What’s the story of YOUR Lightning?

Jimbo955i

Jimbo955i

New member
I’ve owned my truck for about two years now. It’s low on power, creaks and groans from worn suspension and steering components, and requires extra attention. I’ll never get rid of it.

My truck belonged to a coworker’s late husband who passed several years ago. He was the second owner. After his passing, she drove it to work daily for about a year, and I always loved it. She ended up parking it for about a year and a half, and turned down offers on a regular basis. I had a fairly serious motorcycle accident and when I recovered, she asked me if I wanted it.
She knew that I would get it running again and would respect it’s value to her family. It was incredibly unexpected, but I took full ownership of this truck and started working on it. The deal was that if I ever decided to sell it, I would offer it to her before anyone else and she would reimburse me for my investment value. I see myself as this truck’s caretaker, and I’m incredibly humbled to have been given this opportunity. I send her videos and pictures on a regular basis, and she’s very happy that the truck is looked after. Truth is that this truck came along at a point when I needed it; I needed something to work on and was on a tight budget.
What’s your truck’s story?
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My father and my uncle heard a dealership in Rhode Island had gotten a white lightning in the fall of 94 and the both went out there thinking one of them would buy it. My dad bailed but my uncle pulled the trigger and took it home. It was a sunny day cruiser until 2007 that made it to 34k miles. The next 2 years he started to daily it in the summer months. Which brought it to 57k miles in 2009 when I purchased it. He painted the stripes in 1995 and added some "90's" accessories along the way but otherwise pretty much still stock. I daily drove it for a year adding some minor things. Did the 5 speed, MAF, exhaust, ect. right away. and drove it like that during the summer months for a several years before bringing it to the stage it has reached now.
 
FlatOut said:
My father and my uncle heard a dealership in Rhode Island had gotten a white lightning in the fall of 94 and the both went out there thinking one of them would buy it. My dad bailed but my uncle pulled the trigger and took it home. It was a sunny day cruiser until 2007 that made it to 34k miles. The next 2 years he started to daily it in the summer months. Which brought it to 57k miles in 2009 when I purchased it. He painted the stripes in 1995 and added some "90's" accessories along the way but otherwise pretty much still stock. I daily drove it for a year adding some minor things. Did the 5 speed, MAF, exhaust, ect. right away. and drove it like that during the summer months for a several years before bringing it to the stage it has reached now.
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I truly miss driving a manual trans, and I’ve been thinking about swapping to one.
 
FMOS Racing said:
I've had 4 Gen 1s and a Gen 2, so I'd need a few pages. :)
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I’ve loved these trucks since they first hit the streets. There was a red first gen back in the late 90’s that would go to all of the local car shows. I used to drool over it and said I’d own one someday. I have a Benz and a 21 f150. You’ll find me in my first gen 90% of the time. Broken a/c in the South Florida heat and all.
 
In 93 I was looking at trading in my old truck and was at the Ford dealership. Out front was a beautiful teal green Cobra and a black Lightning. I walked right by the Cobra up to the Lightning. Ended up taking it for a test drive and wanted it so bad, but finances and timing were not right. Two years later I picked up my 95 new and have had it ever since. My literal build saga is in my sig :)
 
Bought mine right out of college after building a clone. This was 2005. Rebuilt my home after Katrina hauling stuff around in it. Drove my son home from the hospital in it when he was born, Sold it with 240,000 miles on it. Last year I bought it back and now rebuilding the engine and some other things with my 14 year old son.
 
I grew up in work trucks of every make but stupidly maybe preferred Fords. I really wanted a flareside as a daily but I couldn’t find a legit seller at a decent price but somehow found a ad for a lightning in LA. The Lightning was a myth where I came from, I had never seen one in person before. A couple of days later it was under my possession.
 
I bought my first truck on July 3rd 1993 and I still have that truck. One day I'll get around to fixing that truck and get it back on the road. I bought my black 95 3 years ago.
 
lightn95 said:
Ive had my 95 since 1997. I decided about two yrs ago to do a TT 427" swap. And the truck had hated me ever since.
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There's going to be a happy ending on that chapter, Brett! Just a little more patience. It wouldn't be a good story without a crisis!
 
FMOS Racing said:
There's going to be a happy ending on that chapter, Brett! Just a little more patience. It wouldn't be a good story without a crisis!
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100%, this struggle just makes that 1st start up and the ensuing smiles all the better!
 
When the lightning first came out it was my dream truck but wasn't in the cards until i got older and in 2002 I found one from original owner, garage kept w/40,000 miles, it has 65,000 miles on it to date and still a garage gueen.
 
Used to pull horses in early 2000s with a 5.0 F150 farm truck when I saw my first L and knew I’d buy one as soon as I got done with the horse gig. Finally found an unmolested one in 2011 w/ 72kmi. Got it almost perfect (for me) and then had to take a job up in VA - after 4 yrs year-round dd it got the cancer - d/wheel well, d/door sill, p/cab corner & tube bumper. Has 127kmi now and still runs & drives sweet but is only worth half what it coulda been! :(
 
Had a few regular 92’s before. Then I got a black 94’ Lightning. It was all stock. Sold it for a old Corvette. Didn’t care for that life and in 2013 for bought my 95’ for $4800. It was all stock. Replaced wobbling balancer and leaking timing chain cover gasket/water pump. Put a new dash pad in and lightning floor mats. Drove it for a minute. Added nitrous. Pulled that and put on a Powerdyne. Tried a couple Powerdynes as I knew how to and could fix them as well. Tried a Vortech V1 and loved everything except it was too loud. Put on a V3 and now I’m happy. Truck runs good and gets down on twisty roads still.
 
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