Alright Ford fans I'll give you the lowdown. First I don't own a Ford, I currently own a 96 Chevy Impala SS. If your going to flame save it for two reasons, one read this post to the end and two I DON'T CARE! Both Ford and GM are equal in my eyes as far as reliability and "coolness" factor. You hear horror stories on both ends about the reliability on both etc etc etc. I just figured I would share a little something with you fellas that will definitely boost your egos. (Forgive the pun)
My SS is running 3.73s, level 10 tranny, various suspension work, alum. heads, headers exhaust etc etc etc and let us not forget the piece de resistance: a two stage 200 Shot of the giggle gas. I see you guys in the Lightnings on the street and I respect you because you got a bad *** looking truck with power to boot. But Im not scared because I have the gas
Ok so Im going to work, and at a stop light I come up to a 99? (Im guessing) Ford Lightning. Nothing too special as far as I can see that sets it aside from others, just a somewhat deeper exhaust note coming out of sidepipes. Now at the track Ive run a best of 12.19 @ 112 and I know most Lightnings run mid 13's on there good days so again I am not afraid. We exchange glances and hit the gas the second it turns green. I hold my own til about 40 mph when whatever this son of a bitch had kicked in (Hard to tell but I did not detect any blower whine, he didn't build boost at the start, and I didn't detect a N20 exhuast.) So with that he pulls to about a one car length lead, 60 mph+ at this point I figure ok my turn I hit my first stage of 90 hp, I pull within a half length I smile and start setting up for the second getting ready to put yet another smug driver away when he just takes off! I don't know what the hell happened but my car never missed a beat, I look down I'm passing 90, he's roughly a car and half ahead and still widening. I blast the second stage 110 and put it to the floor for all she's worth....I pulled up maybe 5-6 feet but I didn't even come close Im determined to catch this guy so I just keep it to the floor I got it up to 120 before I decided to give up. By this time he was 2 lengths ahead of me not opening much more but still all the same gaining ground faster than I was. The guy got passed the next light before I could stop and ask what the hell he had underneath. At that point I made a descision, I'm gonna get me a LIGHTNING! Best of luck fellas, you may see me on and off the boards asking questions just keep this in mind when I ask because now you owe me one. ;-)

 

These L's come stock with a blower. I've seen some of the people on this board doing low 12 1/4's while only adding larger blower pulleys and a racing chip ( along with various other mods that give it 10 hp here and there) I think the best post i've seen a gen 2 L do on here is an 11.6 or so with the PSP red L.

 

Hey FalclonSS...I know what ya mean about the Chevy vs. Ford thing. I like both. When i drive my L or my Mustang I pick races with Chevy's or Pontiacs...but if im out with my Brother in law in his Procharger equiped Vette...we pick on Mustangs...LOL It just makes the "kills" sweeter if its against the "enemy"

 

If you weren't even close, as you say, I'll bet he WAS running nitrous.We L drivers don't really fiddle with exhaust tube sizes when we add the giggle gas. I guess you could say .."we don't fiddle with the middle when we run the giggle" (man, that was weak)

 

Enjoyed your post--clear and interesting. There was only one phrase I didn't understand; "did not detect any blower whine, he didn't build boost at the start". Most, if not all of the Gen II Ls have boost instantly--and you can hear it. Mine is 'louder' than some(?) because of my open air filter, lower blower pulley and throttle body but I would think you would hear any of them. You did get to see the effects of the boost anyway

Good luck on your new Lightning!

Dan

 

If you get a L I hope you keep your SS..

IMOP one of the best looking cars GM has made..

You've done good work..
I believe the stockers w/260bhp ran high 15's in the quarter..

I still see dealers charging 20k$ for SS's w/avg miles...
Definetly a classic..

 

Hmmm, I haven't been next to one, only in one, but it is kinda weird you didn't hear the whine.

From what I have heard, when you're racing a "L", the only thing you hear is "WHINE". I'm not sure because like I said, I only know from the drivers seat what they sound like, and the exhaust is pretty tame at WOT...?

I wonder if it was maybe a regular F-150 with mods, that looked like a "L"?

Anyways, nice post, and good luck with either a new "L", or your SS, one of the nicest cars, IMHO, that Chevy has made...

 

I don't think there's anyway a modded F-150 non-Lightning would be able to stay that far ahead of a mid-12 second Impala like that............

I would think that in order to get the SS into the 12's, it's gotta sound sweet as hell.....loud and powerful..........it may have just overshadowed the whine of the SC in the L!!

maybe...

JC

 

I agree, a Lightning sitting next to an SS would be way cool in my driveway too. That is one of the very few GM cars I would buy. Normally, when a L is under heavy throttle, about ALL you hear is the S/C whine. When I first heard one, I thought something was wrong with it until I talked to some L owners before I bought mine.

 

I'll have to switch cars with someone and race my truck! I really wanna hear what it sounds like.

 

I dunno guys, Ive ran friends of mine in the L and if they are lined up on the right side of me(exhaust side), they all have said they never heard the blower just the exhaust note. And my exhaust is stock! It seems the ones Ive ran lined up on the left side of me say they hear the blower REAL well!

 

I owned a 1995 Impala SS, fairly modded with every bolt on there was, with no GAS, it was fast, and it was mean, something about a 4500 lbs of rolling thunder, I was proud to drive it everyday.

I got looks from 16yr olds to 65yr olds, They are the baddest "Big" 4door on the road. However, the best race I ever lost was to a 1999 Black Lightning w/ South Dakota plates, I saw in on the road just about when they first came out, I couldn't wait to get to the next light, I never was a big fan of street racing, (reasons I'll tell you later), but I wanted to race this so called "F-150" BAD.

I had been reading about them and seen the review on Car&Driver TV. The light turned green, and off we went ..............the Lightning jump about 2 lengths on me right away, I had stock gears 3:08s, not uncommon, I got jumped on by most cars, but then you see, its like "Fishing", just sit back and reel em' in, by 70-75 I would begin my drive by. NOT THIS TIME, I couldn't catch the L, he had me by just over 2 lenths, I tried, I tried.....but I just couldn't close the gap, it was a perfect street, 2 lanes each way no lights, no traffic, we both shut down at 120mph, he slowed and asked me what I had, and he said his was stock with almost 2K on the clock. I'll have a L someday too, when the time is right!

"When the Thunder rolls........the Lightning strikes!!!!!!! - Garth Brooks

 

Best 'kill' story ever!!

 

I'm a big fan of the Impala SS. I wish Chevy still made them based off of the Caprice platform. I can't believe they re-used the impala name-plate on that freaking Lumina they are selling now. What bastards.

If Chevy made them with the LS-1.......it would have been even cooler.


Car on my top cool list (in no particular order of coolness):

1.) Buick GN (I would buy one if I found it in good condition)
2.) 99-up Lightning (I own one)
3.) Syclone
4.) Typhoon
5.) 93 Cobra (I would buy one if I found it in good condition)
6.) 94-96 Impala SS
7.) 67 Camaro
8.) 60's Corvettes

Late-model Camaros and Mustangs are too plain jane to make my list.

 

The best looking car I've seen was a Buick GNX on E-bay last week. It was the last model year that they made them and was 1 of 547. It had 128 miles on it and was immaculate.