This video features a group of factory supercharged Ford F-150 pickups slaying tires and blasting down the drag strip.
Before you overdose on turkey and mashed potatoes, check out this week’s Throwback Thursday video which comes to us from the s|ck YouTube channel. It features a collection of factory supercharged Ford F-150 pickups from the 10th generation of the F-Series. These supercharged trucks are, of course, the SVT Lightning and the F-150 Harley-Davidson edition, each of which were powered by an Eaton-blown 5.4L Triton V8. These Ford trucks were among the most impressive performance pickups ever sold by any automaker and today, nearly 20 years later, these are still some of the most well-recognized performance trucks to ever hit the streets.
The Supercharged 10th Generation F150
If you are unfamiliar with the F-150 Lightning and the F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition, here is a quick rundown.
The SVT Lightning was available 1999 through 2004, had a unique exterior appearance, and, most importantly, a supercharged 5.4L V8 that offered 360 horsepower and 440lb-ft of torque for 1999 and 2000, while the 2001-2004 models packed 380 horsepower and 450lb-ft of torque. While those numbers seem small by today’s standards, back in the late ’90s and early 2000s, the Lightning was the most capable truck the Motor Company had ever offered.
The F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition was introduced for the 2000 model year and it would run through 2003. Like the Lightning, the Harley truck was fitted with a supercharged 5.4L V8, but in an effort to leave some space between the two high performance pickups, the motorcycle-themed F-150 “only” offered 340 horsepower and 425lb-ft of torque. Also, while the Lightning was a short bed, short cab package, the Harley-Davidson Edition was more of a luxury performance package with the larger SuperCrew cab configuration.
Supercharged F-150s in Action
In the end, both of these supercharged F-150 pickups offered incredible performance measures that are still admired today. This video compilation shows these older Ford trucks doing what they do best–smoking the tires and blasting down the quarter mile. And the high performance pickup action is set to some appropriate heavy metal music.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
