93-95 Ford Lightning Brutally Honest Owner Review
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- Опубліковано 25 чер 2020
- These nearly forgotten trucks are currently something of a bargain. I take you around my truck, explain the differences from a stock F150, and point out some of the quirks and problem areas. I use this as a truck and to tow my race car so it is not coddled nor modified.
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![1993 Ford Lightning | REVIEW SERIES | [4K] | "SVT Nostalgia"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xmTlmY0jvAQ/mqdefault.jpg)
This guy sounds like the mammoth from ice age
Rey Romano? He doesn’t sound anything like him. He just sounds like a regular middle American.
I'm not usually like this with my cars but this is something I'd buy regardless of paint quality or dings and just drive it how it is. What a badass little truck
This has to be one of best reviews I’ve ever seen. Beautiful truck, thanks for review. I’m in the market for a 93 lightning.
I heard blah blah blah and now I want a Red Lightning 😅👍 thanks for the video.
Good review, I’ve owned my 95 lightning since 95 new. I agree to your comment about people modding the lightning.
I've always liked these things but of course know nothing about them. Awesome to be totally educated! Plus, nice to see your mug again :)
I have a red '93 Ford Lightning very much like yours except not faded. I've had it for about 3 years now and it is bone stock and I love it. One thing that I like the most is that I feel like I'm driving in a muscle car/Truck but I still have all the options of cruise control, air conditioning, and power windows and door locks. It is a perfect cheap muscle truck to goto car shows or take on Hot Rod Power Tour in comfort and style. Thanks for making the video, it was good 👍
I have a 2003 SVT Lightning, and I love the factory 5.4L Supercharger in it.
Great review. You are spot on, if you buy one of these trucks keep it stock. As the owner of a 1991 F150 with the 302 and 5 spd, I could not help but notice how many parts are shared. Of course the Lightning is a much more special truck, but the price difference from a good/great condition regular F-150 of the era is probably hard to justify for many for real world and street use.
That bit about the headlight lenses was very true. I bought my old lady a ‘94 F-150 XLT, and the first thing I did was replace the lenses, thinking it would be an easy job. I laughed out loud when I found out the first step was to remove the grille. In order to replace the yellowed headlight lens on the passenger side, I had to remove the battery, the battery tray, and the horns, just to get access to 3 bolts. I didn’t have to remove anything on the driver side but it was still a bit of a tight situation. I ended up replacing all of the bulbs in the rest of the lamp assemblies up front so I don’t have to do that whole process again anytime soon.
Best quote of the whole video "WHY ARE YOU BUYING A LIGHTNING IF YOU'RE D- LIGHTNING IT? You are 100% right 👌🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 great video 👍🏻
Everything you said about these trucks is spot on. I have a 93 & it’s a love/hate relationship indeed. I’ve also have been torn between doing anything to it but I decided to just keep it as stock as possible, don’t want anything breaking lol
You can re seal the engine.. Lower intake gaskets, Valve cover gaskets, rear seal, oil pan gasket and all hoses.. and you can expect another 25 years out of it..
Good video, I lusted over these trucks when they came out.
Great review love my 93 2nd owner from 9,000 miles has 140,000 will never sell it...
I still love this truck thanks for the video
Awesome video! I was going to buy one but decided to keep my 66 f100 Lightning with the metal dash and 80 some fasteners holding the grill and front fenders together.
Wayne Kosko what’s a ‘66 F100 lightning?
He's teasing me. However there was a truck at Carlisle several years ago that swapped the full drivetrain and interior of a Gen 2 into an early truck.
Nice truck well said they are definitely quirky you definitely have a gem
Heck! I have four of them no issues. No 93's 94 and 95 only. Love them along with obs 7.3's.
I have a 95 f150 with the XL 4.9L and all the issues you stated are pretty much true for the 9th gen years. But considering being 25 years, still runs like a dream with 402k miles, plastic is brittle on the inside, lights suck to replace, and mine is also red and it had the ugly fade pink paint, clear coat just doesn't hold as well it seems. Even with the bad, it's so easy to work on compared to newer vehicles
I have a 94’ and the rear main seal is the only thing I can complain about, it’s still original never been changed but it seems to be a common problem with the 351 Windsor. Other than that. Flawless!
Very reliable even slightly modded..
I just got my grandad's 93 before I put it in the garage last I put cardboard under just to see if it was leaking anything sure enough a 2ftx3ft stain over a year . Will get it Monday but I'm guessing rear main seal maybe the oil pan gasket ? It's got 146k miles on it
Show me where to go to find a 1st Gen Lightning for the prices you stated. Even 2 years ago.
The prices keep climbing. I'd sell mine if I could find a decent older truck to replace it, but they are even more ridiculous now.
Your definitely right about the headlight adjustments, pain in this ass
Thanks for putting up this video, I’m looking for a 93-95 for my 21 birthday I stay in Long Beach CA and it’s it’s not hard to find them but everyone wants a crazy amount for them they’re going for 13k to 24k your truck would sell for 10k easy
That's because of California...double of anywhere else.
All I can say is what an awesome truck, I have a 94 with 376,000 on the original 351 engine and it's never been rebuilt. It has always brought me home and never left me stranded in all those miles. Super reliable, mine still runs real strong and yes it leaks a bit but who cares. Another rare option that mine has is the ford key less entry with alarm. (built by code master) It also came with a Ford CD with various wierd tunes on it.
Ya they are a bit underpowered but that's easy to fix if you want. The brakes are completely lame.. If there's one mod to do first I say the brakes should be it...BTW there are plenty of tires in the stock size on tire rack, I have been running Conti's on mine they hook up good. The original firehawks were horrible.....
Anyway hats off to John Colletti for getting Ford to build these great trucks!
Any vehicle that's almost 30 years old is going to have leaks. That's the deal you have to accept when owning one. Rubber hoses and seals dry up and start to crack. If you had something replaced by a shop and it's leaking again, then the shop didn't do it right. That's not the trucks fault.
Love those old lightnings. I had a 95 back in high school. Super fun truck. Think we paid like 5k for it. 130k miles. Nowadays easily 15k for a decent one. Such a shame, because I’d love to buy one again in my older years
the majority of the problems you talk about are for all 9th gen OBS f150s and 5th gen broncos though not just a lightning. Honestly your engine needs to be rebuild not patches here and there, pull it and fix it..just part of owning a 27 year old classic. believe me brother i feel your pain! im about to pull and rebuild my motor, replace the trans, paint it and everything in between to save my red build #857. Makes you resent the previous owners lack of compassion for a classic! Id like to keep mine stock but i have 189,xxx miles and at this point i think id rather beef it up and then buy another lower miles 1st gen to keep bone stock....either way i enjoyed the video man. If ya ever want to sell yours let me know lol, i'll take a second red 93 anyday.
i have a 92 f150 with the 300 v6 finally at 276'000 i got all leaks fix and put a new trans in it love your truck wish i had a lightning mine is black
My next truck may have the mighty 300 six!
I bought a rust free one and considered myself lucky because most of them rust out in winter weather states. I soon discovered there are plenty of other issues that can plague a 25 year old truck. Like you said nothing major, just little drive you crazy stuff.
I had a 1993 Ford lightning it had a hardtop on the back I totally loved that truck I'm a Ford guy and I did some motorwork to it in with the 410 gears it had we ran 13.10 at the track I only had it for like 2 years a guy want it real bad and I sold the truck for $ 25,000 it only had seven thousand miles God I wish I would have never done that😢
One of the best trucks on the market!
My 1994 has color coded handels and such and the pull down between the seats bought it new in 1995 with the floor mats fully loaded it’s red #3255
i had a 91 red explorer with the same paint issues as you lol, loved that thing. you still own the lightning? how’s it holding up for you?
Still have it. Mostly sits in the garage increasing in value. 🙂
Great vid ! I was lucky enough to get handed down my grandad's I remember when he was trying to find the firehawks last time it took him a while. Were you able to find anyone selling the original tires for this truck ?
Pretty certain they are discontinued.
@@mongrelmotorsports yea it took him months to find them. That's to bad ! they have no where just small cracks from sitting.
Mine was a Hawaii truck.
It had rust, but not any of the typical spots.
Everything rusts from the top down out there because the salt air.
Cowl was rotten.
Door jams.
Drip rails.
Rad support.
Fenders and underside were perfect. No rust there.
Buy a bottle of linseed oil and apply it to the paint, it will darken the paint and give it a nice dark patina look. (Clear coat)
Here comes all the reasons why these lighting trucks are so awesome when compared to the SS454 trucks!
It would be advantageous to install a legit ceramic coating. Just remember the key is in the prep work before to installing the ceramic coating.
Love it man it screams the 90s ❤ could use a paint job but other than that work of art by ford
I still have my 95 I bought new. 17000 miles. Always stored in climate controlled bldg. Still smells new inside and has never seen rain and is wearing the same Firehawk tires that came on it.
It does have a supercharger, roller cam and aluminum heads with full Bassani exhaust and mass air..
If you ever want to sell it let me know.
I have 95 that I bought new as well, 121K ,been very well taken care of but I have driven it and enjoyed the crude out of it. For the past 18 years it has been tucked away in the shop and started and moved around and washed. Recently decided to start driving again on nice days to work. Forgot just how awesome that rig is.
Does it have the terrible Ford Motorsport supercharger?
Not making fun, but Gale Banks did a good video on it.
Wanted to let you know there’s a guy, OBS interiors, who can restore that door panel for you to its former glory, crack fixed and all
Consider yourself lucky. I’ve been looking for one and I can’t find one at a reasonable price nor condition. Either spud-idly expensive or trashed😫😫😫😤😭😢
This baby Will smoke a 454ss and have gas left over for 5 more races while the 454ss would have to fill up each race
To be fair not much wouldn't put one of those 454ss trucks in the rear view mirror..
I loved my 95 Lighting but my stock ecoboost F150 is way,way faster than the Lighting .
Never ever heard they used F250 frame. I’d like to see proof of that
That's not true. In re-reading my SVT documents it is a modified F150 frame.
Good video ,would $7,000 be fair for a white 95 with some rust ?
Yes
I was debating on selling my f150 for a lighting of the same or building out my truck to be the lightning I want. I think I'm gonna go with the latter. It should be cheaper and I could build it out my way. I was thinking the lighting could be a better starting point to build off of but from what you say I'm just gonna to stay with my truck and make it into a lightning
Using a F150 is cheaper and gives you more flexibility. No sense paying the Lightning tax if you are going to remove a bunch of Lightning from it. While these trucks were special in 1993, they aren't made of super-special parts by today's standards.
Both the Ford F series and the S series for Chevy had those cheap seat adjusters and they all snap off. smh I feel the same way about my '02 Extreme Blazer; while I love the thing, its got its drawbacks, like the break-away seat adjusters. lol This truck is more homologous as far as parts and mods than your Lightning, your truck handles so much better than my Blazer, so coin toss or compromise.
My 1990 Chevy Sport c1500 is leak free and so is my 97 extended cab c1500 aaaaaah but my 01 lightning even thought I have it very pampered is a mess.
How much cash? It's My dream truck
I'm about to buy a 2001 red svt lightning its mint Florida vehicle no rust garaged since new. 65k original miles. Expensive butt I been wanting one for 2 decades. It's time.
Mass airflow sensor is $18! I don’t know if I would call that expensive these days!😂
Mine was red, never had any trouble what so ever. Stupid is what stupid does. Some people does not deserve a truck like this. It is a collector truck!
I miss mine.
I have this truck 125k miles if you mess with this truck its total disrespect.. my grandad passed away and i was fortunate enough to get this truck. He was my dad.. dad in and out of prison blah blah blah. But every baseball tournament he would drive this a few dents in the hood but just like mater would say these dents mean something hahaha 🤣 he never got mad that his truck got dented at the baseball tournament and the funny rhing he would park the farthest away too lol...but when we wrent playing we were towing the boat to go fishing. Literally that was the main reason he boughr thw truck i was just born and he got stationed to Washington and needed to tow his boat up there he didnt just buy and f150 he bought a lightning... He knew what he was buying lol . Been asked if id sell it numerous times and mine is NFS he passed away 6 yeats ago my sons are 3 and 2 so it will be there's onces i pass.
What production number is yours??? I have number 230
785
I have a 93 red lightning tremec 5 spd comp cam afr heads bbk intake maf #80injectors ecu with sct... love the truck never had most of these problems best thing was trashing that shit transmission they are awesome with a tremec
Still have the truck?
Yes. Too expensive to replace!
It's a Ford Mustang GT with a flatbed.
Intake manifold gasket is another issue in these engines.
Yes you can still get fire stone fire hawk tires!!
And that 8.8 4:11 rear axle has cast in cooling fins.
4.10
@@karly15kutieThank you ! Yes, 4.10. I own two of these trucks. Thanks for the correction Karly.They are special and I love driving them.
I’d love a 3500 lightning
All you need is a time machine back to 2014.
"Buried under all this electrical nonesense" lol you must have not seen these newer vehicles. This is the bread and butter. OBD1/early OBD2 and back.
Trust me, I despise modern cars. This one isn't bad, but my prior truck was a 1965 F100.
@@mongrelmotorsports Now that “computer” is actually hard to find!
These computers are all over the Internet now!
Use penetrate to stop your rust
I have a 1993 red lightning I try to keep it original as possible
Would you be interested in selling your truck?
Some day, but not at present.
I have a 93 and a 94
My 94 has 300 on it
Would you consider sailing your truck
I doubt it would float.
@@mongrelmotorsports thank you for replying
@@mongrelmotorsports lmaoooooo
They have Ford lightning computers all over the Internet for as little as $200!😂
Umm I have a 1989 f 150 with a perfect factory seat
That's called a unicorn.
cool
Can only find low miles for almost 30k or high miles for 15k to 12k smh
Facebook Lightning groups frequently have some priced in the mid range.
theyre out there man, i just bought a 94 with 27k for 17k
Nice nasa sticker !!
The side exhaust was STANDARD.
Side exhaust BEHIND the wheel was factory. A lot of these trucks were modified with Bassani systems that exit in front of the wheels. The 2nd gen Lightning does have a forward exit system.
F250 frame? The hell you say....
What I had read was they used the thicker F250 frame rails...but what I think they should have said was "rail thickness". I don't believe there was ever a F250 short bed! That's what I get for speaking without a script.
@@mongrelmotorsports it's a standard 150 frame with gussets over the rear axle, they are prone to rot under the gussets.
Seems like you just absolutely hate that truck why dont you just sell it to me and rid yourself of your headache! :)
I'd replace it with an older truck but they are too expensive now.
Time to sell it to me 😊
I can't sleep now after the brutality I just watched.
Why can't people just drive. He'll I drove one 10 years.lol
I'd like to get the instrument cluster installed in my 95 F250 and spend my time trying to get that needle pegged down all the way!!!!
And that chick singer lady gaga..still has and drives the one she owns
Is $136 per tire expensive for a truck?😂
How tf you do a review and not even drive it or start it lmao
Probably the reason people swap Motors is because the 351 doesn't have much lightning per se lol
SBF easy to mod, tons of part for it, never understood the Coyote swap when there are loads of 10th gens, which are much better trucks stock, to stuff a coyote into.
I like the look of the OP truck, always been a favorite, but only in mildly modded form. If I was putting any real effort in it would be a classic or newer platform...tearing up a Lightning just doesn't make sense.
Nothing special about the dist gear. The cam is a SVO marine cam. Again nothing special. The last year 95 may have got the F4 roller blocks but still had the carry over flat tappet cam from 93/94
Roller block started mid 93. Dist gear is cast iron unlike reg 95 f150 but not special at all
@@matthewfisher96 ford did not put a steel dist gear on a cast iron cam core. Ever…
@@matthewnosal6893 yeah I meant cast iron gear. I wrote this late lol. 93 still roller tho
I have 6k
That rear bumper is atrocious. It’s horrendous. Disgusting. Abysmal. Repulsive. Disrespectful. Abhorrent. Godawful.
I had a roll pan on mine, I agree
Frame is is Lightning unique
Yes but not 4x4 or 250
To be real the Lightning is faster than the 454SS in a straight line. The 454SS out handles and out brakes the Lightning by a wide margin. The 454SS is also just a way better driving truck. and far and away is climbing in value much faster than the Lightning. There are head-to-head comparisons now available on UA-cam.
Straight line the lightning leaves the ss454 and I doubt it will out handle the lightning..gm did not put as much detail into the ss454 compared to how ford did.. there basically just long bed 1500s with a 454..a 454 that only makes 230hp because gm didn't upgrade the motor to make it special in anyway..gm really was lazy when it came to building the ss trucks..
454Ss value climbs because GM will always be more popular than Ford..that is a given. Handling, meh, who knows both were just OK from a 90's standpoint. Brakes? Nothing has ever braked worse than the GMT400 series..just pathetic. Will agree GM suspension much nicer live with than than twin beam Ford stuff. Drivetrain? Both engines easy to mod for more power, both trans are weak, so a wash.
Lightning and SS truck are cool relics from the past, basically buy what you like and enjoy, in your case the SS.
It could use a new paint job!
Yes, it does. At least $6000 to do a proper respray. I may just do the wipe on clearcoat instead.
@@mongrelmotorsports Surely you can get a truck painted well for two or $3000.
Mako starts at $899 and you can do the prep work and let them just spray the paint!
It will look better without spending anywhere near $6000!
Not properly. Bed has to come off, glass out, all dings/dents fixed, etc. I work in the business. Not worth doing half-assed unless it's a regular F150.
@@mongrelmotorsports Whatever you want. I’m done with this conversation.
Sorry, pain in the butt
No hate but my truck will drag that ford down the street on flat tires. Beautiful truck tho one of my favorite fords
🍪
WoW , If-in you Don't Like the Truck , sell it !
You are 1 person That Don't Like it !!!
Cause you Need a Nissan !!!
Complain - Complain - Complain !!!
You Have a Race Car ! Poor Drag Strip !!!
English?
was slow as shit brand new in 93.lol