FORD FAN SPOTLIGHT – When we spotted a post on a Ford social media page about a 1999 SVT F-150 Lighting powered by a Ford Performance 7.3-liter “Godzilla” V-8, we just knew we had to find out more. Turns out we didn’t have to look far, as this beastly pickup is the brainchild of Detroit’s own Dick Townsend Jr., who also happens to be a Master Electrician at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant. He had purchased the truck as a project roller with less than 25K original miles on it from a fellow Ford electrician at the Rouge facility in late 2023, who himself had bought the Lightning new in 1999. Townsend’s plan was to turn the Lighting into a Pro Touring street monster. He had some Brand-X friends down in Nashville, so he pulled the cab and box off the original chassis and headed down south for the build. Check out his truck’s full, spotlight-worthy story below:

“Richard Townsend, aka ‘Detroit Dick,’ is a true gearhead with the goal of doing things different. He has spent many of the past 10 years racing and chasing cones in a C5 Corvette and knew it was long past time for hm to represent the Blue Oval that he loves and works for at every day as a Master Electrician. 

“Dick wanted to make a statement and do things a little different from the normal car show crowds. He has a great group of friends down South who are raising some eyebrows by turning big heavy full-sized trucks into corner carving machines, so he decided to throw his hat into the ring. To stay true to his heart, he knew it had to be a Ford, and the 1999 to 2004 SVT F-150 Lighting seemed the obvious choice to stand out in a crowd.

“After some searching, he found the perfect candidate, a 1999 Black Lighting that was in the process of being converted for drag racing. It was mostly a shell as the original boosted 5.4L drivetrain was long gone. Dick then loaded up the roller and headed South to Nashville to see Brian Finch of Finch Performance. Brian has built a name for himself building 67-72 C10 trucks that get driven to every event, put down the laps, and then driven home.

“Brian and Dick laid out some basic design tenets for the Lightning. Killer low stance, as much wheel and tire that physically fits, modern Ford drivetrain, big brakes, and that classic muscle car sound -- and the crew went to work.

“The foundation for the truck was the first-of-its-kind Ford Apex Predator Chassis built by Finch. His race-winning chassis features all Detroit Speed and Engineering components with their 595 X-gen front clip and a custom Quadralink 4-link suspension developed by Finch and DSE for use in his chassis. The chassis is fitted with Triple Adjustable Viking Performance shocks and springs to control the roll and large, 14-inch 6-piston Baer Brakes on all four corners to provide the whoa. To round out the chassis he went with massive 20 x 12 Forgeline 3-piece wheels and 335/30/20 Michelin Cup 2 tires all the way around. 

“Once the basics were covered it was time to decide what would power the great machine. After a quick discussion, a new Ford Performance Godzilla 7.3-liter V8  was ordered up and stuffed between the rails. The original build had a 10-speed automatic that has since been upgraded to a Bowler Performance T56 Magnum 6-speed manual transmission for more fun behind the wheel. For the interior, some Ford Performance Recaro’s were installed along with a Holley Digital Dash and Sparco removable steering wheel. Since the truck was so clean, they kept the rest of the factory interior bits including the air conditioning that was adapted to the Godzilla. 

“The truck is now the ultimate cruiser that switches to track mode with the twist of the knobs on the shocks. The Magnaflow full-custom 3-inch stainless exhaust has a super smooth-but-aggressive sound that lets you know something serious is just around the bend!”

Here’s How YOU Can Get In The Spotlight: For more than 20 years now, one of the most popular features on FordPerformance.com and in our weekly Fast News e-newsletter continues to be "Ford Fan Spotlight," where readers can send in their own reasons why they're fans of Ford Motor Company and its vehicles. You know who they are: Ford "superfans;" grassroots Ford racers; unique Ford vehicle owners; loyal Ford enthusiasts; notable Ford club people; special Ford families; and/or any avid supporter of Ford, Ford vehicles, Ford motorsports or Ford Performance who deserves a little bit of special recognition.

All you need to do to get you, your car or candidate considered is to send in a brief description (200-500 words or less) and a few photos (in .jpeg format, preferably around 1 mb in size) with the owner’s full name and hometown, please. Just tell us about the vehicle(s) and why you think Ford Performance should feature it (them) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News as well as for posting on FordPerformance.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com with your contact info. Your submission allows us the rights to use your words and images (along with any edits) for editorial purposes; we’ll choose one submission in random order to post online. We hope to see YOU and your Ford story in our Fan Spotlight soon!