So there I was Sat. night going to meet up my gf, not in a rush in any way, just cruising on 93N at about 75-80 thinking of how I really have not had a good race since I bought the car. Anyway, Up ahead I see a fairly new Silver F150 Lightning, and I'm a good distance behind, so I decide to catch up to it and see what's up...when I went to switch lanes to start my hunt...all of a sudden the Lightning just takes off!!! We were on a 4-lane highway with traffic scattered here and there, and he flies by a couple of lanes and some cars and gets over way ahead in the left lane, I take it up to 120 and start flying and get right on him after I catch up. We hit some traffic and I'm on him in 4th in the left lane...the car in front of him finally moves over he accel a little bit to give me some space to get over as well so we can be side by side :redspot I get in the 2nd to left lane and floors it from about 80 or so, I decide to keep in forth and gun it after him...I have my sunroof on tilt, so I hear his supercharged V8 screaming as he is approaching his red line. He was starting to pull on me in the begging, but once his slushbox shifted I started pulling on him :alright We approach about 125 and up ahead I have a car in my lane. I already had really pulled on him by this point and could have got in his lane, but decided not to be stupid at that speed and just hit the brakes and got behind him.

More traffic, I cruise behind him in fifth waiting for another run. About 3 mins later we get our chance. This time I go all out, I shifted to 3rd and took the right again, as soon as I got to his rear bumper he floors it too! Nailed it to forth and just kept walking him, his " super fast truck" could just not keep up with my baby :D This time his lane had cars, so I slowed down and bit switched a couple of lanes and he got stuck in his. It was funny at one point I flew by a Camaro SS and thought he might join as well but he stayed back there. I soon got to my exit and got off, and I could not even see him in my rear view at this point. This was an awesome race, best I have ever had so far. I never thought I would be able to keep up with a Lightning, never mind actually beat one!!! :) I checked the spec's 380hp 1/4 mile 14.2... BTW, there were two skinny guys in the truck, so as far as body weight goes, we were pretty even

Now I know how fast my car really is. I was very happy with its performance. Last time I ran into a Lightning it was with my Corolla...I got killed...wasn't even close!

Thanks for reading...

really, i had trouble with one on the highway in fourth gear in bmwm3loves modified E36 M3. side by side through most of fourth. we didnt get a chance to go into fifth.

Are those lightnings auto or manual? I was at hot import nights in Charlotte earlier this year and there was one up ahead racing one of my boys in his M3 and the lightning started smoking realllly bad up ahead.... turns out he threw a rod! How great is that. We stopped and talked to him and offered to help but he wanted none from us :( . I looked under the truck and saw the rod just hangin' out of the pan. Oh well, his loss.

Not available in manual.

Nice race. I'd love a shot at a lightning, but if they are anything other than stock BEWARE. :cool

Are those lightnings auto or manual? I was at hot import nights in Charlotte earlier this year and there was one up ahead racing one of my boys in his M3 and the lightning started smoking realllly bad up ahead.... turns out he threw a rod! How great is that. We stopped and talked to him and offered to help but he wanted none from us :( . I looked under the truck and saw the rod just hangin' out of the pan. Oh well, his loss.

Those are auto, actually 4-speed autos to make it worse...fast trucks though, not very reliable I don't think. If I'm not mistaken, I think I knew the kid that was driving/owns this one, but at those speeds, the only thing you pay attention to is racing, not the person next to you...unless she is a hot chick of course :)

really, i had trouble with one on the highway in fourth gear in bmwm3loves modified E36 M3. side by side through most of fourth. we didnt get a chance to go into fifth.

the one you raced was probably not stock, those things are like Cobras, very easy to get extra hp out of them.

no it wasnt stock i know he had atleast an intake and exhaust

That brick's aerodynamics start to pay a toll on that truck past 100mph, But from a dig that thing hulls ass.. :redspot

They get from 0-100 pretty quick, but after 100 mph they ain't much...

That brick's aerodynamics start to pay a toll on that truck past 100mph, But from a dig that thing hulls ass.. :redspot


That's true, when C & D did a supercar test one time and they included the Lightning, they said something like "the Lightining hits an aerodynamic wall at 150mph" so true, I did have that to my advantage. It sounded like his 3rd gear went to like 110-115mph, but even though his truck was in 3rd, I was still walking him :buttrock

That brick's aerodynamics start to pay a toll on that truck past 100mph, But from a dig that thing hulls ass.. :redspot
Exactly what I was thinking... We had a modified Lightning @ the races a few times and it pulled on modded Cobras (no idea what mods, probably basic )from a stop

I had a run about a month ago with a Harley Davidson Edition F-150. DARN THOSE THINGS ARE LOUD WHEN YOU ARE RIGHT NEXT TO THEM! Anyways, my stock 330i ran with him from about 55 to 115. He was always about 1 length ahead of me, but he always hit the gas before I did. When i get some mods (I think i'm gonna have ZHP installed), I want a rematch.

When i get some mods (I think i'm gonna have ZHP installed), I want a rematch.
Whats "ZHP"?

Performance Package

i got killed by one,i was 1/2 cl up till he shifted to a 3rd gear,
over $15000 in upgrades,
it was my friends friend car,we raced from the light.i think he runs low 12s high 11s

They get from 0-100 pretty quick, but after 100 mph they ain't much...

Took the words outta my mouth - kinda hard to get around wind resistance when you're in a one story moving building, er I mean vehicle.. ;)

I have a video (it's floating around here too) of a lightning tailing an M3 (E46), the guys are talking trash like crazy in the lightning (they are recording the video). They get upset when the guy (M3) finally gets on it and starts walking on them out on the interstate.

Haha I have that video. The E46 M3 walks on the lightning about 6-7 car lenghts. Good Video

Haha I have that video. The E46 M3 walks on the lightning about 6-7 car lenghts. Good Video

yea, i've seen that video... e46 m3 just walks on lightening...

Post it for those of us who have not seen it pls :)

Whats "ZHP"?


http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=239250

my buddy has a 99 with pulley. (4 psi over stock) 14? pounds of boost. Well I've raced him a couple times and its always on a roll. I Can get him in the bottem of 2nd and most of the rest of it. But once I hit 3rd, I just hear this screaming supercharger and exhaust fly right by me. He usually ends up no more than 3 CL ahead of me but stays there. I dont care what anyone says, theyre damn fast and e36s w/o FI dont really stand a chance.

They are awfully quick

my buddy has a 99 with pulley. (4 psi over stock) 14? pounds of boost. Well I've raced him a couple times and its always on a roll. I Can get him in the bottem of 2nd and most of the rest of it. But once I hit 3rd, I just hear this screaming supercharger and exhaust fly right by me. He usually ends up no more than 3 CL ahead of me but stays there. I dont care what anyone says, theyre damn fast and e36s w/o FI dont really stand a chance.


True, but stock and at highway speeds with all that air restriction, and with my E46, it got spanked. :D

I guy in town has one with quite a few mods and he ran 13.3 1/4 mile. Your right about dependability though...normally the rods are quick to bend.
I have beaten a lightening pretty bad in my trans am. However it is putting down 360-380hp at the moment.

Good kill. Though I doubt the driver was really getting on it.

Those are auto, actually 4-speed autos to make it worse...fast trucks though, not very reliable I don't think. If I'm not mistaken, I think I knew the kid that was driving/owns this one, but at those speeds, the only thing you pay attention to is racing, not the person next to you...unless she is a hot chick of course :)

They are very reliable. The problem here is this kid probably threw on an 6lb pulley without going to a colder plug, getting a tune, or any of the measures needed to keep a FI engine from exploding. Detonation is bad, in any FI vehicle, whether it's the mighty BMW or lowly Ford.

Your right about dependability though...normally the rods are quick to bend.
No, they aren't. They have a completely forged lower end capable of taking a lot of power. Like I said before, most of the time when these things explode it's due to detonation. Go check out nloc or f150online and I think you'll be interested to see how many L's are in the 550+ HP range. Usually if something is going to go it'll be the clutch pack because the 1-2 shift at WOT is really hard on that tranny. And speaking of trannies, the auto in this vehicle is the same one that comes in the F-350 super duty. According to what I've read, the driveline on these is 11.8% parasitic loss. I think thats a great tranny.

I have 3 friends with this 5.4L SC'ed powerplant.
02 Lightning on his second engine (bent rods)
03 Lightning on his third engine (bent rods,misc.)
03 Harley D on his second engine ( threw the rod and bent it)
It seems that the engine itself is durable and strong but the rods can not withstand any abuse. If I owned a lightning it would definitely be abused.

How is it that many are making 600hp on their daily driver and 1/4 beast and managing not to bend/throw rods?

600 hp?? How?? A stock setup bottom end or top end would not withstand 600hp! Where are they getting the 230 extra horsies? Nitrious doesn't count!

600 hp?? How?? A stock setup bottom end or top end would not withstand 600hp! Where are they getting the 230 extra horsies? Nitrious doesn't count!

I know some guys who did pulley swaps, full exhausts, software, etc, running around with over 500 rwhp, no problems... :dunno

500 rwhp = ~590-620 bhp...

500hp at the rear wheels is easier to obtain and more believable. I'm not saying that 600 isn't possible...but it wouldn't be very "streetable" better yet with stock internals.

Most of the 600rwhp crowd tossed the eaton blower and got a Kenne Bell. There are a few with a built engine running 700-750rwhp, but there are a few running 600whp with stock internals, kenne bell blower.

The lower is quite strong, if you don't run too much boost. 14 pounds is the edge. get in some cold air with 14 pounds boost and you run a great risk that you'll throw a rod, esp. on the 3-4 upshift at about 120. Shifting into OD at 120 kills the speed. Damn thing should really have a five speed auto. I prefer auto for straight line performance, esp. with how efficient a shift kitted auto is with a new torque converter. Also, top end performance isn't the greatest. Red line is at 5250, and even though it pulls hard to that, the thing is more torque than anything. If the guy can launch, he will eat most cars on the road from a dead stop. Quarters on the new Lightnings (2001-2004) are in the low 13s stock.

you can get kenne bell supercharger upgrades that makes 766hp for cobras

The Kenne Belle on a lightning is good to over 600 HP. The fastest Lightnings have over 800, but thats on a new shortblock, heads, etc. and the Kenne Belle or Whipplecharger.