TxTtopZ

I absolutely murdered a lightning last night, twice! Doing a 55 punch and then a 40 I took this truck by many lengths. The owner asked what was done to it and its basically stock. He didnt believe me when I told him its just a 305. The truck had full exhaust and a cai.
Edit* I just looked on Hemmings Motor News and the truck puts out 240hp/340tq and runs mid to low 15's. For some reason I thought they were a full second quicker than that. So on paper this was a fair race. Makes me wonder how quick these 85's were with the better cam?

blackbmagic

What mods do you have. Its a very even race Considering the 900lb difference between the cars. The lightening would have crushed you if he didn't weigh 4,500 lbs. The cars had a strong base with 240hp370lbs aluminum drive shaft and 4.10s in the rear. If they just could have lightened it up a little bit it would be one hell of a truck.

TxTtopZ

free mods like gutted air boxes, tb coolant bypass....K&N's, air foil and cat back. Everything else is stock. This truck was considerably modded compared to my car, and I cannot express the term "murdered" enough.
I live in Texas and we had a cold front hit which is why I took the car for a spin. I found this truck on 183 cruising, where then I lined up with him and gave him the nod. He had the start both times and when we finally exited and stopped at a light, I asked him what was wrong with the truck! lol He said what do you mean? Then he asked what I had done to the car and thats when I told him a stock 85 Z28 should not be beating on a lightning that bad. I hate to sound like a kid on the internet with a kill story, but this was pretty bad.. Has anyone esle raced a 93-95 lightning before?

SiCkRs

iTrader: (6)

Nice, but what i seen on those lightnings they are not that fast from 99 and up are fast since my brother in law has one and it spins the tires and gets up to 100 in a flash. I once raced him with my L03 since i wanted to see how much of a chance i had and i lost by about 8 lengths in about a mile long but i asked for a rematch once i get my cammed 350 in.

TxTtopZ

Maybe I should have found a newer one, it certainly would have been a better race.

SiCkRs

iTrader: (6)

Yea you should look for some mustangs or k20 acuras there's a lot of them here in Los Angeles

TxTtopZ

Not really in to street racing, im more in to the science and physics of performance engine building but none the less, the next "speed trial" will be something of quicker value.

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

If you raced from a dig I think it would have been lights out. Those things are unbelievable off the line. A freind of mine has a 94 lightning that he did a 5 speed conversion on. Truck is stock minus the 5 speed, cold air intake, and a cat back and he runs consistent high 14 1/4 times at around 91-92 mph. Because it's a big truck it does fall on it's face up top though. Still impressive for the year and what it weighs though!

TxTtopZ

Yeah right. We ran from 45mph which is my second gear and it was horrible, a 1st gear pull with a hole shot doesn't equal a couple buses on the top end. Besides, third gen TPI's are some of the most brutal RWD cars off the line and i'm sure that would have made it even worse.

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

Maybe his auto didn't downshift into the right gear when you went from the roll? I know my buddies truck, and I know it would have handed it to my old stock 305 TPI. On paper, 305 tpi third gens are low 15 cars and the 1st gen lightnings are low 15 trucks, so taking him by bus lengths means something was up on his end. I'm not arguing with the win, it's the street and anything can happen. It just shouldn't have with your minimal mods on your engine compared to his bolt on lightning. You must have a strong 305 in that car.

blackbmagic

Hes got 4.10's and 370ft/lbs, compared to your 3.23's and 275ft/lbs. Off the line Is were he has you after that its your game.

Also if he has stock wheels the original tires on those trucks were beefy at 275wide as well a LSD. I highly doubt he went to a skinnier tire if anything hes >275w Which means not only does he have the power off the line but hes better at hooking it.

TxTtopZ

I will agree with that. I heard the downshift and the truck went nowhere. I even asked him "whats wrong with it?" He said "what do you mean?" but that doesn't say much besides the fact he may NOT know anything. On the contrary I have seen more than a few posts on this board that suggest the '85 year is a "freak" year with cars putting out RwHp numbers close to factory rated HP figures. This is blamed on aggressive factory ECU programming and a decent cam coupled with factory 3.23 limited slip.. The 870 ecm may not have a high baud rate, but it does lay a nice "rolling" 2nd gear spin on sticky new tires through the stock 700r4, which actually merits a slight counter steer.

zachkuby87

I raced a first gen lightning in my stock 85 z28 and kicked his *** from a 50 roll after that I never really payed em any attention

TxTtopZ

Actually, its 340 lb. ft. not 370.
Edit: What you guys are saying about him being able to get me off the line holds merit IF he was actually able to keep up with me whatsoever.. BUT
without turning this into a bench racing session and overshadowing the facts lets quit nickel and diming the thread to death and look at these facts.
He has more power, more torque, more gear and more tire that I do. Not only that but he had more mods. From a 50 punch, he should have made short work of a mostly stock 85 Z28 similar to what I did to him. He didnt, and he was destroyed! Ive had a better race with an integra LS with a full exhaust and intake who also lost. The lead I was able to put on this truck would not be eclipsed by a 1st gear holeshot if we were on the track. Owning many Ford products in my life I know Ford auto transmissions do soak up tons of power. Fact.
Conclusion. The lightning was hurt, or im somewhere in the mid 14's while he is in the low 15's. He runs 15.4 stock. Whatever the case, I will be going back out this weekend to run against a known entity for more solid facts.

NY3RDGEN

His 85 LB9 is a good bit faster than youre original 86 LB9.

Friend of mine had a rotted out, high mileage 85 Iroc LB9 and it took my 89 everytime. Both cars 100% stock. Mine with 15-20k miles. Iroc 150+k hard miles. The 85 is a freak yr.
And my 89 never lost to another 305 Thirdgen (even 90-92 L98 cam cars) of any kind back then on the streets. Just the rotted out, bondo covered 85.

edit: One more thing. another friend had an 86 or 87 dont remeber. LB9 Z28, And my car would literally walk it by at least 2 or 3 car lengths everytime. So LB9's differ alot yr to yr.
So the 85 is very fast. as far as stockish 305's are concerned.

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

I'd be curious to ride in an 85 305 TPI car to see the difference. I know they were all rated very close in power through the years and 5-10 HP difference is not going to make the outcome of a race change too much. Guy I know pretty good has had a ton of third gens and he used to own an 89 305 TPI 5 speed car with the 3.42 rear in it. It was 100% bone stock and he ran consistent 14.5's with it! And by stock I mean paper filter to original cat back!

TxTtopZ

Thank you for that NYTHIRDGEN! I know from where you have been and where your car is now I can trust that comment.
So what your saying is something like I seem to be noticing from other users posts.

White: Its basically a strong running car, no flat spots anywhere, it pulls enough to lay double blacks in first, hit second and "sway" a little, go to D and not bog, but when the converter locks it actually feels quicker! This is all on new Firestone Firehawks. Of course, when it gets over the quarter mark on temp, it slows down considerably. Highway shows my factory gauge to be right under the quarter slash. At a stop light, sitting, in the heat, it gets over 220 degrees!

blackbmagic

That's awesome I have a rebuild 350, milled heads, full msd ignition, performer intake mani, hooker comp headers as well as a 2.5'' true dual exhaust. With my setup I can lay tracks through first but only chirp second.

I do have 25-26'' tall/275 wide rear tires with posi but I am positive I have more torque more HP and better gearing. Not to mention I am manual, Interior has no stereo or control's, no heat or a/c or control's. No a/c compressor on motor either as well as full under-drive pulleys on P/S, ALT, WP. My engine never budges over 200º.

I haven't had a chance to take her to the track yet this season but surely after new heads next spring Ill be going over to NJ to see what I can get her to run.

TxTtopZ

Maybe I should post a video of the thing... in car or outside?

blackbmagic

Haha no need for that I believe you. Honestly I said its awesome because I cant get my own car to break second loose from a 25-30mph roll. I can break second loose from a lower mph easy but not after full first gear pull. I can get third loose around ramp turns at around 30-45 mph.

I'm guessing its a difference between the 700r4 and the t5 and where they put the power.

TxTtopZ

I would think the T5 should offer a substantial advantage. My 700R4 wont break third loose, but even with the pedal at 1/2 to 3/4 throttle will make the tires break loose on the 1-2.
The tires are newish Firehawk Indy 500 235/60-15's
I recommend these tires to anyone who likes a smooth ride with good grip in the corners... nothing serious.

TxTtopZ

White, me having a serious 305 and others having "just a 305" is something I have long not understood about these cars. Some 305's "put out" and some are prudes. I had a TBI 305 89 Firebird with a T5 and it ran pretty good, but it was cammed and had a FPR I drilled out on the TBI to make it adjustable.

blackbmagic

Sure there's an advantage but just have different power curves in different gears.

TxTtopZ

Just thought this went along with some of this thread.
Motorweek tested a 1985 IROC Z28 with the 305 LB9 TPI backed with an automatic transmission and got a 14.7@90mph out of it! So - with no reason to believe a bunch of BMW guys would lie about a Chevy - Heres the original text hot link -
http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2148a.shtml

Now, this coincides with the info I have been reading about. Call it wishful thinking, mental brainwashing etc.. my theory is the car runs something close to this, as it sits....

jordanandrewkay

i have not been able to get on any lightnings yet. my friend had a 08 WRX bone stock and raced a 03 04 lightning on westheimer. that guy was driving the **** outta that truck....light went green and we would pull about a car length on him and every time he just straight up out powered us. (passed us after falling back)
and that was light to light.
those trucks are NASTY.and honestly have not even seen a first gen lightning trying to get after anything.....seen plenty though.

TxTtopZ

You guys wont believe this. The Lightning was in my work parking lot last night! Yep, he works in the same building. Im going to film a rematch

donnis618

I do believe the 85 tpi 305's had the 350 cam (vette) and were rated at 215 hp and had some decent torque. Went down to 195 in '86 because of cam change to get more mpg. The 305's wouldn't get another cam like that unit the 305 tpi/5-speed set-ups. The tpi autos stayed with the "smaller" cam

jordanandrewkay

i love how small bigass cities are such 'small worlds'. thats happened to me alot here in the houston area. you end up racing the same people in entirely different areas at entirely different times...then later that week you see their car parked outside their house.....its crazy