Dyno runs are always a nervous affair for everyone involved. Regardless of the amount of work you’ve put into your vehicle, the rolling road will always give you an exact reading of how much horsepower you’re putting down to the tire. Late Model Restoration recently put a 1995 Ford F-150 Lightning – with over 151,000 miles – on the dyno to find out how much horsepower it makes in 2021.
In its prime, the Blue Oval pickup came with the same 5.8-liter V8 from the ‘93 Mustang Cobra, putting out a humble 240 horsepower (179 kilowatts). Much like the Cobra, engineers at Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) made small modifications to the motor to produce more power and crisper throttle response; alterations were limited to things like aluminum cylinder heads, and cam profiles, but proved to pack a punch.
The Dyno Never Lies:
Much to our surprise, the ‘95 pickup produced 210 horsepower (156.6 kilowatts) in the dyno run completed in the video. If that wasn’t already impressive enough, the pull was completed in second gear – mainly to mitigate any issues with the automatic transmission changing gear – which will have slightly dulled the power output.
The vehicle came fitted with a slightly modified version of Ford’s E40D electronic four-speed automatic transmission. With the additional torque on offer in comparison to the Cobra Mustang, SVT made some tweaks to cope with the extra kick.
Will Lightning Strike Thrice?
Unfortunately, with the Raptor being such hot stuff at the moment, it looks like lightning won’t strike again anytime soon for the American automaker. Regardless, it’s great to see the legacy of such an honest and punchy pickup live on.