there office you'll see a whole stable of Dodge 4 doors I guess you can buy a Nat. Mag.
------------------
1999 Red SVT Lightning
#3466 of 4000
NLOC #428
99 Grand Prix GTP Red




[This message has been edited by Super Chicken (edited 09-04-2000).]

 

Obviously this is an example of what happens when people don't support a good magazine. I'm referring to SUPER FORD, which has become defunct. How many of you subscribed to it? It was the only magazine I found that had old Thunderbolts, Comet Cyclones, etc in it AND the latest hop-ups for all Ford vehicles as well (not just Mustangs).
I had a pile of Hot Rods when I bought my 65 Comet Cyclone to restore, and after a few evenings of sifting through a four foot high stack of mags I had FIVE magazines with articles about Ford buildups in them.
Is this a fact of life that Ford owners have to live with? Or will somebody step up to the plate?

 

Hello all..

I think the reason most mags do not give much attention to Lightnings is that they are rare.. It would be like a magazine devoted to the Cobra R.. not to many readers..

It was the same way with my Grand National.. Turbo Magazine used to run some good articles but then they started covering all the rice boy stuff..

I am just happy to see the truck in print..



------------------
Got Boost ?
1999 SVT Lightning