1999–2004 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning

From the December 2022 difficulty of Automobile and Driver.

Ford’s performance-focused Particular Car Staff (SVT) made its debut with two 1993 fashions: the SVT Mustang Cobra and the SVT F-150 Lightning, a souped-up pickup that instantly divided the Automobile and Driver employees into “Why?” and “As a result of!” camps. Sufficient consumers fell into the latter for the F-150 Lightning to get a sequel with a giant bump in energy for the 1999 mannequin 12 months.

From 1999 to 2004, Ford produced simply over 28,000 second-gen SVT F-150 Lightnings clad within the love-it-or-hate-it aero physique (and Flareside mattress) that arrived with the ’97 truck. Not sufficient to make them frequent, however sufficient to construct a cult following such that, even in the present day, proprietor boards thrive, and fanatic meetups happen across the nation.

Fashions from 2001 ahead acquired a revised Triton 5.4-liter V-8 with extra energy, a shorter rear-axle ratio, and Bilstein monotube dampers. The very best examples are 2003–04s, which profit from manufacturing unit updates that resolve frequent points. The abundance of mods requires cautious parsing of potential purchases. Guarantee work was completed appropriately and think about changing any substandard elements.

Downside Areas

A typical difficulty with Tenth-gen F-150s is the V-8’s tendency to eject spark plugs, and the Lightning isn’t any exception. The 2003 and ’04 fashions acquired extra threads within the cylinder heads to assist resolve the issue, however it’s price checking the plugs. Simply watch out when eradicating them as their two-piece design is susceptible to breaking off within the head.

Worth

The arrival of the brand new electrical F-150 Lightning has spurred a renewed curiosity in yesteryear’s supertruck, with costs leaping dramatically prior to now two years. The times of sub-$20K second-gen Lightnings are largely gone, although the occasional 1999 or 2000 instance could stray near that vary. Low mileage and originality are prized above all else and drive most high-dollar gross sales, with the higher finish of 2001–04 fashions starting from $40,000 to only underneath $50,000.

Engine

F-150 Lightnings for the 1999 mannequin 12 months had an Eaton supercharger strapped to a 5.4-liter V-8 that produced 360 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. The 2001 mannequin acquired a revised air-intake opening and mass airflow meter, plus a higher-flow consumption, upping output to 380 horsepower and 450 pound-feet. Some last tweaks for 2003 included heavier rear leaf springs that elevated payload capability from 800 to 1350 kilos, in case you propose to make use of your Lightning to haul greater than ass.

2001 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning
380-hp supercharged 5.4-liter V-8, 4702 lb
TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.2 sec
100 mph: 12.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 13.8 sec @ 104 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 185 ft