You could use this hot, sport truck's 360 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque to tote 800 pounds of bales or even to tow a 5000-pound wagon. But what fun would that be? This truck is really about a different kind of hauling. You know what we mean. Because if the F-150's pilot is cool and doesn't smoke the huge P295/45ZR18 radials on takeoff, the Lightning will leap out of the hole and take one giant bite out of somebody's fat ego. This here is a truck that could run door handle to door handle with a new BMW M3 in its day.
So what makes the Lightning strike? The motivational force is a smooth-idling 5.4-liter SOHC Triton V-8 with a cast-iron block and 8-valve aluminum heads. The deeper breathing is provided by a 112-cubic-inch belt-driven, intercooled, Eaton Roots-type blower producing 8psi of force fed air.
One of the more impressive aspects of this engine is how few modifications were made to handle the extra 100 horses. The only internal changes were unique forged pistons and stronger wrist pins. The piston change drops the compression ratio from 9.5 to 8.4. Virtually everything else is stock, including rods, crank, block, and front cover. Even the stock cast-iron exhaust manifolds were used. Steel headers were tried but proved too "noisy"-too bad. The rest of the exhaust system consists of a California-calibrated catalytic converter and a single high-flow muffler plumbed with dual stainless steel pipes to just ahead of the right rear tire.
Stopping muscle is provided by an F-250 master cylinder, huge four-wheel discs, and a three-channel ABS system. SVT's exterior design philosophy was to keep the Lightning stealthy. So except for the serious stuff under the hood, SVT badging, different front fascia, lower body cladding, and huge 18x9.5-inch five-spoke wheels, the F-150 remains largely unassuming.
Shifts are made automatically by a version of the 4R100 automatic trans also used behind Ford's heavy-duty Power Stroke diesel engine. Special Vehicle Team engineering says a four-speed automatic was chosen for two reasons: First, it was easier to certify for emissions, and second, Ford simply couldn't find a manual box that would reliably handle the engine's prodigious torque and still provide reasonable shift efforts.
Inside, things are likewise tasteful and low-key. There are some trim changes to the leather-covered bucket seats and sharp-looking white-faced gauges, including a 140-mph speedo and a 6000-rpm tach.
With only 2,102 miles showing on the odometer, this un-modified Lightning is quickly becoming a true collector's item. Call us today to make it yours!
Specs:
No. 779 of 4,000 Lightnings produced in 1999, the first year of the production for the 2nd generation Lightning
