Project first car thoughts

First some back story
The vehicle will be a first car for my middle child.
She's grown up in the shop and loves wrenching.
She's obsessed with my lightning.
She's currently 12(13) in June. So the plan is to buy it and go front to back ensuring mechanically it's good to go.

If I get a chevy it'll be a basic LS swap with cam and intake.
If it's a ford it'll be a stock block h/c/I setup. Goal is low 300s to the tire through an auto. Fun to drive, lopey cam and dd reliable.

The plan now is 92-96 f150. Short wide box. 2wd
Or a 73-87 c10. Same thing. Short wide box and 2wd.

Thoughts on either? Pro or cons in your opinion?

Can’t go wrong either way. If he more partial to the 92-96 F150 I love that bodystyle. But I also like the mid to late 80’s C10 trucks.


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c10. Any body style would be good id say. Parts are far more plentiful for those than any f150.

67-70 F100 is my vote

bluebosss197 said:

67-70 F100 is my vote

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Not an option. She doesn't like them. And they're impossible to find in budget.

id recommend an 01-03 super crew truck like the 2nd gen lightning harley truck.

A modular would be more ideal than a pushrod IMO. TFS heads and cams and your good to go.

decipha said:

id recommend an 01-03 super crew truck like the 2nd gen lightning harley truck.

A modular would be more ideal than a pushrod IMO. TFS heads and cams and your good to go.

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1) what part of a regular cab 2wd says crew cab.
2) I've built a modular. Dollar for dollar a pushrod makes more power.
3) I have tfs heads. I'd never buy another set. Bare castings maybe, but never from tfs assembled.
3) buying a modular ford and trying to make 350whp na is huge money.
4) I have sworn the next ohc motor I build is a coyote. I'll never touch a 4.6/5.4 again.

Oh man a 2 tone single cab short bed f150 is sooo sweet. 351w with supporting mods would be epic and easy. Teach her how to tune it too, get a Moates quarterhorse and enjoy the shit out of that.

HuntFishCobra said:

Oh man a 2 tone single cab short bed f150 is sooo sweet. 351w with supporting mods would be epic and easy. Teach her how to tune it too, get a Moates quarterhorse and enjoy the shit out of that.

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It'll be a holley setup. I've installed two and it's just too good to even consider trying to do a maf swap and a stock ecu. But she'll likely learn to tune. She's be involved in tuning the lightning

Oh even better, man this will be so cool for you two. Better make a build thread...

HuntFishCobra said:

Oh even better, man this will be so cool for you two. Better make a build thread...

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Oh I will. I think e are finally settling into buying something. We kicked around a lot of different cars from Plymouth valiants, dusters, Ford falcons, rancheros, Chevy ii's.
We were at a meet a while ago and she sort of fell for a c10. I had a gen 1 lightning too, so she's familiar with them.

I read your first sentence and thought 92-96 F150 with 302. Plenty of power, good looking truck, easy and cheap to wrench on. Also don't discount the 90's Silverados and Sierra's with the Vortec engine engines. They are bulletproof.
Also if you are considering 2wd have you looked into Mark 7's or Mark 8's or T-burd SC's? A lot of car for the money.

Dusten said:

1) I have tfs heads. I'd never buy another set. Bare castings maybe, but never from tfs assembled.

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I apologize for having nothing to add but I am very curious as to what issues you've experienced with TFS heads?

7998 said:

I read your first sentence and thought 92-96 F150 with 302. Plenty of power, good looking truck, easy and cheap to wrench on. Also don't discount the 90's Silverados and Sierra's with the Vortec engine engines. They are bulletproof.
Also if you are considering 2wd have you looked into Mark 7's or Mark 8's or T-burd SC's? A lot of car for the money.

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The engine in any of them is irrelevant. Any gm is getting ls swapped with a holley standalone.
Any ford is getting efi and a good set of heads.
Mark 8 or third sc? Dude, it's a 16 yr old girl. She wants cool. If I wouldn't drive one she won't. And no modular ford. I have enough experience that I'm good

Blkkbgt said:

I apologize for having nothing to add but I am very curious as to what issues you've experienced with TFS heads?

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The stock valve guides, springs and valves are all subpar. I had springs rated at 125 that tested at 90 and had a broken valve guide almost destroy my motor. I've had numerous friends lose motors to failure within the first few hundred miles.

If you buy bare castings and have good valves, guides and springs installed the castings can't be beat. They're leaps above any pi casting.

Dusten said:

Mark 8 or third sc? Dude, it's a 16 yr old girl. She wants cool. If I wouldn't drive one she won't. And no modular ford. I have enough experience that I'm good
.

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Sorry, I'll go back into my nerd pod now, lol. I mean is a F-150 cooler than a T-bird Super Coupe? It's a little butch for a girl imo but what do I know.

7998 said:

Sorry, I'll go back into my nerd pod now, lol. I mean is a F-150 cooler than a T-bird Super Coupe? It's a little butch for a girl imo but what do I know.

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It's a 2wd 2 seater.
And she's been in a lightning since she was 2. It's all she knows
I have pictures of her at 2.5 helping me tear down the stock motor when it died.

The third isn't bad. But it's an ohv 3.8. it doesn't sound good. My hp goals mean pushing the engine rather than a lazy setup that easily makes the power.

Plus.... Look at these two.





That's just awesome.

The t bird is neat. But this just isn't on the same level

For a FIRST car, no way would I build something custom, especially with a v8. There's waaaaaaay too many new drivers wrecking their first cars.

I hope you've been well bro.

Man that's a killer idea and I'm for it but at a much later age. If it were me the only option is a car with airbags. At a min on the driver's side. So 90s and newer is what I would want. We passed on many cool rides for my boy because they didn't have bags. GL with the search bro.

98 svt said:

For a FIRST car, no way would I build something custom, especially with a v8. There's waaaaaaay too many new drivers wrecking their first cars.

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Ehh.. my first car was a ground up restoration foxbody i built with my dad when i was 15. Just gotta teach them to respect the power.