'90 Chevy 454 SS vs '94 Ford Lightning F150 MuscleTrux Wars Part 1 - Trucks! S10, E1

It's the start of our MuscleTrux series and to kick it off, it's the oldest matchup in the book, Ford versus Chevy. Ryan's taking a 1990 454 SS Chevy while Kevin's picking a '94 Ford Lightning. Today, we're gonna find out just how much these two trucks will put out in their stock form so each guy can formulate a secret plan to push both of these trucks towards the 400 horsepower mark. Then later in the season, we'll pit them head to head to see which one comes out on top.
Follow the match up in the MuscleTrux Wars playlist:
• MuscleTrux Wars - '90 ...
PARTS USED IN THIS EPISODE:
DynoSpeed Racing, Inc.: 32 point dyno check list.
Flowmaster: Scavenger Y-pipe comes in various sizes.
Matco Tools: HVLP and conventional spray guns.
O'Reilly Auto Parts: Distributor cap, rotor, spark plug wires, spark plugs, oil, air, and fuel filters.
O'Reilly Auto Parts: Spark plugs, air, fuel and oil filters.

[@PowerNationTV]

Tell us about yourself! Take our Viewer Survey! www.powernationtv.com/ytsurvey

[@minimanadam]

@Robert LaPointe lol.no..no it doesnt

[@Camilo19832001]

Robert LaPointe itll beat them until the POS HEMI engine destroys itself

[@6628guitarhero]

Poor Robert.... Grew up never knowing what's beyond a Dodge 😂 must have been a hand me down like sibling clothes 😂

[@jeffscott3160]

@Robert LaPointe Why does Ford and GM have exponentially more wins in Nascar, Nastruck, NHRA, off road truck racing, ect? Is because Dodge feels SOOOOOO bad for Ford and GM that they let them win time and time again? Oh yeah, aren't they owned by Fiat now? One of the worst reliability ratings an auto manufacturer can get!

[@MrStacy1974]

@Robert LaPointe good luck with that electical system and cheap plastic.

[@HonJazzz]

My first car was a black 94 lightning. I absolutely loved that truck. One day while I was driving and minding my own business, I was hit by a driver who ran a red light. Totaled the truck, but I walked without a scratch. I parted the truck out and now the drivetrain is in a Country Squire Wagon somewhere in Michigan and the body panels that were still good went to fix another lightning. Hopefully one day I’ll drive one again.

[@mattbourgoyne3613]

Dam! sucks about the truck but it possibly saved your life

[@HonJazzz]

@@mattbourgoyne3613 Yeah probably! That’s what’s important at the end of the day.

[@mattbourgoyne3613]

I guess that it didn't possibly save your life it did save your life because you are here today even though it may have not been really really bad but some people die in some accidents that leave you scratching your head wondering how in the hell did they die in such a minor fender bender but it happens but that's when Ford was still "tough" too , at least she still lives on some what anyway kind of like some poor soul that has gotten killed somehow early in their life and ended up helping some other poor soul that was in dire need of a heart and another one needing a kidney or whatever so its like they are still around kind of so lol if you catch my drift

[@HonJazzz]

@@mattbourgoyne3613 This is very true Matt. Thanks for the perspective

[@wadevallbona5314]

I hope to own one soon. I think my wife may be on board

[@WillyG1994]

Kevin and Ryan look like default Autozone and O Riley’s employees

[@30AndHatingIt]

Scathing!

[@NoViews1975]

Except they know what a carb is.....probably.

[@Properformancenutritioncom]

William Gonzalez That’s pretty funny actually.

[@30AndHatingIt]

@@NoViews1975 Bread?

[@robh6638]

That's their goal . It's all about image .

[@Guns_N_Gears]

OMG, that exhaust looks like Stevie Wonder was tryin out a new Harbor Freight welder!

[@nathanhill2044]

rashim kallihar isn’t she lovely

[@sunder5747]

It look like the exhaust came from Harbor Freight too not just the welder 😂

[@Dr.Westside]

It's not the machine. It's the moron operating it.

[@sinformant]

@@nathanhill2044 😂😂😂

[@sinformant]

@@Dr.Westside agreed! I've made weld porn with a little crappy sears and roebuck stick welder back in the day.

[@electric8668]

Neither truck stock is messing with a Syclone or Typhoon.

[@RedfishCarolina]

Yeah I heard what he said and immediately thought "now that's a bunch of horseshit"

[@alonzokincaid1362]

RedfishCarolina yeah right bo

[@tehgzizlauw1787]

@leo c smoked*

[@JoeIsCrazyWillman]

No joke! Almost 300 horsepower in a turbo little V6 little truck... Power to weight, baby. Syclone was a little rocketship.

[@electric8668]

@@JoeIsCrazyWillman Don't forget it is AWD giving it instant traction to get up and go.

[@DUNEATV]

This is my era...I was in high school when these came out!

[@santiceja8758]

And y’all never got one 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@DUNEATV]

Josh C. Hahaa

[@psygn0sis]

1994... I was 13.

[@smartyardhouston]

@@santiceja8758 ive got a 454ss. Still working on it. Its really hard to find things for it. Mainly time and money....😂😂😂

[@Bigshiesty1]

DUNE YXZ I’m in high school right now and I like 2nd gen gm trucks. I find them looking like behemoths!

[@michaelbloom5342]

The transmission in the Ford is not an E40D (ee forty dee), it's an E4OD (ee four oh dee). As in, Electronic shift, 4 speed, OverDrive. Just a little FYI. :)

[@kfstreich4787]

I mentioned the same thing, they just lost their hotroder card

[@miken.4693]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who was bothered by that.

[@alexpayne1523]

What does E40D stand for then?

[@alexcorona]

Michael Bloom they're Chevy guys can't blame them

[@jrod264winmag]

@@alexpayne1523 re-read original comment.

[@dheujsnrhfydhehehshshhdggsd]

This was best. Real project, real budget.

[@milkman1026]

I miss waking up on Saturday mornings in high school and tuning in to these shows. The feels man, the feels.

[@Kenzo-bp1zs]

These trucks look so much better than the new ones out now.

[@bilbobaggins4710]

Hell yeah. I want a chevy of this vintage wirh a LS swap

[@kidamere2408]

No just no

[@kidamere2408]

@@msw7021 no negative

[@InternetDude]

And they’re way more simple and reliable

[@breimer87]

@@bilbobaggins4710 🤮🤢

[@EDHBlvd]

Love this. That generation of Chevy is still one of my favorites. Loved the step side with a bell tech drop in black.

[@alconk7129]

I bought a 454SS new in ‘90 and just by changing the factory air cleaner to a 5” open element along with the Edelbrock intake made a huge difference. Then I changed out the factory y-pipe to the ‘92 SS dual y-pipe with cats and true duals our back completely transformed that truck. Intake and exhaust is choking that big block and you’ll see when you get into it .

[@nikeboi56dollar]

I’m a Chevy guy but I still have respect for this Ford lighting

[@anthonyhuntley4498]

I appreciate that.

[@timcheek5134]

I am a ford guy but I still have respect for the lighting

[@deansapp4635]

Later 454SS trucks gained 20hp to 255, 4speed od trans and 4.10 limited slip gears. Vast improvement over this truck

[@smokesgtp]

Yep, much more expensive now though

[@mattmc8391]

Yes , Thank You

[@lanemorrow5513]

It might be able to keep up with the Ford then LOL

[@swampfoxpicks6908]

@@lanemorrow5513 the fORd obviously had been modified and had no cats.

[@mungaloyd1]

That ford was slow for stock...ive had 2 lightnings

[@coty397]

My grandpa daily drove a lightning when I was a kid as a daily driver. I literally watched him use it to haul hay. I’m not a ford guy but there is a certain amount of nostalgia I get when I see a lightning.

[@vburke1]

That exhaust on the Lightning is what is known as booger welding.

[@scdevon]

Two Hillbillies with a car battery and a coat hanger, LOL.

[@NoViews1975]

And probably done by a guy named Booger, too.

[@172-e5s]

We call that look 'chicken shit'. Just plop some on, here and there....

[@olov244]

I am a chevy guy, but the lightning was a better truck stock.

[@andrewfotopoulos7766]

Better potential with the 454...

[@saltysteel3996]

There's no replacement for displacement!

[@letsgotomarsman]

Salty Steel turbo, supercharger?

[@olov244]

@@andrewfotopoulos7766 I hope this series finds it

[@alexcorona]

Andrew Fotopoulos lightings got a supercharger later on... Replacement for displacement.

[@mrdumbfellow927]

5:32 Love the piece of mig wire still stuck to that awful exhaust weld on the lightning. :)

[@alexcorona]

Mrdumbfellow did they remove the 02 sensors as well???

[@AtZero138]

All anyone can do is grind away the shame.. you know it's a crap weld when the evidence is just looking you back in the face.. metal holding hands Not a Weld..

[@missingremote4388]

Lol

[@98erics]

@@AtZero138 haha, as they say "Grinders and paint make me the welder I aint"

[@mrdumbfellow927]

@@AtZero138 heh I would say most of my work is just holding hands. Says a lot about the previous owner when they don't even bother clipping that wire though :)

[@Anuskasv0]

454 BB, 230 horses. Sad times in the 90's.

[@jaystein1405]

GM had a pickup with a turbo 4.3l and AWD that made 280hp and 350tq at the time. It'd beat the piss out of that Lightning

[@jeffscott3160]

The poor horsepower/torque specs were not due to GM's design, but directly due to EPA regulators. The engineering knowledge base and technology simply was not up to the level of what the EPA was mandating at the time. Kinda like when they first started mandating EGR and DPF's on diesel trucks. They were horrible when first introduced. While they still aren't a perfect system, they have gotten better and will continue to do so as the technology advances. They should have compared a '93 SS with the '94 Lightning though. Much better comparison as most all trucks get better and better every few years. It doesn't make sense to compare a truck that is 4 years older than the one your comparing it too. Might as well compare a brand new Civic R to a 1978 Camaro. Complete waste of time by these two morons!

[@randomprojectsusa5196]

Jay Stein Not the supercharged Voodoo one

[@jeffscott3160]

@@randomprojectsusa5196 The supercharged Lighting didn't show up until '99. That's an eternity when it comes to engine tech advances. Again, they were comparing early 90's naturally aspirated trucks.

[@R-8.0]

Micheal Hunt Ain’t that the truth lol nowadays you plug a tunner in to get more horse power

[@adammccallum7493]

8 mpg and 195hp to the wheels😂

[@jrod264winmag]

Adam, nawh 10 mpg's

[@seantaylor2683]

Also 290-300 torque from a package that was all but choked to death by emissions regulations. Let that engine breath and you'd see all three numbers increase

[@jasonvoorhees6657]

Yea but gas was cheaper then

[@jrod264winmag]

@@jasonvoorhees6657 yes, I lived in Wyoming during this time and gas was under a buck a gallon.

[@teds4983]

@Mallard work truck dont get a ton better. 18 wheelers get worse, totally useless. Your right

[@30AndHatingIt]

Screw brand loyalty... I would love EITHER of these trucks!

[@slowpoke4321]

Never been a big Ford guy but that’s one Ford I’ve always wanted

[@columbiariverdetailing1943]

I've always been partial to the lightning I just love the way they look and sound

[@Miguelspl150]

This aired back in early 2000 lol brings back memories

[@DaBrute]

Watching this again seriously made me feel 16 again

[@ironpanther2420]

I remember seeing it. I had a 1994 Chevy Cheyenne 1500 as my first vehicle. It only had the 4.3 and I wanted a 454SS in the worst way. Seeing this episode and how easily that truck in the show laid rubber didn't help that any lol

[@mylanmiller9656]

GM verses ford 454 head to head with a 351 that is about par for the coarse!

[@Lexman00]

You guys are bringing back some nice memories. Got a tear in my eye, cause I had that Ford back in the late 90's. I loved her so much.

[@phillycheezcake907]

"Wide open throttle " the most American sounding song with all the potential for greatness lol i didn't know i needed a 454 ss tell this video thanks -Trucks!

[@cristelovaldez3671]

I don't care which one win I love both!!!!!😍🥰😍🥰

[@andrewbelmudez6985]

Because of a high demand for pick up trucks in the US, I think Ford and GM should bring back these two iconic muscle trucks for young truck buyers (who want to haul a*s rather than payload). Same goes with Ram. They need to take this opportunity ASAP before we switch over to electric cars in the future.

[@otsenres1636]

I like the crossovers to other shows and hosts! 😎

[@Iconhulk]

Lightning anyday of the week, twice on Sunday..

[@clayromero4733]

I like how ford can make the same and even more power from smaller blocks

[@kr4t0sg.28]

Pretty much what they are known for.

[@satown2150]

@Dave Micolichek yup yup. when you go to the track almost all those fox body mustangs running 8s and 7s have big block chevys under the hood.

[@bradnimbus4836]

@@satown2150 Lies lies

[@anthonyhuntley4498]

@@bradnimbus4836 he’s telling the truth.

[@bradnimbus4836]

@@anthonyhuntley4498 Not around these parts, he isn't

[@huculak302]

Haha, the ford makes like 35 more hp and the same amount of torque with 103 less cubes

[@sonofthesheriff]

It's an emission game. You dont think the same ford product would have beat out the 454 Chevy in 1970 do you?

[@huculak302]

sonofthesheriff no but a 1970s 460 would which is equal

[@willc3586]

And a whole 3 hundredths of a second faster because it's doing what a normal ford does. Sucking at putting the power on the ground.

[@85MasterV]

@@willc3586 Its 3 tenths, not 3 hundredths. Which if you were a drag racer, you'd know is a lot.

[@PeeterPuncher]

@@willc3586 tenths, not hundredths....on a hundred less cubes.

[@backroadracing5449]

A slight giggle came out when he said “Kick a few Syclones to the curb”. Hahaha

[@johnkendall6962]

LOL yea that's not going to happen .

[@theblackwellreport]

man. same. LOL

[@jamarharrison7895]

Lmao i was gonna say the same thing but you beat me to it

[@tskraj3190]

Except it didn't. The Cyclone's Typhoons and Cameos are still the fastest quarter mile pickups.

[@backroadracing5449]

Timothy Isenhart oh I know.

[@lowest.tier.garage]

Awesome! Can't wait for part 2!

[@sinformant]

5:41 😂i love how they even left a piece of mig wire hanging from the garbage welds! Looks like stevie wonder works part time in a muffler shop.

[@breimer87]

A piece of wire. More like several pieces lmao. Booger welds haha

[@breimer87]

A piece of wire. More like several pieces of wire haha. Booger welds lmao

[@sinformant]

@@breimer87 yeah I commented that before they got to the rest of the exhaust😂 sad to say I was welding 5 x better than this before I was even in highschool. Built my own exhaust for my f150 when I was 17 and all we had was a oxy acetylene torch and a stick welder from the ww2 era. Hell I even took two sections of pipe and pie cut then with a sawzall , welded them back together and made a large cowbell exhaust tip.even made the thing shoot flames with some primary wire, a switch, and old coil,and spark plug. I couldn't even imagine kids these days doing any of that.They are too busy with their fortnite, or whatever game is out lol

[@montanaplease]

That's what you get with unions

[@gshock3092]

No surprise with these results from both trucks!

[@yahyaaa635]

Thank you for this video from Saudi Arabia 🙏❤️🌹

[@claude6318]

Go ride a Lamborghini boi

[@yahyaaa635]

@@claude6318 Those who live outside Saudi Arabia calculate that we ride luxury cars 😂😂😂 but if I have a Lamborghini you will find me here? 🤔

[@superslow7609]

The lightning takes the cake with looks that truck is beautifull!!!!

[@darrellterry1278]

The lightning was a very nice truck .

[@jayyoutube8790]

I had a truck with that 454 back in the 90’s. It was such a dog..

[@painterboy454]

I got to experience a brand new 454 SS run against me twice in the quarter mile in Youngstown Ohio in 1990. It was a 16 second truck.

[@painterboy454]

@Steven Lindsey, the 1988 Police Package Caprice with an LS5 454 and nitrous I was racing ran a 13.2 WELL ahead of that truck, lol.

[@Westtxcowboy100]

I use to spank those 454 ss's with my 89 chevy stepside back in the day, only thing done was headers, lil more than stock cam, they were lame!

[@waterloo123100]

Steven Lindsey Your Corolla is almost 20 years newer obviously it’s gonna have more power. Everyone knows American v8s struggled to make good power after the Emission laws took place. If you were to carburetor/head swap that 454. It would be making at least 400 hp to the wheels.

[@waterloo123100]

Steven Lindsey Yeah if you want to make more then 500 hp to the wheels. There’s plenty of low compression 454’s making mid 400 hp with just a top end swap. All depends on your build.

[@sdlausen1]

Man... that Lightning still looks amazing and fresh design wise in 2019. Love it!

[@Dudafrego7717]

Yea it’s not fat and bulky like the new one, its nice and simple

[@chris85mora]

Jesus 200hp out of a 454. That’s embarrassing now days.

[@mrdieselfumes5814]

It is. My 5.3L, 325, makes more power with 225k miles on it.

[@mikegager]

it was embarrassing in 1990

[@AtZero138]

The 90s.. still see some of those Lightings.. and every now and then.. a 454SS..

[@kramnull8962]

I guess when you have millions of dollars backing you, a cheap little Rear main seal isn't important...

[@soppingwetburgers6493]

Mustabeenoverlooked mhmm

[@reallyhappenings5597]

what's so bad about a RMS?

[@SiriusC1024]

When you're able to do the work yourself it's still just a cheap little rear main seal.

[@scdevon]

The leaking rear main seal isn't hurting anything for now. It's more of an annoyance and it probably only leaks when the engine is shut off anyhow.

[@PRL1290]

454SS My friends older brother bought one of these brand new, it was his first vehicle ever. When he wasn't home and the keys were there, me and his little brother would take it out and joy ride it. Beast of a truck, the second gear scratch was awesome. we were around 13-14 years old. Older bro had a slight fender bender in it mostly front end and it kinda rotted away in back yard, some parts were replaced but he ended up selling it on the cheap. It was White.

[@kfstreich4787]

E-forty-d E-four-oh-Dee That's a letter not a number

[@bradnimbus4836]

Chevy guys, lol

[@southstreetbarbecue7875]

Always loved the squat aggressive stance of the Lightning.

[@bkeith269]

Ford is down 100 cubes and still comes out on top. No surprise.

[@kylepett1]

any motor chevy had in the 90s was a straight up dog then when the introduced the 4.8-6.1 they took the game over because everyone is ls swapping now

[@BUILTFORDTOUGH79]

kylepett1 then ford took the cake with the gen 3 coyote

[@ChrisPBacon-nf3op]

@@kylepett1 LT1's weren't dogs

[@adambrooks2297]

Lmao these are both bone stock trucks with around 100,000 miles on them,at this point who cares,wait and see what happens when the 454 gets properly set up,and the Ford small block gets the same the 454 will destroy the sbf! I remember both trucks when they came out,Ford never could keep up back then!

[@adambrooks2297]

@@BUILTFORDTOUGH79 Ford didn't take anything over, where do you fellas get this crap from? The 90s LT1s killed 302 Fords,then the LS1 came out and the rest is history, the only fast Fords back then needed help with nitrous or boost,they never could keep up NA!

[@dallastexas9370]

Man ... lighting was legends that you would read about more than see on the road ... the 454 SS I would see othen... both are amazing trucks to see when i was growing up! I would take the lighting if I had option.

[@mayssm]

My dad had a 454 SS. I'm not a truck guy, but I liked that truck. Lot of torque, decent handling for a truck of that time. I always imagined he'd give it to me one day, but someone stole it.

[@carolecook743]

This is when trucks looked like trucks after late nineties I can't get in to them love these

[@alexdelgadillo1569]

That’s 4 years of technology difference

[@royrichardson9164]

And neither truck really changed the years they were made. There really isnt any difference between a 93-95 lightning except 94 later blocks were roller cam ready...

[@Coupydog]

Not so much. Ford was always ahead of Chevy in the Performance realm. The '87-on Musangs ran circles around their Z28 & IROC roadmates.

[@satown2150]

@303StreetMachines been fords go to since then. Just slap a supercharger on everything because our motors can't compete with the modern marvel that is the LS series motors.

[@shanespriggs5525]

The welding wire still hanging from the "weld".... 😂😂😂

[@172-e5s]

Absolute garbage video. Just a bunch of hacks pretending to be cool

[@Coronet_shop]

They should of came with a 5 spd from the factory

[@anthonywebber2211]

@Robert LaPointe He meant manual transmission, not automatic transmission

[@eizzle78]

Robert LaPointe my 2016 Jeep Cherokee is a 9 speed auto. It doesn’t get any better mileage than my 4 speed Mazda.

[@noelmedina6925]

@Robert LaPointe the current 10 speed that Ford and Chevy share is great, it shifts faster than any person could and because of the amount of gears it gets better gas milage and accelerates faster than a 5 speed manual could.

[@eizzle78]

Robert LaPointe both are 4 cylinders, 4x4 Jeep, it averages around 26 mpg, my Mazda with a couple mods would average 28.

[@SGTJDerek]

@@noelmedina6925 while all that is true, it's also a hell of a lot more expensive. A simple clutch is a damn sight cheaper to replace than those shift packs. I WISH my '93 had an NV4500.

[@2010HarleyDynaFXD]

GMC Syclone would smoke both of those trucks stock.

[@johngregg9187]

It weighs a lot less than both of these trucks

[@3madeamps]

You dam right

[@teds4983]

@@dufus2273 funny guy

[@austinlafleur1484]

O no shit, the syclone didn't even weight 4000lb it was all wheel drive backed up with a 4.3 Turbo'd engine that was a little truck that got a reputation for smokin Ferraris in the 90s what's a lighting and a 454!? Ya know!👌

[@austinlafleur1484]

But im not gonna lie the lighting and the 454 were pretty badass

[@ReadMyDiscription.223]

If you ever owned a 94 95 lightning, then you know how important it is for the switch that flips the gas tanks to work.

[@jamesprice2163]

My buddy has a f250 with a 460 and dual tanks he uses the secondary tank every three days due to it sucking on gas luckily he just bought a 2.2 s10 for a daily

[@BusaDud]

Run the lightning against that little 6 cylinder cyclone and watch that Ford shitbox get left behind

[@fredzeppelin3969]

Yes, the Syclone/Typhoon twins were fast. But also trouble prone and high-strung. At one point the inventory of replacement engines for GM dealers was depleted.

[@BusaDud]

@@fredzeppelin3969 at one point LT1 engines were depleted that is why Lingenfelter built mine.

[@askawhiteguy9822]

Wow 27 horsepower per liter in that chevy! How did they manage that?

[@jeffreyponting9524]

By giving it a 7:1 compression ratio and slapping a 3 foot long 1.75 inch catalytic converter on it.

[@davidjackson6289]

I miss this truck.. Had a red 93 lightning back in 2003.. Surprised a lot of people at the light with those 4:10 gears.. My cousin had a ram SS/T 1998 .. Always a battle.

[@driveitlikeyastoleit55]

If ya'll actually think that lightning would beat a syclone you've been smoking crack.

[@irlredline7965]

Drive it Like ya stole it I’m saying

[@Lightning546]

Obviously you've never driven a Lightning, if you had of, you would know that the statement you just made is wrong. The 1st gen Lightnings were nice trucks, and the 2nd gen ones were even faster. My 2000 Lightning ran mid 9's in the quarter on street tires and pump gas, it also wasn't stock. To get those numbers I installed aJohhny Lighnting 8 lb lower pulley with belt, 92mm throttle body, an Anderson Motorsports Cold air kit, K&N air filter, Yellow top Optima battery, a transmission shift kit, a superchips chip with multiple programs that were fine tuned on the dyno and tweaked after drag strip runs, replaced the factory mufflers with Spintech mufflers and a Cervini fiberglass (functional) Ram Air hood.

[@driveitlikeyastoleit55]

@@Lightning546 I was referring to a stock first gen lightning vs. a stock syclone. I'm well aware of how fast the blown lightnings can be with a few mods.

[@danmallery9142]

Really wish Ford would make a Lightning again. Love the Raptor but a sport truck would be a nice addition.

[@SERPENT741]

Ha, emissions tests, gayyyy

[@dadillen5902]

Sounds to me like you should have your emissions checked.

[@sonofthesheriff]

@@dadillen5902 haha breathing air? Gayyyyyy lol

[@chucksullivan5012]

Are u Jared kushtner

[@thatquick429]

@@dadillen5902 not if you live somewhere without vehicle inspections

[@dadillen5902]

@@thatquick429 Who said anything about a vehicle. I said he "should have HIS emissions checked'. Sounds to me like you should consider the same treatment.

[@whiskers78753]

I use to own one of those Chevy's 454SS; it's the reason I drive a Toyota Tacoma today.

[@iDrive4fun93]

Plus the 4.0 V6 would leave a 454SS in the dust, let alone the newer 3.5

[@joeblow6127]

That was dumb

[@LiquidSSSnake]

230 HP from a 454 is a feat of engineering in itself.

[@garyhayes4756]

At the same time they had the syclones and typhoons.

[@drewinhou]

@@lenagdyfigpkhhmossuto9623 And for EPA reasons, they still were limited on what they were allowed to put out hp wise. And car manufacturers just weren't there yet with having a high horsepower fuel injected engines priced for the masses, with low enough emissions to pass the federal regulations. All while getting decent fuel mileage. Fuel injection by the times these trucks were produced had only really been widespread available for 8-10 years. They had along ways to go to get them were they needed to be.

[@michaelprovost5433]

Obviously you've never heard of an LSX

[@michaelprovost5433]

@@lenagdyfigpkhhmossuto9623 Then why would they suggest that its hard to get 230 hp out of a 454?

[@nogamez26]

@@drewinhou You have no idea what your talking about. Fuel injection had been around since the late 70's. The Eldorado was not only fuel injected but front wheel drive. Camaro's and Monte Carlo's in the 80's you could get with a fuel injected 305.

[@tylercapece138]

A possible reason (judging by the MSD cap and wires) for the wider plug gap could be a six litre tune-up. Slight timing bump (12-13.5 BTDC, compared to 10 stock), a hotter coil, and 9mm plug wires.

[@thekingsservant1104]

When these were new, the Ford walked the 454.....still take the SS. Now had Chevy grown a set of balls and did the 454 right it would have been king!

[@bilbobaggins4710]

Same...Old chevy trucks are just more sexy

[@theman68and1]

The King's Servant almost 30 years later and it still is

[@bilbobaggins4710]

@@theman68and1 no...It's not

[@N1RKW]

It wasn't about balls, they did the best they could given the limitations of the time. That was (sadly) as much power as they could coax out of the old big block and still meet 1990 emissions laws. ALL cars were dogs in the 80's and 90's, as manufacturers hadn't yet figured out how to meet emissions without de-tuning their engines beyond all reason.

[@GUNSLINGEROUTDOORS]

Big blocks from both companies were pooches in that era.. emissions killed alot of power in the 90s.. as far as the chevy looks better, I suppose it's in the eye of the beholder.. but as I wrote in another post I've owned both trucks and both were black, the lightning got more looks than the Chevy.. so you can like which ever.. in my personal opinion the 78-79 fords and box Chevys of the same era kick both their assis

[@jessekulbe1855]

"it's a wonder this truck even runs" well it'll run with open headers so I don't think a few bad welds are gonna shut it down

[@teceit]

I love how these guys talk about 140,000 miles like high mileage. My Silverado with 297,000 in the driveway is crying listening to them.

[@noebarajas9907]

Such a beautiful Ford ❤

[@hurricanedt77]

Still cant get around the hideous red interior colors that manufacturers used back in the day

[@randysrestoration]

I bought a new 1995 Lightning in January 1996. My best 1/4 mi was a 14.94 @ 97 mph and got beat by a friends Lightning who went 14.90. (just to beat my truck he removed the fan belt for that pass) We all got a good laugh. It made 250 hp & 350 TQ at rear tire. I then sold it with 4000 miles on it and bought a new 1996 Ranger and dropped in a SuperCharged 5.0 Much much faster. LOL

[@FernandezCycles]

4:43 my phone died

[@mattberg8560]

Would like to see a tool box tour of those two big birds

[@MrWhitetailtracker]

Part 2??

[@nihlhinz488]

The 454, ahh the memories,I was 10 in 90, my Grandpa was a Chevy, Cadallac, Buick dealer. He came and picked me up in it when it came out. He even put his foot in it for me, He never did that. Good Times

[@adrenaholic1]

Syclone is still the baddest muscletruck ever

[@markosgood6992]

Hi, I have the 454 SS 1990 truck. The first year came with an iron intake with a coolent adapter from carb bolt pattern to the three bolt TBI. In 1991 the intake was changed to aluminium with the three bolt TBI set-up. Also with the factory chrome wheels where wider with a lower profile tire.

[@Bowtie4me]

Well TBi Vs multiport. 🤷‍♂️ off course the multiport runs better. just check the Vortec 454 to see the gain in power. Even the 5.7 Vortec(96-01) is making lots better.

[@delljr2769]

GM TBI from '88-95 were junk. Run forever and start right up but NOT even close to performance engines, not even a decent platform. I had a '94 GMC Sierra K1500 4x4 with TBI 350, lifted with 35s. A guy I worked with had a heavier Chevy Tahoe, 1996 K1500 with Vortec 350, same lift, same size tires and he would smoke me every time. Nice truck, clean, cool body style but no power. Now a days you can get those LS3 E-Rod crate engines designed to pass CA emission/smog and have 400+ horsepower.

[@srvanddt1]

Very true. TBI trucks absolutely suck for any kind of performance. Besides, Ford did a way better job in matching parts. All Chevy did was take the big block from the 1 ton and put it in a half ton. It is the same engine out of the 1 ton.

[@saltysteel3996]

You mean the Vortec 496? The 496 8.1L was a monster!

[@alexcorona]

excuses excuses, y'all got embarrassed by a small block.

[@hawkdsl]

Gm's TBI was rock solid, well designed, and one of the first of it's kind. They were (back then anyway) trying to make the most dependable truck you could by.. and one of the reasons GMT400 trucks are one of the best Chevy Truck runs in history.

[@crankychris2]

It's important to remember that the Ford was a Special Vehicles project while the Chevy was an 'options' truck. The 351 got special intake, heads, cam, exhaust, special susp etc. The Chevy got the lo po RV engine, little suspension tuning, nothing, 2 years later it got an OD auto, 4.10 rear and dual exhaust. I loved 'em both. They both ran low 15's with a tune. I was 40 when they came out; but they were $$$$ over a reg new truck... Today, a stock 2.7L turbo with a 93 tune pushes a 4wd F-150 at 14 flat at 102+ trap. Chevy fans are noting their new 2.7L 270 hp 4 pot pushes a new Silverado half a second faster than their 5.3L 355 hp V-8, both in stock tune! Can' beat the torque on these turbo engines without a blower.

[@crankychris2]

@William Felix Hmmn, a Special Vehicles project from Ford's Special Vehicles Team...Billy boy, ya think that's where they got them fancy initials, too? You Yankee kids shur ar smart! Too f*cking smart to understand the difference between a "Group" and a "Division" at FoMoCo. FWIW, "SVT" was never a 'division' of anything. Buh Bye. ;)

[@drewolah1556]

The Gen 1 Lighting is a beast even from factory!!! Love them!! Wish I still had mine!!

[@zk5598]

I appreciate this type of content

[@briangraves5519]

I would love to have a Lightning.

[@xxxftcxxx]

That is THE ABSOLUTE WORST weld I've ever seen in my entire life in that Ford exhaust... Jesus Christ... They handed a blind man a welder

[@soppingwetburgers6493]

I'm deaf too.

[@jasontucher7011]

I am blind and I do better than that. This seems like after 20 beers to me.

[@forestlawrencegrading9154]

Graduated from the Helen Keller special welding school

[@jasontucher7011]

Rusty Stuff Do you know why Hellen Keller’s leg was yellow? Her dog was blind too!

[@AdmiralRustyShackleford]

Looks like Ray Charles welded it with his feet.

[@littlebucks912]

2:49 "Kick a few Syclones to the curb." Lmao. Anyone who calls themselves a car guy and doesn't know that the Syclone was the quickest vehicle in 1990 famously gapping a Ferrari in a drag race.

[@GUNSLINGEROUTDOORS]

Ive owned both trucks.. the lighting kicked the crap out of the ss.. but tons of performance parts out for the 454 and the 351w so both can be a great truck.. but personally ill choose the lighting everytime it was just a better platform..

[@bradzimmerman3171]

F150 has always been a better truck , everyone knows it but blowhard Chevy fans try real hard to bs their way through

[@jeremyyazzie3474]

Have a 98 k1500 5.7 5 speed Z71 strong motor. Flowmaster..yeah. Passing many fords on the road

[@powerwill8748]

Can't wait to number two vid Love this. I'm waiting!

[@gilbertjuarez7064]

Badass legendary trucks but the wheels on the ss have to go each there own I know but in my opinion original ss wheels or badass torque thrust

[@zxtenn]

I am sure they could find a set of stock ones around to make it appear original

[@MW-qr8bu]

Love those trucks, I haven't seen either of them on the road in so long. Last time I saw a Lightning was in 2002.

[@gagegiesen9466]

Ford said we will beat it with a small block 😂😂

[@jasonvoorhees6657]

Small blocks make more horse power fuck head big block makes more tourqe

[@jeffrichards1537]

The GMC typhoon and syclone are the two best sleepers ever to be production vehicles. The Buick GNX is a close second.

[@MrBaeza1994]

Can’t believe this was filmed in 2019, it seems so old, perhaps early 90’s

[@connorparrish4182]

MrBaeza1994 I was filmed about 10 years ago, I remember watching it when I was about 12.

[@mtb416]

That’s because these truck/car shows continue to follow a rubric that predates even the 90s you think it represents. I prefer it, especially when alternatives are essentially absurd reality TV shows.

[@evdawg7757]

This is older. I watched every episode with my old man every weekend 😂

[@HellaNorCal916]

I won’t to try what you’re smok’n.....🤯

[@daltonharward6499]

That .50 gap on the fords spark plugs was probably due to the previous owner doing the 6.0 tune up, hense the MSD ignition. Should’ve checked timing to be sure but that’s probably what caused the backfire

[@fatman1288]

it kills me to say this but the lightning is way nicer looking than the 454 ss and thats from a GM guy. the 454 ss trucks were a bit boring

[@Texas_Holdin]

Connar Downes no

[@cyan1d3killa]

And thats exactly why im turning my 88 silverado into a sleeper SS.

[@BIGDAVE5352]

That Aluminum intake plenum on the ford usually shatters in the crusher, however the one on the lightning just bends into the intake. I crush cars every day and just notice little things like these. The frames on the Chevy trucks of this era crack at the engine mounts if the engine is in it when it’s crushed. The frames need reinforcements in this area. Cool trucks anyway.

[@jamest.5001]

A 4L80 would be awesome, a cam intake , maybe headers, it be Awesomely awesome, a set of aluminum heads, who could ask for more, in a street engine!!

[@dustinpowell5981]

Both engines really just need a wake up to bring em to life. Intake, exhaust, if you can port the heads

[@Adamdub612]

are these episodes from 2019 bcuz they look 2004 or that mid 2000s look

[@steezymk8815]

Adam White Sr. Yea they’re from around 02 or so

[@damianavalos6231]

Lol

[@garymarlow2333]

I'd be interested to see the people in the video today

[@crashcourseinbruhsurgery]

They're from 2010, just stick around until the end.

[@lieutenantcandlewax]

18:03

[@texasboy2005]

Thanks for posting this great episode!

[@texasboy2005]

@303StreetMachines I enjoyed both videos! Thanks for posting the links! 👍

[@ritz8043]

They should have used a 93 454 ss that has a 4l80e with overdrive and 4.10 gears to make it more even.

[@JoshBrinson]

I'd take the Lighting any day of the week.

[@TheMattc999]

Good lord my 1000cc Suzuki makes more hp at the wheel than that 454ss....

[@miken.4693]

1990 sucked for power. Everything was a dog.