Skritch
Moderator
October 2008 Gen 2 Truck Of The Month – Congratulations Bill (reddogwilly) Gehrke ! (NLOC #671)
This months Gen 2 truck again comes out of Illinois. A 1999 Black model, Bill purchased his truck just as soon as his local dealership could get it and that was nine months after initial introduction! Being the original owner of this truck means it’s been in his garage for nine years now. Guess this means “reddogwilly” has decided this truck is a keeper. Read on to learn more about Bill and his truck.
1. What sparked your interest in the Ford Lightning?
The article in Car & Driver in 1998. I walked into the local dealer where my friend was the sales manager, showed him the magazine and said, “I want it.” He said, “What is it?” I told him the Lightning is back. This was in September of ‘98. He called me on Christmas Eve saying that they had just gotten the order forms. What color did I want? Black, just like the picture in the magazine. It didn’t show up till May 13th, 1999.
2. Do you have any interesting stories about previously owned vehicles, before becoming a Lightning owner?
I had a ‘76 Blazer K5, I used to run off road a lot. One time my friend said I should drag race it. I took it to the local strip for a Test and Tune. Some guys gave me a hard time until I ran a 14.72 and beat a ‘71 Mach-1 Mustang.
I still have a 1940 Chevy Business Coupe. It’s stock. I take it to local shows. It is fun to talk to and see people’s faces when there is a car that is 68 years old driving next to them.
3. What modifications have you made to your truck since you have owned it...both show and go?
Roll Pan
Rear Window Cover
Budnik Wheels
Nittos all the way around
Drop Shackles
Long Bars
SVO Throttle Body
Competition Engineering Drive Shaft Loop
C&L Upper Plenum & Elbow
Ported Eaton
6 lb Lower
E-Fan
Heat Exchanger
Linelock
Bassani High Flow Cats & Exhaust
Autometer Gauges & Pillar Pod
Dyno Jet Wideband Commander
Best Time: 12.64 @ 108.54 mph. It snowed that day.
4. Do you have any interesting stories about your Lightning?
The best was when it was new. Nobody knew what it was.
Two weeks after I got it, I took it to Central Illinois to my Aunt’s funeral. My cousin, who has always inspired me with his cars and racing over the years, had a Gen 1 in Black at this time. When he saw me drive in with that Black rig, he told me you know they are making the Lightning again. I told him this is it. You should have seen the look on his face. It was almost the same look when he took it for a ride down a country road. He died in 2001 of a brain aneurysm. I miss him a lot.
5. Tell us about yourself, your hobbies, business or work, sports, family, etc.
I have lived in the same town since I was 3 years old (47 years) so most people here know me. I have worked as a truck driver for the same company for 21 years. My passion in life has always been cars & trucks of all kinds. Before we moved to the burbs, we lived on a corner in Chicago, on the 3rd floor. I would sit at the window and wait for a wreck at the light on the corner. Then my folks would ask what kind of cars. I would tell them the make and model. They thought it was funny. I was just nuts about cars and trucks.
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 became a member in 2001. I had met Ray and Ross at Cruz Nights at a local Mickey D’s when I had first got my Lightning. They got me started.
7. What suggestions do you have to make the NLOC.net website easier to use and navigate?
Everything works well for me.
8. Why did you pick your board user name (screen name)?
Reddog is what they have called me since high school football, where I played nose tackle. Most of my friends still call me this today.
9. What are your plans for future changes to your truck?
I like being able to drive it where I go (to & from the track etc.) so not much more, maybe transmission and torque converter.
10. Whom would you like to thank for help\donations\support for putting the truck together?
Burds Auto Bay, Joe Parich, Rob G and the rest of the ILLNESS Family. They all have helped or done most of the work on this truck to make it what it is today.
Congratulations to Bill Gehrke and his 1999 black Ford Lightning for Gen 2 Truck of the Month, October 2008 !
This months Gen 2 truck again comes out of Illinois. A 1999 Black model, Bill purchased his truck just as soon as his local dealership could get it and that was nine months after initial introduction! Being the original owner of this truck means it’s been in his garage for nine years now. Guess this means “reddogwilly” has decided this truck is a keeper. Read on to learn more about Bill and his truck.
1. What sparked your interest in the Ford Lightning?
The article in Car & Driver in 1998. I walked into the local dealer where my friend was the sales manager, showed him the magazine and said, “I want it.” He said, “What is it?” I told him the Lightning is back. This was in September of ‘98. He called me on Christmas Eve saying that they had just gotten the order forms. What color did I want? Black, just like the picture in the magazine. It didn’t show up till May 13th, 1999.
2. Do you have any interesting stories about previously owned vehicles, before becoming a Lightning owner?
I had a ‘76 Blazer K5, I used to run off road a lot. One time my friend said I should drag race it. I took it to the local strip for a Test and Tune. Some guys gave me a hard time until I ran a 14.72 and beat a ‘71 Mach-1 Mustang.
I still have a 1940 Chevy Business Coupe. It’s stock. I take it to local shows. It is fun to talk to and see people’s faces when there is a car that is 68 years old driving next to them.
3. What modifications have you made to your truck since you have owned it...both show and go?
Roll Pan
Rear Window Cover
Budnik Wheels
Nittos all the way around
Drop Shackles
Long Bars
SVO Throttle Body
Competition Engineering Drive Shaft Loop
C&L Upper Plenum & Elbow
Ported Eaton
6 lb Lower
E-Fan
Heat Exchanger
Linelock
Bassani High Flow Cats & Exhaust
Autometer Gauges & Pillar Pod
Dyno Jet Wideband Commander
Best Time: 12.64 @ 108.54 mph. It snowed that day.
4. Do you have any interesting stories about your Lightning?
The best was when it was new. Nobody knew what it was.
Two weeks after I got it, I took it to Central Illinois to my Aunt’s funeral. My cousin, who has always inspired me with his cars and racing over the years, had a Gen 1 in Black at this time. When he saw me drive in with that Black rig, he told me you know they are making the Lightning again. I told him this is it. You should have seen the look on his face. It was almost the same look when he took it for a ride down a country road. He died in 2001 of a brain aneurysm. I miss him a lot.
5. Tell us about yourself, your hobbies, business or work, sports, family, etc.
I have lived in the same town since I was 3 years old (47 years) so most people here know me. I have worked as a truck driver for the same company for 21 years. My passion in life has always been cars & trucks of all kinds. Before we moved to the burbs, we lived on a corner in Chicago, on the 3rd floor. I would sit at the window and wait for a wreck at the light on the corner. Then my folks would ask what kind of cars. I would tell them the make and model. They thought it was funny. I was just nuts about cars and trucks.
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 became a member in 2001. I had met Ray and Ross at Cruz Nights at a local Mickey D’s when I had first got my Lightning. They got me started.
7. What suggestions do you have to make the NLOC.net website easier to use and navigate?
Everything works well for me.
8. Why did you pick your board user name (screen name)?
Reddog is what they have called me since high school football, where I played nose tackle. Most of my friends still call me this today.
9. What are your plans for future changes to your truck?
I like being able to drive it where I go (to & from the track etc.) so not much more, maybe transmission and torque converter.
10. Whom would you like to thank for help\donations\support for putting the truck together?
Burds Auto Bay, Joe Parich, Rob G and the rest of the ILLNESS Family. They all have helped or done most of the work on this truck to make it what it is today.
Congratulations to Bill Gehrke and his 1999 black Ford Lightning for Gen 2 Truck of the Month, October 2008 !
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