Ford Lightning Ford Windsor V8 Ford f 150 Svt
The 1993 Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck was Ford's answer to the release of their competition's own line of high performance trucks, and all were constructed at Ford's truck facility in Wayne, Michigan. It was essentially a rebirth for the modern street truck, with all of the major truck producers unveiling their own unique versions of the modern street rod pickup. The Lightning was yet another of these powerful new trucks designed primarily for the street, and it certainly proved that trucks weren't just made for hauling stuff around, they could be built for speed and street performance as well. While the Lightning was based off of the normal F-150 platform, one immediate change, and perhaps the most obvious, was to lower the stance of the truck by an inch in the front and two inches in the back. This made the truck more maneuverable, allowing the truck to utilize the massive amount of power that Ford designed it to have while accelerating through turns and curves in the road with balance and agility. With a finely tuned suspension and steering assembly, the Lightning really hugged the road.
The exterior design of the truck was modified with a newly designed air-dam and trim package, but it wasn't until latter model Lightnings were produced that the more dramatic changes to the trucks appearance took place. A flashy set of emblems was designed for the truck, and it was equipped with sporty Firestone Firehawk tires and 17" aluminum rims. These changes were more than enough to set the Lightning apart from any other F-150 on the road but Ford went even further to make the Lightning a truly unique truck, even marking the intake manifold distinctly to ensure that anyone who looked under the hood knew for a fact that this truck was a true monster out on the strip. Ford equipped with the interior of the truck with the best of all the creature comforts available at the time, this included the first set of bucket sets to be installed into an F-150, being those designed for the Lightning.
The most exciting feature of the Ford Lightning however, was what they put under the hood. Ford started by beefing up their standard 351" Windsor engine blocks, and then equipped them with GT 40 heads. One new innovation to be incorporated into any F-150 design that year was a stock, dual exhaust system, which gave the Lightning the low growl of a true street machine. The 5.8L V8 engine in the 1993 Ford Lightning produced 240 hp from the factory, and coupled with its aluminum drive-shaft and high performance transmission, the Lightning could put its power to the roadway without delay. Truly a beautiful and innovative truck for its time, the 1993 Ford Lightning F-150 ushered in a new age for the Ford Motor Company and created an increased interest on their behalf in creating innovative, specialty products for the consumer market.
