ssvette Posted October 2, 2002 Report Share Posted October 2, 2002 I am glad to see the site use the HP and ET calulator. From my times at the track it seems to be fairly accurate, I do have a more accurate system from our own calulations at the track. You see by your calulations the lightning in stock trim is not impossible to beat, 13.70 at best the ones at my track run 14.2 with a chip and a K&N filter. The SS is at 15.2 so we need to knock a full second off its time, and the chevy responds well to performance changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RATFINK Posted October 2, 2002 Report Share Posted October 2, 2002 If you will re read my post I never said stock lightning, most of the lightnings you actually see will have some sort of mod and should be running low 13's if not 12's. The reason I say that is how can you compare a SS with a additional $4500 over the cost of it's original purchase to a all stock lightning???? Pound for pound dollar for dollar the lightning will always beat the "new" SS. I guess with the whipple the new SS will pull a low 14 with no other additional mods. I base my opinions on over 15 years of experience building and racing engines. HP numbers and mods on paper don't count. RF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssvette Posted October 2, 2002 Report Share Posted October 2, 2002 Well looking at the lightning web site there are a few guys running 12s. So Ratfink is correct I have not personally seen one go that fast but here are the facts: Performance Mods: DiabloSport Delta chip tuned by TZRider and R.E.M.,JL Ram Air,JL 5# pulley, NGK BR7EF's,Mobil 1 10w/30, Oil separator, Boost by-pass mod, 170 deg. thermostat, Flex-a-Lite 270 e-fan, Cobra water pump,Factory Tech valve body, deep trans pan and filter, LFP/NBS Driveshaft Loop, Mac Catback(by Chiken/Walker Motorsports),Truck-Traks traction bars, Hoosier 28x10x16's on AR Bajas His time was 12.91 and it didn't need a whole lot of mods to get there. Unfortunetly the lightning has more to work with out of the box. We have a guy in our race team that runs 13.70s with a GTP Pontiac V-6. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcairns Posted October 2, 2002 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2002 Ratfink "The SS with a Whipple will not run with a lightning" Ok, so you didn't say "stock" but my context in this discussion was to compare a SS with Whipple and a stock Lightning. I chose to compare the non-stock SS with the stock Lightning because I felt adding the supercharger would level the playing field between them. The SS being heavier but having some increased displacement to compensate for it. Discussions about performance beyond that, get to be a matter of how much do you want to spend, as I am sure you know all to well, judging from the looks of your truck . "The sheer weight of the thing will kill it." "$40k + 6000lbs. No thanks" Recheck the specs. While the price might be that high, the weight is not. We are looking at only 600 lbs more than the Lightning. "Pound for pound dollar for dollar the lightning will always beat the "new" SS." Yes, the Lightning is a wonderful performance package for the money, and the performance modifications for it are astoundingly good. In many ways I am tempted by it, I just don't like the way it looks and need an extra cab, and then there is that 'Ford' thing on the front... "The Silverado SS is a hell of a nice truck, but it simply isn't a viable "SS"." "My point exactly, the SS badging used to stand for something. Now I guess it's just a trim package" Well, maybe it isn't the big block you were hoping for, and maybe that will change next year, but with a supercharger, it is sporty enough for me. SS badging did not always mean the biggest engine in the Chevy arsenal either. My 64 Impala was available in an SS version, and if memory serves, you could get it with any of the small blocks or the big block 409 (not sure about the in-line 6, but who would want one? ). It was really a trim package, back in the glory days of the muscle car. So this isn't the first time GM has done this. "I base my opinions on over 15 years of experience building and racing engines. HP numbers and mods on paper don't count." I figured you must have something to base your opinions on, especially given the look of your 454SS (looks fast just sitting there). It is just that you are not sharing your thoughts as to WHY. Just pissing on the SS with out any backup for you opinion does not accomplish much. Until we can get an actual SS in hand, all we have is paper. And don't forget, every truck gets built by a room full on engineering nerds and lots of paper. The paperwork and the experience each has a role to play. If you have over 15 years of experience I would love to hear about it, not just your gloomy disappointment. -Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boycer Posted October 2, 2002 Report Share Posted October 2, 2002 What is the price of a lightning? Even if they were only a couple of thousand $$ difference, I would rather have the SS for the extra room and AWD( I live in the Mid-West and will see snow). If I want something really fast I will buy a vette. If I lived in Florida or something like that, I would get a Harley Davidson truck mod it and a corvette. I mean if I really wanted to, I could take my S-10 SS and put a V8 or supercharger it and get it close to those times and for a less than the price of the lightning. But I am tired of having a truck that has no room up front (my mountian bike and tools are usually in back) and having NO traction in the winter. I think that if GM prices them around $36-$37 they will sell a lot of them, and I think it would be a good all round truck and a lot of fun with a whipple and other mods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RATFINK Posted October 3, 2002 Report Share Posted October 3, 2002 Thanks for the kudo's on my truck, unfortunately it is riding the jackstands right now in the quest for more speed. B) Well 600 lbs in the 1/4 is a .6 loss in ET. I would love the SS if it were the original concept from 99 or the 8.1 liter coolside concept, this "version" just doesn't appeal to me. GM built up the upcoming SS and showed us some great concepts that had me drooling, I had the image in my head already what the SS would be. Then GM completely does a 180 and releases this truck, this along with the loss of the F-body and the constant watering down of the SSR's released version has me very dejected at the moment. I think this is a fine truck, but ............ I feel they could do much better. Look at it this way, in two years or so if they do offer the SS with a blower or the 8.1 (and I believe they will) the resale of the current SS will be toasted, it will be "obsolete". As always just my opinions. RF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
454ss Posted October 3, 2002 Report Share Posted October 3, 2002 I agree with how Ratfink feels...I'm a diehard GM fan and have owned and still own many GM trucks. this is like a slap in the face cause we waited a very long time for GM to release the new ss and most of us are disapointed. I do like the way the truck looks and yes an ext cab is great for the extra room but not what we wanted. The gold 99 concept would have been awesome and yes the coolside even better. I was all set to buy a new ss this year but now I will hold off untill they make the reg cab version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murtaza Posted October 7, 2002 Report Share Posted October 7, 2002 Lingenfelter should try this - Buy one of these Silverado SS and throw in a twin turbo in it... sound good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotbellyJoe Posted October 9, 2002 Report Share Posted October 9, 2002 You guys want to know what Lightnings are running, go to their boards. .National Lightning Owners Club is a good place to start. You can even look at the bottom for he local clubs and see whats running in your area, then you know what you have to meet up with on the street or strip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssvette Posted October 9, 2002 Report Share Posted October 9, 2002 Thanks Potbelly Joe We have a couple that races two lightnings at our track and they are both in there 60s. But don't let that fool you ( and many do) they have over 50 wins between them. And to top it off they are two of the nicest people you ever want to meet. :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcairns Posted October 9, 2002 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2002 Hey PotbellyJoe, I checked out the National Lightning Owners Club website. They have a nice discussion board there. I hope we can get that kind of depth here someday. Actually, I just hope we get a truck to play with, instead of just talking about it -Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R/T 4U2NV Posted October 22, 2002 Report Share Posted October 22, 2002 Man now I know how rumors are started 11s and 10s LOL There are 2 Gen II Lightnings running 10.50 or better. There are waaay to many to count that are in the 11s. www.nloc.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssvette Posted October 22, 2002 Report Share Posted October 22, 2002 Man now I know how rumors are started 11s and 10s LOL There are 2 Gen II Lightnings running 10.50 or better. There are waaay to many to count that are in the 11s. www.nloc.net Not in my area and if they were we would still spank then, hand me that 200 shot NOS jet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extreme4x4 Posted October 22, 2002 Report Share Posted October 22, 2002 The MSRP of the Lightning is $32,600, so it is $8,000 less than the SS. We paid $29,100 for ours. While your calculators are all fine and good, they do not take into account torque, and the L's are torque monsters (410-420lb ft to the rear wheels). The calculator also does not take into account that the S/C 5.4 is underrated at 380hp, as they actually dyno around 355rwhp through the auto trans and 3/4 ton rear axle. Stock '01-02 Lightnings run anywhere from 13.2 to 13.7 in the 1/4 mile under good conditions (notice that I qualify this, as a bad track and bad conditions can kill any vehicles times. This is why you will see Z06's running 14's sometimes. Driver is also very important). Another site you can go to, that is even busier than the NLOC site if F150online.com. You then go to the Lightning section. 11's, and low to mid 12's are all over the place. You will learn that the weak point in the bottom end is the rods. They are extremely long (for torque) and are cracked powdered rods. This is what fails in the bottom end. The block is extremely stong, as are the forged pistons and crank. To run with a stock Lightning, you could be basic and figure you would need at least an additional 60rwhp (basing it on every .1 requiring an additional 10hp) over stock. This is very simplistic, and does not take into account the additional driveline loss through the AWD system. I would venture to guess that at least an additional 80-100rwhp will be needed over stock, to run with the Lightning. Maybe more, due to the strong torque curve of the S/C 5.4. Just my opinion of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssvette Posted October 22, 2002 Report Share Posted October 22, 2002 I have to admit the lightning pickups are impressive we don’t have many at my track, Two that run full time with chips and K&N filters it is a couple one runs a red one and the other a white one they dial in around 14.1-14.25 during the bracket races, between the two of them they have over 50 trophies not to shabby. We have had a few others show up with more mods that ran in the 13s I am sure they run faster. Just my observations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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