'90 Chevy 454 SS vs '94 Ford Lightning F150 MuscleTrux Wars Part 1 - Trucks! S10, E1

03Sssnake

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the bottom fell out on the 454SS trucks and they are slowly making a comeback. I would like a Gen1 and 2 Lightning, 454SS and Silverado SS in my future garage.

don't forget the TBSS in that list! Gen1 lighting's have gotten retarded, you can basically buy a decent Gen2 for the price some guys want on those Gen1s....
 

jeffh81

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don't forget the TBSS in that list! Gen1 lighting's have gotten retarded, you can basically buy a decent Gen2 for the price some guys want on those Gen1s....


Not a fan of the TBSS. I was working at the chevy dealer when they came out and drove a couple and wasn’t a fan honestly. I just want the Lightning’s for shits and giggles. I could do without them as long as I had the SS trucks
 

03Sssnake

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Not a fan of the TBSS. I was working at the chevy dealer when they came out and drove a couple and wasn’t a fan honestly. I just want the Lightning’s for shits and giggles. I could do without them as long as I had the SS trucks

I like the exterior styling of TBSS, but that interior was dogshit...think chevy used the steering wheel out of the cobalt SS
 

jeffh81

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I like the exterior styling of TBSS, but that interior was dogshit...think chevy used the steering wheel out of the cobalt SS

I think youre right about the steering wheel. I remember it was a cobbled together concoction that in awd form would haul ass, but the rwd trucks were just burnout machines. I hated them and the SSR trucks and we got a few of those in and people thought they were going to blow up value wise.

If you really want something rare then find the Suburban 2500 8.1 liter quadrasteer. Those were super limited runners and the Denali 6.0 awd quadrasteer was too.
 

jeffh81

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They used that wheel in everything.

The ease of installing some decent heads and an aftermarket fuel injection system makes the 454SS appealing.


Ive seen a few online and tv that were swapped to 502 and 572 amongst other monsters
 

03Sssnake

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They used that wheel in everything.

The ease of installing some decent heads and an aftermarket fuel injection system makes the 454SS appealing.

The 454SS can definitely be woken up considerably. My buddy Beau had one years ago and he essentially did the same thing, set of heads, hotter camshaft, intake manifold and fueling.
 

SID297

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I think youre right about the steering wheel. I remember it was a cobbled together concoction that in awd form would haul ass, but the rwd trucks were just burnout machines. I hated them and the SSR trucks and we got a few of those in and people thought they were going to blow up value wise.

If you really want something rare then find the Suburban 2500 8.1 liter quadrasteer. Those were super limited runners and the Denali 6.0 awd quadrasteer was too.

I didn't know they put the rear steer setup on anything but the trucks.
 

03Sssnake

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I think youre right about the steering wheel. I remember it was a cobbled together concoction that in awd form would haul ass, but the rwd trucks were just burnout machines. I hated them and the SSR trucks and we got a few of those in and people thought they were going to blow up value wise.

If you really want something rare then find the Suburban 2500 8.1 liter quadrasteer. Those were super limited runners and the Denali 6.0 awd quadrasteer was too.

I would love to get my mitts on a 2500 Suburban!
 

jeffh81

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I didn't know they put the rear steer setup on anything but the trucks.

it was a VERY rare one year only option. The owner of the dealership got one as a loaner and when we sold it it went for above sticker because you couldn’t find them.

edit: Wikipedia said that it want to 2005, but I never seen it past 03 on the suburban
 

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it was a VERY rare one year only option. The owner of the dealership got one as a loaner and when we sold it it went for above sticker because you couldn’t find them.

edit: Wikipedia said that it want to 2005, but I never seen it past 03 on the suburban

That 8.1L wasn't a bad engine, especially when paired with a 6 spd.
 

jeffh81

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That 8.1L wasn't a bad engine, especially when paired with a 6 spd.


The 2wd reg cab trucks on the stock donuts would just spin. The Duramax in the same configuration would light them up like mad too. But man if they hooked then both trucks were monsters. We had kids come in and get one configuration or the other and when they would bring them in for service the whole back end would be covered in tire.
 

jeffh81

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We need a modern sport truck like they made back then. Keep it simple with a honker under the hood. A supercab 2wd F150 with the Raptor ecoboost would bust a lot of ass.

GM is getting back in the market with the 6.2/10spd RST truck. With the limiter removed and on stock street tires they run consistent high 13s in crew cab form. I meaning the 6.2 powered trucks not just the RST
 

72MachOne99GT

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Modern powerplants, and a stripper option coupled with a regular cab would be extremely impressive, especially compared to older “muscle trucks”.

The issue is, Ford has absolutely zero incentive to offer such a vehicle. Low options = lower profits. And such a specification audience = lower sales.

A slightly lowered XL with good rubber and the HO 3.5 from a raptor would be a sleeper monster.

But again... no margins + no demand = no profit.
 

03Sssnake

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Modern powerplants, and a stripper option coupled with a regular cab would be extremely impressive, especially compared to older “muscle trucks”.

The issue is, Ford has absolutely zero incentive to offer such a vehicle. Low options = lower profits. And such a specification audience = lower sales.

A slightly lowered XL with good rubber and the HO 3.5 from a raptor would be a sleeper monster.

But again... no margins + no demand = no profit.

You can get the HO 3.5 from the raptor optioned in an F150, but I believe only in the Limited trim level trucks....so you might as well buy a raptor at that price point...
 

7998

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I’m sorry a gen 1 lighting is nowhere close to the gmc sylclone like dude was saying in video. And didn’t the 454 get a 4spd in the later years and more power ?


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

Yes in 1992 it got the 4l80 and had 255hp. Also you could get it white and I "think" red.

Nosir. It was a turbo 400 and way stifled down. Uncorked the 454 and they move out pretty well

Wrong see above^^

I think youre right about the steering wheel. I remember it was a cobbled together concoction that in awd form would haul ass, but the rwd trucks were just burnout machines. I hated them and the SSR trucks and we got a few of those in and people thought they were going to blow up value wise.

If you really want something rare then find the Suburban 2500 8.1 liter quadrasteer. Those were super limited runners and the Denali 6.0 awd quadrasteer was too.

The Sierra Denali was called the C-3, and it was pretty damn cool for it's time. It was GMC's version of the Silverado SS, but I'm not sure the Silverado had quad steering.
 

72MachOne99GT

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You can get the HO 3.5 from the raptor optioned in an F150, but I believe only in the Limited trim level trucks....so you might as well buy a raptor at that price point...

Yep, but that mandates a supercrew and all the weight of Limited options.
 

BigFatMatt

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I drive my first gen Lightning quite a bit when the weather is nice, and it makes me smile every time.

Mine just turned 140k. It's close to stock but has a punisher valve body and I'm pretty sure it has an aftermarket torque converter. Excellent shape well maintained runs perfectly.

I found a great deal local to me and couldn't pass it up. I practically stole this truck compared to the prices they are going for nowadays.


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