Just bought a 01 stock lighting with 13000 miles and I want to modify it

[Smoccum]

I had a GT500 that had copious mods and dynoed out at 770 at the rear wheels. So I know a little bit about modifying a vehicle but not so much the lightning. What are the basic first mods I can do to increase horsepower but still keep the vehicle safe within its limits

I want to keep the stock air box so pulleys and a safe conservative tune and where will I go in hp and Torque ?

I drove my 07 GT 500 with Toyo R888’s for 3 years before replacing them so I drive all my vehicles extremely carefully

 

[FMOS Racing]

It's been a lot of years between me and my Gen 2, but mild pulleys and tune should be worth around 100 hp iirc.

Sent from my motorola edge plus 5G UW (2022) using Tapatalk

 

[oilwell1415]

On an 01 you'll want to make sure the plugs are properly torqued. They only have a few plug threads and like to spit them out. They loosen up and rattle around until the threads let go. You've got to stay on top of it. You'll also want to see which transmission you have. There's a tag on the side of it that will tell you. If it's the J1 it has a weak mechanical diode instead of a sprag and they are known to fail.

Other than that, I also have an 01 that I bought new and just did my first significant engine mods to it. Check out the Stage 1 Power Pack from Lightning Force. For $700 I don't believe you can do better. I did their 4 lb pulley and tune. Haven't had it on the dyno or track yet, but with my other mods I'm expecting mid 12's and around 430 rwhp from it. It had been 13.1 and 374 rwhp previously. I'm still on the stock airbox with a drop in filter and believe that is holding it back a little.

You'll also want to do a valvebody in the transmission to improve the shifts. Mine is a Factory Tech, but it's from when they were the best. I think Punisher is the go to place for those these days. I'd to a 4x4 trans pan while you're there.

Other mods I have that I think are worthwhile for almost anyone are traction bars, a TruTrac differential, chassis brace, and a Panhard bar.

 

[bumperquip]

Realizing, and accepting, that my perspective has no influence, I think you should simply meticulously maintain it in its original form, or very close thereto.

Tasteful (yet removable) upgrades to intake and exhaust are cool, but IMO digging into transmissions, drivelines and engine systems change these trucks from what they are and those kinds of things make me sad.

In 2+ years your truck will be considered Classic. Depending on your State, it may even qualify as Antique, based on it being Classic and no longer in production.

Don’t eff-it-up …

 

[oilwell1415]

Nothing I mentioned requires any significant permanent mods. My truck has 18k miles on it and I regret nothing. The only thing I've done to it that I can't undo is the holes in the exhaust heat shields for the new O2 sensor locations with the headers. No big deal. And going into the transmission is better than leaving half assed components in there to break and cause more damage.

 

[SHMOKIN]

I have had mine since 2000 and have 38K on clock, in that time I've added; cold air intake, oval throttle body, long tube headers, Bassani exhaust, lower pulley, tune/chip, Hotchkis suspension, bell tech drop spindles, hard tonneau cover with rear spoiler built in, pitch black paint with ghost flames, aluminum grille inserts, Boyd Coddington wheels(2 sets polished and one peeling chrome) 2 sets of front tires and four sets of rear. Brought her up to Ford day @New England Dragway when fairly new with just a pulley and ran 12.9.
Only transmission problem was no reverse one day just out of the blue.
Come to find out my son was street racing one Sunday night. But he says it was good when he parked it!
oh yeah and blew a spark plug out during a tire roast...
Have fun and good luck with your truck.