5.8 Lightning motor and trans

[dads 68]

I,m thinking I want to drop the drive train from a first generation f150 lightning down into my 68 ranchero. Seems like everybody is doing the 5.0 conversions to there old fords now-a days but I,m thinking why not the lightning motor? Has anybody here been down that road or do you know where to send me for more info on this?
thanks new guy dads 68

 

[StangDreamin']

If I'm not mistaken, you're going to want the "brain" and harness, as well, to take full advantage of the engine's stock 'build'. Should be an EEC IV computer; I know that the '95 truck 5.8 was indeed a Mass-Air motor.

The only thing that might be a problem is that the Lightning trans is (I THINK) an E4OD/4R100; which has a greater girth and height than a C6 auto. You might have some clearance issues with the Fairlane/Ranchero tranny tunnel.

 

[tx65coupe]

That would be a cool swap. I'm not sure if the E40D will fit well in the transmission tunnel though. Its rather large. You could probably mate it to a beefed up 4R70W?

The origninal Lightnings are awesome! I wish I had a 1st Gen Lightning drivetrain for my 95 F150.

Not all 95 F150s are mass air. Some of them are speed density. The original Lightnings are speed density.

I agree, you will want the computer and wiring harness from the truck. You will need it to also control the transmission.

 

[dads 68]

thanks for the welcome and interest

I was hopeing to find a compleat lightning in the junk yard and did yesterday but it was missing the intake manifolds and I understand the aftermarkets give hood clearance problems. But then, cause of cash for clunkers, they got to crush the block and so they guy would.t give me a package price and the seperat parts started to add up real quick and I wanted a whole truck to pick over and sell whats left like you used to do but it ain,t happining.And I bet your right the E4OD is big but I could work that out. And I,m hearing that speed density isn,t so bad to deal with and that the E4OD in the lightning is a beefed up version and it likes getting it.s orders from the speed density program so thats the way I would try to keep it. Maybe I will be happy with a stroked out 5.0 mass efi aod but still have my heart set on 5.8 lightning if I can find one. I know they only made 11 thousand 1st gen lightnings so there hard to find but a 68 ranchero lightning would be so cool.
I know there has to be others out there that have been down this road before me so turn me onto them if you can. Thanks again

 

[tx65coupe]

I think it will be difficult to find a complete Lightning in a salvage yard that hasn't already had parts removed.

There was a guy selling a complete Lightning engine top to bottom with the ECM and wiring harness a while back on Ebay.

 

[StangDreamin']

Not all 95 F150s are mass air. Some of them are speed density. The original Lightnings are speed density.

I agree, you will want the computer and wiring harness from the truck. You will need it to also control the transmission.

Didn't know about the SD EFI in '95..... in fact the only '95 hood I spent any minute amount of time under was my son-in-law's "Grape Ape"; which had MAF.

As far as SD systems go; look at how many aftermarket SD systems are out there; and some rodders PREFER it to a MAF system, so

 

[tx65coupe]

My truck is mass air, but many I have seen are speed density.

I think that all 96 trucks are mass air, since they are OBD II.