Re: The Lightning is bad news. :-(

From: fawcett@uism.bu.edu
Date: Thu May 13 1999 - 06:14:20 EDT


I'm confused (as usual :-) about all this lighting stuff... Don't they have a
factory installed blower on 'em?? So comparing one to a Dak is comparing
apples to oranges, no? If the above is correct how do you think your Dak would
compare if it had a blower? --just curious.
Thanks.
Tom

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: DML: The Lightning is bad news. :-(
Author: <dakota-truck@buffnet.net> at smtpout
Date: 5/13/99 3:51 AM

  Today's lesson: Don't mess with this one unless you've got a few mods
under your belt! :-(

    I was at the track today, and what should roll through the gates but a
brand spankin' new, bone stock Ferd Lightning. The kid driving it was
inexperienced, and all of his launches were a lot slower than they would
have been if he would have brought the rpm's up a bit on the line, so these
numbers are probably a bit slower than they could be.

   Anyway, on his very first run, with a passenger, he ran a 14.09@97mph.
On his second run, he went it alone (no passenger) and ran 13.90. (I don't
know what the speed was.)
I don't know what the barometric pressure was, but the humidity was 25-30%,
and the temp was 55-60 degrees F. My Dak was running 14.65-14.79. Another
Dak which usually runs high 14.5's managed a 14.4, but was generally in the
mid 14.5 area.

   Anyhoo... This is the first I've seen one actually run at the strip. I
didn't get an opportunity to run against it myself, so I don't know where
all the power comes on. I suspect that on the street, if you get the jump
on the guy you might get lucky, but there are a lot fewer variables at the
track...

  My one consolation is that you could build a brand new (naturally
aspirated) Dak which would absolutely stomp the Lightning for about $10,000
less. I wouldn't be caught owning a Lightning, but its still pretty
impressive for a factory truck! The old Lightnings are no problemo; spank
at will... The new ones are a different story. :-(

  Be careful out there! :-)

                                               -Jon-

  .--- stei0302@cs.fredonia.edu ------------------------------------.
  | Affiliations: DoD, EAA, MP Race Team, NMA, SPA, USUA. RP-SEL |
  | '96 Dodge Dakota v8 SLT CC (14.58@93.55), '96 Kolb FireFly 447 |
  `----------------------- http://www.cs.fredonia.edu/~stei0302/ ---'



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