mcgilles

Anyone have any trouble with the 2nd gen Lightnings? In a legal and safe place of course!

30hp advantage...ok. 100ft-lbs is nothing to poke fun about. I think its also got better rear end gears. considering stock/stock. but the thing weights 1500lbs more than a coupe, 1700 more than a Z. plus is a 4 speed auto. magazine performance numbers show it to be way slower than a stock C5. But both have been known to run faster than the mags published.

Or...say against a vette that put down 351/355 to the wheels before the ported TB, swapped LS1 intake for ported LS6, Z valve springs (because stock ones had 90k on them) MSD wires, NGK plugs and retune. plus the vararam which of course doesn't show its true benefit on a dyno.

My best friend just bought one. He's a good guy, I'm happy for him. we won't be lining them up because I don't want my C5 on a track right now (insurance) and I'm way too smart to street race. Its going to be awesome that we both have toys that we don't have to depend on to get to work and stuff.

In addition to the above the car also has borla stingers, mild comp cam, SLP UDP, and TB bypass performance wise. It's a 99 6 speed.

I think the biggest thing that would hold the Vette back would be my ability to drive it, I'm sure I couldn't get near the performance out of it that it should be capable of. just looking for bragging rights...or do I need to hurry up and get LT's then brag?

dlivewyer

You'll eat him up. 1700lbs is a LOT.

NVTHIS

I raced one when I had my '98 Pace Car. The only mods I had at the time was exhaust, CAI and my car was an auto. We raced on an old abandoned airstrip. I let him nail it first and then I hit it. I had two cars on him before we shut it down, and we didn't even top 100 mph. Just a quick run to see how it stacked up. I don't know what he had, but I figured it was stock. I wouldn't be afraid of a stock lightning, but they can easily be modified to be a serious disaster to a stock c5.

MDaddy

ford sucks

ROJO99

You will waste him...

Ace14

I have a 03 Harley truck same as a lightning with 4 doors..... When I had a few bolt ons 400whp 500tq I was running 13.6 @100 with 22's on the truck. I raced 2 vettes a stock A4 and it was fender to fender untill about 105 then we let off. The second one was my friends m6 with bolt ons and his pulled pretty good, although I did have 4 ppl and a full tank of gas that time. Honestly dont underestimate those trucks an L is a 12 second truck for under $1000.....

Ace14

also my truck is 5600lbs with no fuel or ppl and a Lightning is about 4750 so thats a big advantage there as well.

PUMP03

I have a 2003 Lightning. Mods include KB 2.3, lower pulley, line locks, traction bars. 1/4 ET is 12.56@106.6, 1.78-sec 60-ft. 1/8 ET is 8.0@86
It hooks up real good.
A stock Lightning will run +-13.5-sec 1/4 ET

ALLEGRO

4500+ lbs and the areodynamics of a BRICK.

No problemos

Silverback99

Ford most definitely doesn't suck.

I've got a '00 Lightning that I bought to drive from Dec-Apr so I could park the Vette. I sold a '71 Chevelle convertible to get it, and I'm hooked now - it's so much fun I can't imagine I won't drive it during the nice weather too.

Lightnings take VERY well to mods, if you're not familiar with them. Very basic stuff like PSP Air, a lower pulley swap, a quick porting of the supercharger, and a decent tune can easily add 60 horses or more in a hurry. A "Lightly modded" Lightning usually means in the neighborhood of 410 rwhp and 570 rwtq.

And I've found it's very rare to run into a Lightning owner that doesn't know how to make speed, or is reluctant to add some. ...and they have no fear of stock or lightly modded C5s.

The downsides are weight and traction. They're HEAVY, but all that weight is up front and if you don't know what you're doing you can't get the rear wheels to hook.

All that being said, it's not a Vette. If you're both stock or you've both got similar levels of mods you shouldn't have too much trouble. From a dig with similar mod levels and decent drivers, should mean the Lightning jumps out ahead for first gear, they run even to about 60-70, then it's all C5 taillights from there on up.

PUMP03

My Lightning runs 430-HP & 4700#, my stock C5 is 350-HP 3700#. The Lightning will eat up my C5 from a dig all day long. Arerodynamics doesnt count much under 100-mph

mcgilles

I like Lightnings, I can't wait to see it, and I am really looking forward to helping him mod it.

I'm also a Ford fan, I have 2 SHOs. As long as its made in America its ok in my book

But its no Vette

c5blkvetteguy

NO FORD TRUCK is going to eat a vette in the long haul! Compare the top speeds, sooner or later the tuck will see nothing but taillights and tips! Maybe we can compare a tricycle to a ten speed!

mcgilles

Take the 500lb weight out of your C5!

PUMP03

I did not say top speed. I said from a dig, as in 1/8 or 1/4 mile. My stock C5 is lucky to do 13.4-sec 1/4-mile. Especially on the hard as rocks Goodyear run flats.

c5blkvetteguy

The design of the C5 was not a 1/8 or 1/4 mile. It was made for top end and handling. I have people ask me to race all the time on the 1/4 track. They know its the ONLY chance to beat a vette.

Ace14

Guys Im not trying to cause any problems as I have a C5 AND a ford truck but why does everyone feel as tho a C5 is some god designed super car and its is unthinkable a truck could ever touch it haha.

$$$frumnuttin'

Anyone saying Ford sucks must be living under a rock...read the papers or watch the news. Also, a lot of forum members are Ford folks...made in the USA is what counts.

ALLEGRO

I have seen many run at the drag-stip in Memphis, and without exception, even with pulley change and drag-radials, the C5 comes out on top. It is always close (if they hook) but as speed increases, it goes the way of the Vette.

Now, so no one thinks I am bashing the Lightning, they are great and very powerful. They are just heavy and struggle at times to get and maintain traction. Put on some overdrive pulleys and do a fuel re-map, they are brutal......just not enough to overcome a 1200lb weight penalty.

They sure are fun though !!!!!

mcgilles

+1

Fords current line up is particularly good, they've come a long way. Not that their older stuff wasn't good too.