My White '99 Lightning long known as Moby on this board celebrated her third birthday today and that meant the lease was up.

I had fully intended to trade her either for an 02 HD SC SC or a Diesel Excursion with the intention of hopping either one up.

As Moby was in kind of dirty and needed servicing, I took it to the next door Lincoln dealer where I prefer to get my service done for a 20K service and a detail job.

In short, the Lincoln dealer had just gotten in two Blackwoods, one with the Navigation system and one without which is the only option. Almost as a joke, I asked the guy that leased Pat her 02 Continental what he would offer me on my L against the Blackwood without the Nav system.

Long story, but we meandered over several thousand dollars and I called the guy this morning and said I would pay "X" per month on a 36 month lease and nothing more

At 4:00 this afternoon, we finally agreed on a price and I am now driving an 02 Blackwood with the Nav system for about $75 a month more than I was paying for the Lightning on a 36 month lease.

For sure, it is no Lightning, but it is relatively rare and is a hoot to drive with all the bells and whistles add ons. Push a button and the bed cover rises up and at night has really pimpy LED lights to illuminate the compartment. Speaking of compartments, I quit counting at 12. This thing has cubbyholes everywhere.

As to performance, it is a 16.4 1/4 miler in the low 80's but that ain't all that bad. I am in contact with Mike Troyer and others to investigate if it is worth the trouble to fiddle with the DOHC 5.4 which is rated at 300 hp or just forget it. It shifts really well stock so I may just let it be.

As to Moby, she survived 36 months and just short of 20K miles in good form. Original rubber, well two flats, that just now need replacing. Still on original intercooler, belts, brakes, pretty much all as I purchased her.

Hopefully I won't be pushed off the Lightning forum as I have been a fairly loyal member for the last three years.

If nothing else. I am a fairly good lurker.

Bill

 

Just kidding, good luck with the new Blackwood!

 

So it can't be that bad.
Good luck with it.

VINNIE

 

Bill Murray, congrats. I'm really jealous though. You had a white L, and i'd love to be able to afford one to go w/ my HD. (i love the white color on the L) and now you have a blackwood! I saw one at the philly autoshow and that has got to be the nicest pickup (luxury wise) that i have ever seen. Definately post some pics, or give a link to your gallery. Congrats man.

 

Pushed out of the Lightning forum? Ha Ha....you don't have to have a L to post here. Hell, half the threads are off topic anyway.

 

Hi Bill, i think you are "grandfathered in", since you are one of the founding fathers of the Lightning forum. congrats on the Blackwood. beautiful truck, and sweet lease price on a 55K truck!! you'll get as many looks, as you did in Moby, as that is a very exclusive ride as well, and you don't have to worry about them making twice as many next year, or half as many either

 

Well, at least I won't be banned from my "family" it seems.

For further info on how this happened, I posted on the Blackwood thread the sequence of negotiations etc. and how I felt about the whole transaction/change of life.

As to the curb appeal, they are not all that common in Atlanta and I had it parked in front of my shop for a couple of hours this afternoon and frankly, it drew a lot more "lookers" than my Lightning ever did even with the HobbyTown USA logos plastered all over the truck. The Wood will never have logos on it!!!

In any case, I am a very happy 62 year old camper right now and with our weather enjoying the air conditioned seats (yes seats and they are also heated) as well as the Moon Roof and a really good stereo system with the 6 changer CD player in the center console. I will never knock my Lightning, but once in a while it is nice to be coddled and still have a fairly stout truck.

I will keep all of you apprised as to how I get along with the "Wood"
Bill

 

Hey Bill

I second what my BBQMAN said, your in, wheather you like it or not! If you get the jones too bad, I'll bring "Sweetness" down to Ga. for your pleasure. And you can make that blower scream for whatever you like

 

Bill, do you know what you've gone and done?

Now, Steve has to keep that Blackwood Forum just because of you.

You better tell him to leave the light on in there so you don't git scared.

 

Am I correct saying the blackwood has 4valve heads? I remember looking at a window sticker on one at Lynnway auto auction I go too every week and it was 4v.I think I looked twice from disbelief.The truck came from Pride lincoln mercury right across the street and they couldnt sell it so they tried auctioning it.Pride was willing to sell for $5k under sticker of I think $50k and change but the truck didnt bring the money.was a SWEET lux pickup,congrats bill

 

yes, blackwoods aren't selling, so they are going cheap. no one has much use for it: anything in the bed will scratch it (all aluminum i think); available in any color you want, as long as its black; and why not buy the beefier escalade pick up with more HP? they arent making them after this year, and they selling crazy cheap. i wouldn't mind something that nice though, blacks my color

 

oh, and yeah, the blackwood has the same 4v as the navigator

 

Good luck with Blackwood. They look pretty cush. Werent they going to come with an oak bed?

Did you lay one last patch of rubber in the L before you gave her up?

Chikenears- You friggin kill me', man!

 

You should have kept your crate engine.
Now you have something to put it in.
Good Luck with the Blackwood.

Lightning Bob

 

Rather quickly:

Thanks again for all the nice support and I will continue to hang out on this forum.

The engine is the same as in the Navigator, ie 32 valve 5.4 litre V8 with 300 advertised horsepower. I just noticed an hour or so ago when checking it out that the tach has no red line and it has only a 100 mph speedometer so it is not aimed at the performance crowd.

I am not about to wear a hair shirt about my new choice of vehicular transportation, and there have been a lot of threads on a lot of boards trashing the Wood, but I learned a long time ago that you are in general free to choose what you like to drive. I loved my Lightning as I have loved many other vehicles I have owned since ~1954 but it's time had come to go.

I agree that the Wood has some perception problems and I was willing to overlook those problems due to the deal I was able to make. It is not as aggressive looking as it's Caddy competitor, it is also not as powerful but I think it is probably a bit more luxurious, which is what intrigued me for a pickup. I don't want or need 4 wheel drive down here so that was not a factor either.

To comment on the bed, it has a bunch of aluminum strips running front to back and the rest is a high grade of carpet. As it is spring time here, I threw a couple of plastic sheets over the carpet and hauled a bunch of bags of fertilizer and mulch in the back tonight and didn't hurt anything. Sort of like a Bed Rug type of thing except the bed is about 1 1/2 foot shorter than the L.
Plus, it has the really neat LED lights!!!! My Grandkids just love that when I punch the remote and the lid lifts up and the lights come on. Just like a stretched Lincoln Prom Limo.

As for Steve, too bad about the bandwith problem, he was the one that started the Blackwood forum.

Bill