Skritch
Moderator
August/September 2010 Truck Of The Month – Congratulations Shawn (93ssdestroyer) Miller ! (NLOC #2661)
From the Land of Lincoln Milan, Illinois is home to this month’s Truck of the Month. His truck has been “down” for a year while he made numerous improvements to his ride. In April of this year his Lightning was back to running status just in time to enjoy the summer months. As is nearly always the case though there are improvements he has in mind for the future including a rear mount turbo kit !
Shawn relates a hilarious story in answering the 4th question ! It’s as if most people don’t realize before the Gen 2 Lightning there was the original Lightning, the Gen 1 !!
Read on to learn more about Shawn and his Lightning then join in the congratulations to Shawn Miller !
1. What sparked your interest in the Ford Lightning?
Well, my family has always been big Ford freaks so anything that has the Ford logo has always sparked interest. A member of the family bought a Lightning new in ’93 and after a ride I was hooked. I still remember hating the wheels they put on them but they have grown on me since. I always liked the trucks but I guess a friends recent project really sparked my interest into buying one. He purchased a Lightning that the previous owner thought it would be cool to convert into a 4wd look alike?? After many a late night swapping parts to bring it back to its proper form and a new exhaust and some other bolt-ons, it was complete. After a ride in his truck and the sound of the GT-40 engine bellowing out the side exit exhaust I decided to start looking for one. Also the cars I currently owned were barely street legal at the time and driving them was getting to be more like work than fun. The thought of having something that you could race or show on weekends and haul some rock on Monday was really appealing.
2. Do you have any interesting stories about owned vehicles, before becoming a Lightning owner?
I have quite a few stories about previous cars but I'll stick with the ones I'm the most proud of (LOL). I have owned over 60 Mustangs in the past ranging from ’65 all the way up. I started restoring older Mustangs when I was 12 years old and have always owned one. When the Gone in 60 Seconds movie remake came out the ’67-’68 fastbacks started to become real popular again. I started selling the ones I had and buying others that I would fix up and sell. One of the cars I had was a real basket case and instead of fixing anything on it I decided to just sell it outright. I listed the car online and before long someone bought it and said that one of his trucks would be close to the area in a few days for transport which I thought was kind of odd. When they showed up it was a huge double deck hauler with Carroll Shelby's face and logos painted on it. It was actually Carroll Shelby who was purchasing my car to remake into a Eleanor Super Snake! They had two Eleanor's on the truck and one of the transporters let me sit in one and start it up.....needless it was one of the best days of my life and I guess I can kind of say I have owned a Shelby now.
The other is an 87' Mustang notchback that had a 557ci big block in it that was featured in The Fastest Street car Magazine. I was at the point where the resto aspect was getting a little old and I wanted something that was cosmetically done and I could concentrate on mechanicals and horsepower. I found a car that was pretty much show but didn't run and after many hours of nights in the garage working on the 557 and tuning it I finally had it running flawlessly. I then went back in and added my own touches to the car which paid off at a Fun Ford Weekend event that the car was voted car of the show. At the end of the day I went to get in the car and there was a note attached to my steering wheel that said Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords wanted to do a full page feature on my car the next day. I couldn't believe it and hardly slept that night. I got up early and started cleaning and polishing everything for the photo shoot. I got done and went to drive the car to the event and of course my luck it wouldn't start. I called the photographer and he said it needed to be there for the shoot and he had an area all picked out and plus it would have to be mobile to get good photo angles. I narrowed the problem down to the Accel ignition box and it was a Sunday which everyone that sold them was closed. I took the box apart and found somehow water had leaked into it and was causing the problem. After cleaning it out I reinstalled it and it fired right up. I barely made it up there in time for the photo shoot. They ended up shutting the whole track and event down just to take pics of the car. After all of that it never was graced onto the pages of their magazine due to budget cuts for feature cars but at least it was graced onto another magazine that I have framed above the mantle that I stare at quite regularly.
3. What modifications have you made to your truck since you have owned it...both show and go?
I really don't know where to start with this question. I guess as far as body goes I have put in new taillights, repainted the mirrors, put the stock grill back in, new chin spoiler and fog lights, and chopped the antenna down. Interior was mostly all taken out, cleaned and some small stuff replaced. I added a center seat from a Nissan Titan which I had to build some brackets to attach it but it turned out really nice, plus has a 12v outlet in it. I also found a factory center belt from an RV supplier to top it off. I then added a pillar pod and stuffed in some Autometer cobalt gauges and a new 1 piece floor mat from the site store. As far as mechanicals go I have rebuilt the rear with carbon fiber clutches, Punisher V/B, Trick Flow valve covers, Bassani headers, powder coated most all engine attachments, billet SN-95 idler pulleys, billet 94 V-6 Mustang p/s pulley, smog eliminator, Struckby e-fan, Struckby battery cables, Struckby reman of the factory harness to mass air, BBK meter, BBK fuel regulator, new p/s pump, new radiator, completely new a/c system, Madramper cold air kit, smog removal, billet t/b spacer, BBK 70 mm t/b, Accel ignition, Gen 2 Lightning wheels, and the list goes on.
4. Do you have any interesting stories about your Lightning?
I haven't hardly driven it to provide a whole lot interesting stories but this one is kinda funny. I took the truck to the track a few months after I purchased it. After a few runs I went back into the staging lanes and was slowly moving forward for another dash at the quarter when this older gent and his daughter come up to the truck. He gets down on his knees and starts looking under the front and I'm thinking what now are fluids dumping right in the lanes man this is going to make some people mad. I take my helmet off and get out of the truck. I close the door and this guy starts pointing his finger at me saying you can't fool me, you can't fool me. I didn't know really what to say but I finally got him to describe what I was trying to pull on him. He said yeah I know this isn't a real Lightning and you can't fool me. I asked what made him think that it wasn't and he said real Lightnings don't have I beam suspensions they have independent fronts with struts. I kinda looked at him for a minute wondering if I should fill him in but I just said you've got a pretty sharp eye you caught me and I got back in the truck.
5. Tell us about yourself, your hobbies, business or work, sports, family, etc.
Well, of course racing and restorations are at the top of the list. I bleed 110 octane and all the other hobbies take a far back seat to it. I do of course enjoy spending time with my family going camping, fishing or hunting. I have picked up on deer hunting the last couple years and really enjoy sitting in a stand waiting for the next big one to come along. I work for the world renowned John Deere Company in their Research and Development facility. I am an IAM union industrial machinist and they pretty much pay me to weld, machine, build and then break components in their relentless pursuit to provide a top quality product. Most other companies I have worked for would have fired me if I broke something and now they pay me to do it so needless to say I really enjoy working there and it is really enjoyable to go to work everyday. I have a beautiful wife and 2 kids (boy and girl). My wife and I celebrated our 10th year anniversary this year and I can't believe how fast the time flies after you turn 21.
6. How long have you been a user of the NLOC.net, when did you become an NLOC member, and why did you choose to become a member of NLOC?
I have been on for almost 3 years and a member for about 2 years. I became a member because of my addiction to the Lightning, all of the people that make this forum click, and I'm proud to be associated with the group of members we have on here. Plus I would like to see this site around forever for all of the ages to learn and grow in knowledge as I have been able to do.
7. What suggestions do you have to make the NLOC.net website easier to use and navigate?
Wouldn't change a thing.
8. Why did you pick your board user name (screen name)?
Well it wasn't the first thing that came to mind but a lot of names were already used. So beings that the SS was the Lightnings rival I came up with this name since I'm pretty sure it could take quite a few down.
9. What are your plans for future changes to your truck?
I still have a few cosmetic things I need to address like painting the front bumper and valance. I still have a rear mount turbo kit in containers that I want to put on maybe over the winter but other than that most of the changes have been made.
10. Whom would you like to thank for help\donations\support for putting the truck together?
I would like to thank my family that puts up with my severe addiction to automobiles. I also would like to thank Mtrsport43, Struckby, Bumperquip, Punisher, Tinysred94L, and all the others who have shared info, helped or provided parts to accomplish my goals for the truck. And last but not least I would like to thank all the moderators for the hard work they do in maintaining the site.
Congratulations to Shawn and his 1993 Black Ford Lightning for Truck of the Month, August 2010 !
From the Land of Lincoln Milan, Illinois is home to this month’s Truck of the Month. His truck has been “down” for a year while he made numerous improvements to his ride. In April of this year his Lightning was back to running status just in time to enjoy the summer months. As is nearly always the case though there are improvements he has in mind for the future including a rear mount turbo kit !
Shawn relates a hilarious story in answering the 4th question ! It’s as if most people don’t realize before the Gen 2 Lightning there was the original Lightning, the Gen 1 !!
Read on to learn more about Shawn and his Lightning then join in the congratulations to Shawn Miller !
1. What sparked your interest in the Ford Lightning?
Well, my family has always been big Ford freaks so anything that has the Ford logo has always sparked interest. A member of the family bought a Lightning new in ’93 and after a ride I was hooked. I still remember hating the wheels they put on them but they have grown on me since. I always liked the trucks but I guess a friends recent project really sparked my interest into buying one. He purchased a Lightning that the previous owner thought it would be cool to convert into a 4wd look alike?? After many a late night swapping parts to bring it back to its proper form and a new exhaust and some other bolt-ons, it was complete. After a ride in his truck and the sound of the GT-40 engine bellowing out the side exit exhaust I decided to start looking for one. Also the cars I currently owned were barely street legal at the time and driving them was getting to be more like work than fun. The thought of having something that you could race or show on weekends and haul some rock on Monday was really appealing.
2. Do you have any interesting stories about owned vehicles, before becoming a Lightning owner?
I have quite a few stories about previous cars but I'll stick with the ones I'm the most proud of (LOL). I have owned over 60 Mustangs in the past ranging from ’65 all the way up. I started restoring older Mustangs when I was 12 years old and have always owned one. When the Gone in 60 Seconds movie remake came out the ’67-’68 fastbacks started to become real popular again. I started selling the ones I had and buying others that I would fix up and sell. One of the cars I had was a real basket case and instead of fixing anything on it I decided to just sell it outright. I listed the car online and before long someone bought it and said that one of his trucks would be close to the area in a few days for transport which I thought was kind of odd. When they showed up it was a huge double deck hauler with Carroll Shelby's face and logos painted on it. It was actually Carroll Shelby who was purchasing my car to remake into a Eleanor Super Snake! They had two Eleanor's on the truck and one of the transporters let me sit in one and start it up.....needless it was one of the best days of my life and I guess I can kind of say I have owned a Shelby now.
The other is an 87' Mustang notchback that had a 557ci big block in it that was featured in The Fastest Street car Magazine. I was at the point where the resto aspect was getting a little old and I wanted something that was cosmetically done and I could concentrate on mechanicals and horsepower. I found a car that was pretty much show but didn't run and after many hours of nights in the garage working on the 557 and tuning it I finally had it running flawlessly. I then went back in and added my own touches to the car which paid off at a Fun Ford Weekend event that the car was voted car of the show. At the end of the day I went to get in the car and there was a note attached to my steering wheel that said Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords wanted to do a full page feature on my car the next day. I couldn't believe it and hardly slept that night. I got up early and started cleaning and polishing everything for the photo shoot. I got done and went to drive the car to the event and of course my luck it wouldn't start. I called the photographer and he said it needed to be there for the shoot and he had an area all picked out and plus it would have to be mobile to get good photo angles. I narrowed the problem down to the Accel ignition box and it was a Sunday which everyone that sold them was closed. I took the box apart and found somehow water had leaked into it and was causing the problem. After cleaning it out I reinstalled it and it fired right up. I barely made it up there in time for the photo shoot. They ended up shutting the whole track and event down just to take pics of the car. After all of that it never was graced onto the pages of their magazine due to budget cuts for feature cars but at least it was graced onto another magazine that I have framed above the mantle that I stare at quite regularly.
3. What modifications have you made to your truck since you have owned it...both show and go?
I really don't know where to start with this question. I guess as far as body goes I have put in new taillights, repainted the mirrors, put the stock grill back in, new chin spoiler and fog lights, and chopped the antenna down. Interior was mostly all taken out, cleaned and some small stuff replaced. I added a center seat from a Nissan Titan which I had to build some brackets to attach it but it turned out really nice, plus has a 12v outlet in it. I also found a factory center belt from an RV supplier to top it off. I then added a pillar pod and stuffed in some Autometer cobalt gauges and a new 1 piece floor mat from the site store. As far as mechanicals go I have rebuilt the rear with carbon fiber clutches, Punisher V/B, Trick Flow valve covers, Bassani headers, powder coated most all engine attachments, billet SN-95 idler pulleys, billet 94 V-6 Mustang p/s pulley, smog eliminator, Struckby e-fan, Struckby battery cables, Struckby reman of the factory harness to mass air, BBK meter, BBK fuel regulator, new p/s pump, new radiator, completely new a/c system, Madramper cold air kit, smog removal, billet t/b spacer, BBK 70 mm t/b, Accel ignition, Gen 2 Lightning wheels, and the list goes on.
4. Do you have any interesting stories about your Lightning?
I haven't hardly driven it to provide a whole lot interesting stories but this one is kinda funny. I took the truck to the track a few months after I purchased it. After a few runs I went back into the staging lanes and was slowly moving forward for another dash at the quarter when this older gent and his daughter come up to the truck. He gets down on his knees and starts looking under the front and I'm thinking what now are fluids dumping right in the lanes man this is going to make some people mad. I take my helmet off and get out of the truck. I close the door and this guy starts pointing his finger at me saying you can't fool me, you can't fool me. I didn't know really what to say but I finally got him to describe what I was trying to pull on him. He said yeah I know this isn't a real Lightning and you can't fool me. I asked what made him think that it wasn't and he said real Lightnings don't have I beam suspensions they have independent fronts with struts. I kinda looked at him for a minute wondering if I should fill him in but I just said you've got a pretty sharp eye you caught me and I got back in the truck.
5. Tell us about yourself, your hobbies, business or work, sports, family, etc.
Well, of course racing and restorations are at the top of the list. I bleed 110 octane and all the other hobbies take a far back seat to it. I do of course enjoy spending time with my family going camping, fishing or hunting. I have picked up on deer hunting the last couple years and really enjoy sitting in a stand waiting for the next big one to come along. I work for the world renowned John Deere Company in their Research and Development facility. I am an IAM union industrial machinist and they pretty much pay me to weld, machine, build and then break components in their relentless pursuit to provide a top quality product. Most other companies I have worked for would have fired me if I broke something and now they pay me to do it so needless to say I really enjoy working there and it is really enjoyable to go to work everyday. I have a beautiful wife and 2 kids (boy and girl). My wife and I celebrated our 10th year anniversary this year and I can't believe how fast the time flies after you turn 21.
6. How long have you been a user of the NLOC.net, when did you become an NLOC member, and why did you choose to become a member of NLOC?
I have been on for almost 3 years and a member for about 2 years. I became a member because of my addiction to the Lightning, all of the people that make this forum click, and I'm proud to be associated with the group of members we have on here. Plus I would like to see this site around forever for all of the ages to learn and grow in knowledge as I have been able to do.
7. What suggestions do you have to make the NLOC.net website easier to use and navigate?
Wouldn't change a thing.
8. Why did you pick your board user name (screen name)?
Well it wasn't the first thing that came to mind but a lot of names were already used. So beings that the SS was the Lightnings rival I came up with this name since I'm pretty sure it could take quite a few down.
9. What are your plans for future changes to your truck?
I still have a few cosmetic things I need to address like painting the front bumper and valance. I still have a rear mount turbo kit in containers that I want to put on maybe over the winter but other than that most of the changes have been made.
10. Whom would you like to thank for help\donations\support for putting the truck together?
I would like to thank my family that puts up with my severe addiction to automobiles. I also would like to thank Mtrsport43, Struckby, Bumperquip, Punisher, Tinysred94L, and all the others who have shared info, helped or provided parts to accomplish my goals for the truck. And last but not least I would like to thank all the moderators for the hard work they do in maintaining the site.
Congratulations to Shawn and his 1993 Black Ford Lightning for Truck of the Month, August 2010 !
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