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November 2008 Gen 1 Truck Of The Month – Congratulations Chip ("madramper") Clark (NLOC# 937).
This month's Gen 1 TOTM hails from New Jersey and is a member of the famous DelValLo. Chip has spent some serious time and coin working on his truck the last few years getting it to what it is today...a very respectable black '93, not to mention the stance is killer. Thanks for your many contributions to the Lightning community over the years. Congrats Chip for being November's Truck of The Month!
1. What sparked your interest in the Ford Lightning?
I was only like 13 when they came out, but I thought they were cool. When I got to high school, my shop teacher had one. He had a black 93 #75. That was like 12 years ago, but I remember him talking about the SVT certificate, so I guess the number stuck in my head. I never really had any money, so I never expected to own one. When I moved home from college, I needed a decent truck. I saw a black 93 for sale that was about $1000 over my limit, but after the test drive and some negotiation, I got that down to $200 and was able to get the money and bring it home!
2. Do you have any interesting stories about previously owned vehicles, before becoming a Lightning owner?
It depends what you want to call a vehicle. I used to race motocross. I got pretty into it near the end of my career. I saved all of my money and got another job so I could buy a brand new race bike. I picked up a couple of sponsors, one being a local dealer, and I came home with a 99 YZ125. As far as I was concerned, this was the bike to have. I built it up and made it pretty quick. I was getting pretty good. I remember one race where they put me in the wrong class and I was racing 250 B on my 125 and I was able to break the top 10 with half the motor. I picked up a few more sponsors after that race. However, the following week I wrecked on my practice track and my career was over. I broke my tibia, tore my ACL in half and off the bone, tore my MCL off the bone, tore both meniscus, and tore my patella tendon into 3 pieces. My kneecap was halfway up my thigh. I spent the next 4 months in a wheelchair. It only cost me $20 to fix the bike, but I think I am in the $75k range to fix me
3. What modifications have you made to your truck since you have owned it...both show and go?
Show:
Cervini’s roll pan
Centerline Galaxy wheels
Raceline wheels for the track
Lowered 3/4
Center seat from my 95 Lightning
Gen 2 badges
Custom paint on the engine
Ford Racing tall valve covers
Clear headlights, tail lights, and corners
Go:
Custom Ed Curtis AFR 165 heads
Scorpion 1.6 roller rockers
Trick Flow Stage 2 cam
Ported GT40 lower
StruckBy mass air conversion with A9L
My own long tube header exhaust
My own CAI
Circle D 2800 stall converter
Punisher built E4OD
Baumannator
Rancho traction bars
TwEECer RT
LM1 wideband
C&L 76mm MAF with 30# injectors
Underdrive pullies
Mark VIII fan with StruckBy harness
Dyno numbers from 10-31-08
303rwhp and 380rwtq
That was without messing with timing, so there is still more in it. I just wanted a good base tune before the blower, so I wasn't too concerned with a max effort tune.
My goal is to catch HotRod for the fastest stock shortblock NA! That is going to be tough, but I'll give it a shot!
4. Do you have any interesting stories about your Lightning?
I don’t have to much interesting about the new truck yet. I have had 6 Lightnings over the years if you count the two wrecked ones I bought for parts. I have a somewhat interesting story about my first truck. That truck had a built motor, built tranny, converter, TwEECer, etc. I bought a T-trim kit for it. The kit went on and I got to drive it for about a week. It was insanely fast on the street. The very next weekend, my wife told me she was pregnant, so the blower came off and the truck went up for sale! I guess it goes to show you that even if priorities force you to sell your truck, you can always get another one …. or 5 more…. down the road!
5. Tell us about yourself, your hobbies, business or work, sports, family, etc.
I am 29 years old. I have been married to my wife, Dawn, for 6 years. We have two beautiful daughters. Grace is 4 and Leah is 8 months. I am the IT geek for a municipality. My hobbies are pretty much just the truck and my family. Once upon a time I played the guitar, but I have been so busy lately that I haven’t touched it.
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 a member since about 2 weeks after I bought my first Lightning. That was in 2002. I first joined because it was a great place to hang out and learn about my new purchase. This site is a wealth of knowledge thanks to the contributions of our talented members!
7. What suggestions do you have to make the NLOC.net website easier to use and navigate?
I’m still not too fond of the classifieds. I have gotten used to them, but the old way seemed much better.
8. Why did you pick your board user name (screen name)?
My user name goes back to my motocross days. I guess I had no fear and would jump anything and almost any distance. So madramper translates to crazy jumper basically.
9. What are your plans for future changes to your truck?
I definitely want to get the truck painted soon. That won’t happen if I continue buying go fast parts though Future plans definitely include boost. I have wanted twin turbos since I bought my first truck mainly because I like to be different. Turbos are popular now, so I am going back to my past with a Vortech T-trim. Vortech’s are common, but the T-trim allows me to be a little bit different
I plan to do a frame off resto. I have been toying with the idea of doing it this winter, but we’ll see. I have a second frame that I have started working on. I may do my patented black interior on this truck as well.
10. This is where you link favorite websites, your website, family pictures and add any other comments.
First of all, I have to thank my wife for not divorcing me over this obsession! I have to thank the DelValLO crew. If it wasn’t for them, I would have a lot of money right now They keep going faster and faster and that keeps me spending money :bigtu: Thanks to Paul for the killer tranny and a big thanks to Ed for all of the long hours on the phone! Thanks to all of the NLOC “old timers” that got me started down this road to begin with and the help along the way!
Congratulations to Chip Clark and his 1993 Black Gen 1 Truck of the Month, November 2008!
YouTube - madramper - 93 Lightning exhaust
YouTube - madramper - First startup - 93 Lightning
This month's Gen 1 TOTM hails from New Jersey and is a member of the famous DelValLo. Chip has spent some serious time and coin working on his truck the last few years getting it to what it is today...a very respectable black '93, not to mention the stance is killer. Thanks for your many contributions to the Lightning community over the years. Congrats Chip for being November's Truck of The Month!
1. What sparked your interest in the Ford Lightning?
I was only like 13 when they came out, but I thought they were cool. When I got to high school, my shop teacher had one. He had a black 93 #75. That was like 12 years ago, but I remember him talking about the SVT certificate, so I guess the number stuck in my head. I never really had any money, so I never expected to own one. When I moved home from college, I needed a decent truck. I saw a black 93 for sale that was about $1000 over my limit, but after the test drive and some negotiation, I got that down to $200 and was able to get the money and bring it home!
2. Do you have any interesting stories about previously owned vehicles, before becoming a Lightning owner?
It depends what you want to call a vehicle. I used to race motocross. I got pretty into it near the end of my career. I saved all of my money and got another job so I could buy a brand new race bike. I picked up a couple of sponsors, one being a local dealer, and I came home with a 99 YZ125. As far as I was concerned, this was the bike to have. I built it up and made it pretty quick. I was getting pretty good. I remember one race where they put me in the wrong class and I was racing 250 B on my 125 and I was able to break the top 10 with half the motor. I picked up a few more sponsors after that race. However, the following week I wrecked on my practice track and my career was over. I broke my tibia, tore my ACL in half and off the bone, tore my MCL off the bone, tore both meniscus, and tore my patella tendon into 3 pieces. My kneecap was halfway up my thigh. I spent the next 4 months in a wheelchair. It only cost me $20 to fix the bike, but I think I am in the $75k range to fix me
3. What modifications have you made to your truck since you have owned it...both show and go?
Show:
Cervini’s roll pan
Centerline Galaxy wheels
Raceline wheels for the track
Lowered 3/4
Center seat from my 95 Lightning
Gen 2 badges
Custom paint on the engine
Ford Racing tall valve covers
Clear headlights, tail lights, and corners
Go:
Custom Ed Curtis AFR 165 heads
Scorpion 1.6 roller rockers
Trick Flow Stage 2 cam
Ported GT40 lower
StruckBy mass air conversion with A9L
My own long tube header exhaust
My own CAI
Circle D 2800 stall converter
Punisher built E4OD
Baumannator
Rancho traction bars
TwEECer RT
LM1 wideband
C&L 76mm MAF with 30# injectors
Underdrive pullies
Mark VIII fan with StruckBy harness
Dyno numbers from 10-31-08
303rwhp and 380rwtq
That was without messing with timing, so there is still more in it. I just wanted a good base tune before the blower, so I wasn't too concerned with a max effort tune.
My goal is to catch HotRod for the fastest stock shortblock NA! That is going to be tough, but I'll give it a shot!
4. Do you have any interesting stories about your Lightning?
I don’t have to much interesting about the new truck yet. I have had 6 Lightnings over the years if you count the two wrecked ones I bought for parts. I have a somewhat interesting story about my first truck. That truck had a built motor, built tranny, converter, TwEECer, etc. I bought a T-trim kit for it. The kit went on and I got to drive it for about a week. It was insanely fast on the street. The very next weekend, my wife told me she was pregnant, so the blower came off and the truck went up for sale! I guess it goes to show you that even if priorities force you to sell your truck, you can always get another one …. or 5 more…. down the road!
5. Tell us about yourself, your hobbies, business or work, sports, family, etc.
I am 29 years old. I have been married to my wife, Dawn, for 6 years. We have two beautiful daughters. Grace is 4 and Leah is 8 months. I am the IT geek for a municipality. My hobbies are pretty much just the truck and my family. Once upon a time I played the guitar, but I have been so busy lately that I haven’t touched it.
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 a member since about 2 weeks after I bought my first Lightning. That was in 2002. I first joined because it was a great place to hang out and learn about my new purchase. This site is a wealth of knowledge thanks to the contributions of our talented members!
7. What suggestions do you have to make the NLOC.net website easier to use and navigate?
I’m still not too fond of the classifieds. I have gotten used to them, but the old way seemed much better.
8. Why did you pick your board user name (screen name)?
My user name goes back to my motocross days. I guess I had no fear and would jump anything and almost any distance. So madramper translates to crazy jumper basically.
9. What are your plans for future changes to your truck?
I definitely want to get the truck painted soon. That won’t happen if I continue buying go fast parts though
Future plans definitely include boost. I have wanted twin turbos since I bought my first truck mainly because I like to be different. Turbos are popular now, so I am going back to my past with a Vortech T-trim. Vortech’s are common, but the T-trim allows me to be a little bit different I plan to do a frame off resto. I have been toying with the idea of doing it this winter, but we’ll see. I have a second frame that I have started working on. I may do my patented black interior on this truck as well.
10. This is where you link favorite websites, your website, family pictures and add any other comments.
First of all, I have to thank my wife for not divorcing me over this obsession! I have to thank the DelValLO crew. If it wasn’t for them, I would have a lot of money right now
They keep going faster and faster and that keeps me spending money :bigtu: Thanks to Paul for the killer tranny and a big thanks to Ed for all of the long hours on the phone! Thanks to all of the NLOC “old timers” that got me started down this road to begin with and the help along the way!Congratulations to Chip Clark and his 1993 Black Gen 1 Truck of the Month, November 2008!
YouTube - madramper - 93 Lightning exhaust
YouTube - madramper - First startup - 93 Lightning
Last edited by a moderator:
