Wild Ride Saturday
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Member
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 53
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From: Walnut, CA USA
Wild Ride Saturday
Sorry I havn't posted of late. I was just made a grand dad on 12/31 and things have been a little rushed. Still read all the good posts and stuff. Seems a progression is taking place from questions etc. on set-ups, wheel alignments, chips to higher cost modifications. I have the typical chip,JBA shorty headers, air filter and Borla muffler system (solves the black tip problem with tip within a tip design).
Other than tack welding the left steering control arm, one runnning light replacement and alignment (all at no cost from dealer), this bad truck #503 has not had any problems. I know I need to cross my fingers with the intercooler. I can tell you now that Ford will be hearing from me every day until the problem is solved if mine goes, but my hands are tied until I do have the problem. 13,000 and running with extended warranty.
Yesterday I signed up for the first "drive your own vehicle" session offered by DriveTech 1 800) 678-8864, web site www.drivetech.com for 20 laps and training at Willow Springs Race Track in Rosamond, (Palmdale area) CA. The price was $200.00 and was the best money I have ever spent. The 2.5 mile, 9 turn track is nothing but fun. Two spots are +100 areas with my top speed of 125 gained at the end of the front straight. I heard the Turbo Porsche guy say he was hitting 135. He was only about four seconds faster than the Lightning.
The other five cars were that before memtioned new twin turbo Porsche, a naturally aspired new Porsche, new yellow Z06 Corvette, 1999 Mustang Cobra, Chrysler 300 (?how he got there?) and my Red Lightning. First thing all the DriveTech guys said when I pulled up was that everyone was drooling over my truck as all their drive school cars are detuned NASCAR vehicles (read American). They were also taking bets how many laps it would take me to spin the light rear end truck. Didn't!
In the ten hot laps I passed the Chrysler twice, the natural Porche and the Corvette (real bad driver, I guess, cause those bad boys are serious fast), but pass'em I did.
Everyone could hardly believe how well the truck handled and how fast it is. The handling was so neutral as to be astounding. I have no suspension modifications except the SnugLid which probably helped. The brakes were working hard, but I tried to go easy on them so not to get brake fade and end my session. I have the stock F1's with 13,000 miles and used 34lbs of air.
So. Cal. Lightning and Cobra folds should not miss this E ticket (does that date me from early Disneyland?) ride before the Ricer's find out about it.
After the session I gassed up. My son and I were crusing along the 210 east when up comes a low profile sports car that I thought was a Porsche Boxter. I punched it from 60 to 100 and that guy stayed right on my tail. That took Boxter out of my mind real quick as I shut down and realized I was running another new Twin Turbo Porsche. Man! Where do these guys get $125 grand for these things anyway? We went two more times from 60 to 115. Remember that I had an extra 400 lbs. with fuel and a passenger. The Lightning did surprisingly well. He let me punch first, I pulled him to the back of my door and held him there till I shifted into overdrive (darn, I forgot to take it out). At that point he would have walked away real fast as he still had another gear and about 180 top speed. But to 115 it was a true even race for that run and the one following, which we were both forced to shut down at 110 for traffic. Without the 8 or 9% of truck weight handicap I may have done better, who knows?
At the end, we both rolled down windows. He gave a big thumbs up and shouted "Nice Truck!" Wow! Nice car dude! Bang for the buck and haul hay too! Get a Lightning, You betcha!
Best day racing I've had in a while.
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Red 1999 #503
Superchip,Airraid filter,
JBA headers, Borlas muffler,SnugLid and Bed Rug.
Other than tack welding the left steering control arm, one runnning light replacement and alignment (all at no cost from dealer), this bad truck #503 has not had any problems. I know I need to cross my fingers with the intercooler. I can tell you now that Ford will be hearing from me every day until the problem is solved if mine goes, but my hands are tied until I do have the problem. 13,000 and running with extended warranty.
Yesterday I signed up for the first "drive your own vehicle" session offered by DriveTech 1 800) 678-8864, web site www.drivetech.com for 20 laps and training at Willow Springs Race Track in Rosamond, (Palmdale area) CA. The price was $200.00 and was the best money I have ever spent. The 2.5 mile, 9 turn track is nothing but fun. Two spots are +100 areas with my top speed of 125 gained at the end of the front straight. I heard the Turbo Porsche guy say he was hitting 135. He was only about four seconds faster than the Lightning.
The other five cars were that before memtioned new twin turbo Porsche, a naturally aspired new Porsche, new yellow Z06 Corvette, 1999 Mustang Cobra, Chrysler 300 (?how he got there?) and my Red Lightning. First thing all the DriveTech guys said when I pulled up was that everyone was drooling over my truck as all their drive school cars are detuned NASCAR vehicles (read American). They were also taking bets how many laps it would take me to spin the light rear end truck. Didn't!
In the ten hot laps I passed the Chrysler twice, the natural Porche and the Corvette (real bad driver, I guess, cause those bad boys are serious fast), but pass'em I did.
Everyone could hardly believe how well the truck handled and how fast it is. The handling was so neutral as to be astounding. I have no suspension modifications except the SnugLid which probably helped. The brakes were working hard, but I tried to go easy on them so not to get brake fade and end my session. I have the stock F1's with 13,000 miles and used 34lbs of air.
So. Cal. Lightning and Cobra folds should not miss this E ticket (does that date me from early Disneyland?) ride before the Ricer's find out about it.
After the session I gassed up. My son and I were crusing along the 210 east when up comes a low profile sports car that I thought was a Porsche Boxter. I punched it from 60 to 100 and that guy stayed right on my tail. That took Boxter out of my mind real quick as I shut down and realized I was running another new Twin Turbo Porsche. Man! Where do these guys get $125 grand for these things anyway? We went two more times from 60 to 115. Remember that I had an extra 400 lbs. with fuel and a passenger. The Lightning did surprisingly well. He let me punch first, I pulled him to the back of my door and held him there till I shifted into overdrive (darn, I forgot to take it out). At that point he would have walked away real fast as he still had another gear and about 180 top speed. But to 115 it was a true even race for that run and the one following, which we were both forced to shut down at 110 for traffic. Without the 8 or 9% of truck weight handicap I may have done better, who knows?
At the end, we both rolled down windows. He gave a big thumbs up and shouted "Nice Truck!" Wow! Nice car dude! Bang for the buck and haul hay too! Get a Lightning, You betcha!
Best day racing I've had in a while.
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Red 1999 #503
Superchip,Airraid filter,
JBA headers, Borlas muffler,SnugLid and Bed Rug.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,128
Likes: 0
From: New Mexico
Sounds like a lot of fun. Good job on holding that porsche at bay. Much more fun when everyone is cool.
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2000 Lightning Silver frost
Clear corners (Front only)
PSP Intake, Bed Rug, Snuglid
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2000 Lightning Silver frost
Clear corners (Front only)
PSP Intake, Bed Rug, Snuglid
Member
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Anaheim Hills, CA
Wild Will,
Sounds like lots of fun, I'm signed up for April 8 3:00pm. I wanted to go this past weekend but didn't work out so April 8 I will be there for sure. Do you have anymore pointers besides air pressure of 34lbs?(like fuel load, or anything like that).
I did drive there detuned Nascar at California Speedway about a year ago, that was great fun at about 145mph around that speedway, but can't wait to drive the Lightning At Willow Springs. (I remember the "E" ticket, those were the best rides).
Thanks
Jim
Sounds like lots of fun, I'm signed up for April 8 3:00pm. I wanted to go this past weekend but didn't work out so April 8 I will be there for sure. Do you have anymore pointers besides air pressure of 34lbs?(like fuel load, or anything like that).
I did drive there detuned Nascar at California Speedway about a year ago, that was great fun at about 145mph around that speedway, but can't wait to drive the Lightning At Willow Springs. (I remember the "E" ticket, those were the best rides).
Thanks
Jim
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Walnut, CA USA
SVT Lightning99: Sorry I missed you last week. You are sure to have a ball in April.
Tips:
1. Don't be afraid to really stomp the brakes going into turn one, three and five.
2. Don't follow the other guys line - follow what they lay out with the strips of tape and apex marker cones. DriveTech guys know what they are talking about! As I found out a couple of times in my laps.
3. You will heat the brakes, so try to use the throttle in the long turns carefully so you don't need to brake on them which gives them a chance to cool some.
4. Get a copy of the track and really study it. If you hold the paper with the Rabbit Ear turn at the top left you will be seeing the track as you will run it. We ran turn one through nine, which I'm told is the normal direction.
5. I ran with about 1/3 tankfull. They have you open the windows for safety, so I opened the rear to let the pressure out.
6. The quicker you can be pointed in a straight line exiting turn nine going onto the main straight and get on the gas, the higher your top speed will be. I forgot to look at my tack, so I don't know how close I was to the rev limiter, but with my Supership (RPM burn) I was at an indicated 123 to 125 and never hit the cutoff point.
7. Don't turn off you engine at the ten lap check. I have a 4x4 tranny pan that holds about 1.5 extra quarts of fluid and had no trouble with that or the supercharger cut out that we all read about in drag racing. The Lightning just never missed a beat!
8. Get close enough to the guy you want to pass so the DriveTech observer knows what you want to do.
9. Take a good pair of sunglasses. My session was at 3:30 and the long high-speed turn eight sweeper was a B@#^&*. A real pucker job with the sun.
10. Kick some butt! Have some fun! We have the vehicle to do it! I'm going back as soon as the tires have about 20% rubber left.
------------------
Red 1999 #503
Superchip,Airraid filter,
JBA headers, Borlas muffler,SnugLid and Bed Rug.
Tips:
1. Don't be afraid to really stomp the brakes going into turn one, three and five.
2. Don't follow the other guys line - follow what they lay out with the strips of tape and apex marker cones. DriveTech guys know what they are talking about! As I found out a couple of times in my laps.
3. You will heat the brakes, so try to use the throttle in the long turns carefully so you don't need to brake on them which gives them a chance to cool some.
4. Get a copy of the track and really study it. If you hold the paper with the Rabbit Ear turn at the top left you will be seeing the track as you will run it. We ran turn one through nine, which I'm told is the normal direction.
5. I ran with about 1/3 tankfull. They have you open the windows for safety, so I opened the rear to let the pressure out.
6. The quicker you can be pointed in a straight line exiting turn nine going onto the main straight and get on the gas, the higher your top speed will be. I forgot to look at my tack, so I don't know how close I was to the rev limiter, but with my Supership (RPM burn) I was at an indicated 123 to 125 and never hit the cutoff point.
7. Don't turn off you engine at the ten lap check. I have a 4x4 tranny pan that holds about 1.5 extra quarts of fluid and had no trouble with that or the supercharger cut out that we all read about in drag racing. The Lightning just never missed a beat!
8. Get close enough to the guy you want to pass so the DriveTech observer knows what you want to do.
9. Take a good pair of sunglasses. My session was at 3:30 and the long high-speed turn eight sweeper was a B@#^&*. A real pucker job with the sun.
10. Kick some butt! Have some fun! We have the vehicle to do it! I'm going back as soon as the tires have about 20% rubber left.
------------------
Red 1999 #503
Superchip,Airraid filter,
JBA headers, Borlas muffler,SnugLid and Bed Rug.