LightningDammitt
Man, your story sounds just like mine. I just delivered my R/T to the dealer today and collected my check. Enough to make a BIG dent in the loan amount of my new L, soon I hope!

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Gilbert Vega
2000 Black Lightning on order.

 

Glad you enjoyed the documentry alpha...

Tampa, thanks for the advice! I don't think I'll need it tho.... I'm in LUUUV with the L. I'll probably be buried in it. Creamated?

Hey Gilbert! I recognize the name from the rt board... I was there as brianp@tamu.edu. Don't you think this format is 1000 times better? The rt guys are a great group, but this board and the people are even better!

 

I just got off the phone with my dealer this morning and he said that JOB 1 was started yesterday JAN 31. Who ever he talked to wanted to know where I got the info about a FEB 21 start date so they could go to that source and give them the correct info.

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1997 F150 S/C Flareside 4x4
2000 Silver Lightning (Ordered)

 

Silverstreak,

The dealer I spoke with was Five Star Ford in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was Carl who is the new car inventory manager who told me the Lightning would not go into production until February 21st.

It seems to me that there is alot of miscommunication, misinformation, etc being given by Ford or SVT (from reading prior posts). Wow, now I'm really confused; my dealer says Feb 21, your's says JOB 1 started yesterday. Who knows, I think all we can do is sit back and wait and until the dealer calls and said "your vehicle has arrived", then we really don't know where we stand.

Let me know if the person you spoke with needs their telephone number. Please post any further news after you speak w/you dealer again.

[This message has been edited by Peter B (edited 02-01-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Peter B (edited 02-01-2000).]

 

Called SVT this morning and they stated production on the 2000 Lightning began yesterday (31 Jan 2000). Do not know if they are a reliable source for the actual manufacturing start dates. So now the $64K question is "Has or when will production begin?"
Only time will tell as it did with 99.5 Lightning owners. They have been through this and keep telling us it is worth the wait, but waitung is painful as we all know LOL.

 

I'll check by the plant this weekend, as I have been promising.....There should be at least a couple of them outside if that is the case....

How I found my Lightning....?

I was driving around in my 1998 Z28 and I had been reading a lot of articles on the 99 L in the past that had spawned my interest. I decided to find the nearest SVT dealership and thus I walked in and saw a black Lightning in the showroom. All that I could mutter was WOW! I was speechless. What a beautiful piece of machinery. I loved everyting about it. I then went back the next day to put a deposit on the black 99 but apparently it was unknown by the salesperson that it had been sold. So....he offered me a red one that I saw them bringing in off of the truck the same morning that I went in. I was reluctant at first but realized how hard it would be to get one because this was the end of August. In all, I have been very satisfied with it. Although red wasn't first choice, it has really grown on me!!!

Paul G.

 

svtlife, do they stop production on the Lightnings when they start production on the Cobras? If so that means only a 15 working day window for Lightning production. Hard to see how they can turn out 5000+ L's in that time frame. Somebody please tell me I'm wrong.

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I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

alphadoggy@jetlink.net

 

Alphadoggy,

You are wrong. They do not crunch out that many in that short of a time frame. If you look at a post for production dates, you will see that the Lightning production runs for months.

For those of you who replied about the Feb 21st date, I will call my dealer after work and talk to them again.

 

I had three $500 deposits spread among the various local SVT dealers, had been inquiring about the L since late 1999. One was quoting me list the other two were talking 2k over...Finally one dealer came through with an offer to sell at 2k under list, the only caveat was the dealer made me wait until July for delivery. Based on the early problems of pre April 15th motors I think I actually came out ahead..

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99 RED Lightning
90 ZR1
67 XR7 GT
87 Honda Accord (?)

 

I called my dealer this morning as well and he also said it would start in the middle of Feburary sometime but he would not confirm the 21. He said though he was going to call for SVT for me and get back to me tomorrow.

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"Big E"
Red 2000 on order

 

Lightning production started yesterday. SVT Cobra production is scheduled to start Feb. 21. Your dealer must have got the dates mixed up.

 

Note this may sound like a fairy tale but so true it is...
I have to say that my family came across a somewhat large amount of money so we rounded up our gang of mother son daughter and moms boyfriend to go for dinner and shopping in Seatle. Mom's boyfriend and I agreed to go to a Ford dealership to check out F150 Lariats. What do you know, there is a Lighting there. I did not test drive it first. 1st, the F250 superduty V10 6 speed. Which dealer promplty stalled twice. 2nd, A 4.6L V8 F150 XLT. Had more power than my 66 chevy. Then I said what the hey, why not test drive the Lightning. I was scared to floor it. Next day to my surprize I was able to get it after my sister was sick and had to go to the "clinic" I had to wait out another customer's credit check before I could try to buy. He did not have the dough. I was soo happy.

 

After several of you had responded saying the Job 1 started Monday, I went to visit my dealer after work yesterday. I explained to him that several people had informed me that Job 1 started Monday and that it is the Cobra that is starting production on Feb 21st. He explained to me that he had spoken directly with his rep from SVT last week and Job 1 is definitely Feb 21 and this is also the start date for the Cobra. So, the confusion and misinformation continues.

I have never waited even this long for a new vehicle and I bet I'm still a couple of months out. This is shear torture!!

 

Mine aquisition was a waiting game. I didnt even know the Lightning existed until late April. By that time, mechanical problems with my 97 4x4 had me truck shopping. I swore I'd never settle for a 2WD truck. After reading about the Lightning though, I was sold. I had deposits at three dealerships across texas and one in New Mexico just trying to get my hands on a lightning for MSRP. My Black 99 finally arrived two months later in June.

NOW, where's my stinkin' certificate? <grin>

 

Yea, Where are are certificates?

My 97 f-150 got dinged in a parking lot, went for an estimate and my body shop friend told me they still had 3 L's in Cheyenne-He's a very bad influence! All the guy's at work give me a hard time-saying when I get a door ding, I just trade it in!

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99 White Lightning
#2277, built 6-11-99