I posted this on an LS1 (mostly Camaro) site and didn't get any negative comments. I was pleasantly surprised, since some people on a 3000GT/Stealth board I visit are very hostile when the Lightnning is mentioned. Here is the story:

I was stopped at a light in my Lightning when I noticed a C4 Vette pull up behind me with two young guys (early 20s) in it. There was a minivan or something in the lane next to me, so when the light turned green, I pulled away just quick enough for the Vette to come around next to me. All of my windows were open, and I heard him nail it as he came up to my side. I hammered it, but the Lightning will not downshift from second to first at that speed, so the Vette pulled by pretty easily. I noticed it had ZR1 style tail lights, so I'm guessing it is a mid 90's LT1. It had some racing stickers and an aftermarket exhaust but seemed otherwise stock. I was pretty sure he could take me, but I thought I could probably keep him in sight, since he had a passenger. At the next light, we were side be side. We complimented each others vehicles and when the light turned green, we both nailed it. He got the jump on me, but before the end of first gear, I was slightly ahead (his front end was at my driver's door. We stayed exactly like this until about 80 mph, when we had to let off for traffic. I know anything past about 80, he would have walked away, but it was fun anyway. BTW, he chirped several gears, so I think it was a 6 speed, but I could be wrong.


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'00 Lightning
'99 Z28
'92 Stealth Turbo

 

The ZR1 motors were known as LT5. They are 32 valve four-cam smallblocks. I think they came in around 350 hp.

 

It wasn't a ZR1. I mentioned the tail lights to try to narrow down the year. If I recall correctly, all Vette tail lights from '91 to '96 looked like ZR1 tail lights. I'm assuming it was an LT1 - it could have been an L98 or an LT4. If it had been an LT4 or ZR1, I would have had a nice view of the tail lights disappearing as the Vette blew by.

In fact, now that I think about it, it was probably a '91 or '92 L98, since an LT1 should have beat me.

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'00 Lightning
'99 Z28
'92 Stealth Turbo

 

Everybody is so ya-ya over the LS1's, but I had a '93 LT-1 6-speed that ran 13.41 @ 107 100% bone stock & 13.03 @ 108.2 with Borla cat-back, K&N w/open face air box and a TPI Specialists chip. When I used to take it to the track it was labeled a "factory fluke" and a "ringer", but it was a runnin S.O.B.!!! Your race may have been an L98, the resale is so low on those now that I've been noticing quite a few "youngsters" sporting them around and trying to mod them up.

 

I love vettes dont get me wrong but the performance does not cut it for me.I know some of the "special"vettes of the early past would beat our lightnings but not the average vette.the average vetts have a tough time beating 5.0s of the same year(87-89) and the average vettes off all the later years are not comparison for the lightnings stock.Specially chipped and filtered.My .02I think vettes are classy respectful cars rather than hot rods.if I had one it would be for cruising and nice rides along the beach,Not hot rodding around.thats what 5.0s and trans ams are for

 

MarkJ,

You are absolutely correct in your assessment of what it was or what it could have been except for one little point (92 was not an L98): 91-96 has ZR-1 style tailights, but the ZR1 had the 3rd brake light on the top of the rear window and not on the back bumber, 91 was still an L98 TPI, 92-95 was an LT1 only--regardless of auto or 6 speed, 96 was LT1 auto, LT4 6 speed. Stock to stock my 96 LT1 A4 ran very comparable times as my Lightning at the track (14.1 - 14.3's). Chipped and filtered Lightnings will take the lead on a stock LT1. I own both, so I'm totally honest about both, but go over to corvetteforum.com and the Vette guys over there claim ridiculously low times for stock LT1's--I don't believe most of their posted times.

[This message has been edited by Peter B (edited 08-07-2000).]

 

Peter, 14.1 TO 14.3's?? That's not representative of what I've seen. I wasn't lying or embellishing about my '93 M6, why would I, I sold the car over 2 years ago, so there's no macho-ism in my post. I remember before I bought my M6 watching stock automatics run 13.80-13.90 consistently. I used to race with a guy who led the NHRA souteastern division in sportsman points with a stock '94 LT-1 auto that nailed 13.70 run after run after run (he wasn't leading in points for being inconsistent). The car was stock down to the paper air filter, and he kept it that way to achieve a consistent package. Now, this is all at close to sea level (Florida) which is good, in the damp Florida air (not so good). I HAVE seen low 14's from an LT1 automatic, it was equipped with the lower factory gear ratio (I think they could come with a 2.73 or something close to that. DEFINATELY not a gear for running at the track. My M6 came from the factory with 3.42's, hence the low 13's). That must be what's saddling your '96. All I know, is that my L is fast, but even with the Pro-M and the custom superchip installed, It would be a toss-up against my old Vette. Especially as the legs stretch and the speeds climb. That car cured me of ever wanting to "check out" how fast a car will go. At 170+ in 5th gear, you become very in-touch with your mortality.

 

69bossnine,
Pardon the subject change, but do you currently own a Boss 429? Just curious, I have a 69 Boss 302. I saw a 429 at the Silver Springs Ford show in January that was very nice. I need to get mine redone and I'm trying to find a good body/paint shop.
Tom

 

Very Interesting!

The Board needs your help. Please go to https://www.f150online.com/f150board...ML/005186.html to see what the heck I am talking about.


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Jim
jim@jimshaw.cc

Black 00, Swanson Chip (Superchip re-burn is on the way), 4.10's
super whites, Airaid w/10" Big Mouth filter, chrome wheels
AIM 2" drop shackles, Mobile1 w/FilterMag, clear corners
2000 E320, 1993 Cobra R, 1959 Corvette, 1949 Plymouth Coupe

Looking for a better paying job to support my L

 

Blue blood, yes, that was my Boss at Silver Springs. I just got a Silver 2000 Lightning, and have been nosing around this sight a bit getting educated on modifications. My Boss was painted many years ago by a previous owner on the west coast, so tipping you onto the shop that did it is not practical. There's a gentleman named Lloyde Breche of Lloyd's Restorations in Bartow that does world class work, which of course costs world class money. He's done several cars for my father, one of which won best postwar restoration worldwide in the AACA in 1999 (1960 Pontiac Bonneville), and a '56 Continental Mark II that you can see pictured in last week's issue of Autoweek that's a piece of rolling art. Don't know if you're wanting to play in that league, the costs involved in restorations of that level quality FAR exceed what the car's value would ever be. For good body and paint work, I've always been impressed with Ken Blake's work (Orlando), but have heard complaints about his timeliness, which kind of goes with the territory. There's also an upstart in High Springs Florida named Chris Dobbs who is doing very nice and fairly affordable work. He's done a couple of "just paint" jobs for us that turned out very nice. He's almost on-par with Ken Blake. E-mail me if you want any numbers.

 

Thanks for the tips! I was looking your car over and liked it. Very clean if I remember. I had my Lightning in the show over by the old trucks. I had to keep my 302 outside for a year and a half. So I covered it. That did more damage than good by far! It traped moisture and rotted the cowl. There does not seem to be a replacement available for it ready made. 68 is the cutoff. For now the truck and our 98 GT are in the driveway and the Boss and 88 GT conv. live inside. Thanks for the info!
Tom

 

69bossnine,

Yes, you are correct about your assessment of the times not being representative of what you may be used to. The times I posted are here in Phoenix at about 1200 feet and 70-80 degree weather. The Corvette times I posted seem weak and so do the Lightning times we run here, but again, we do not run very good conditions. I see many stock Lightnings back east runnig the high 13's, we could never run those times here.
The first time out with my Vette, bone stock I ran a 14.3, 14.251 and 14.154. Then with hypertech and 160 thermostat, the best I have ran to date is a 13.97. It is an A4 with the optional 3.07 gear. I have spoken with numerous Vette owners here in the Valley and everyone has told me that my times are very impressive for a stock LT1 A4. I did see one LT1 6 speed with hypertech and full exhaust and the best he ever ran was a 13.7. Most of the new C5's here in Phoenix run very high 13's to low 14's. And the chipped and filtered Lightnings here run 13.5's.