42 X or 42 lightning
 

Whats the difference between a 1999 42 lightning and 1999 42 X? I see the windshield,fairings are different but they both look like twin steps. thanks

OK,I did some forum research. the Ex has a smaller cockpit and cabin head room but the hulls are the same from what I can find. Anybody back this up?

Cockpit is the same size in both boats. Cabin headroom should be about the same as well if it isn't I don't think there is a noticable difference. Both boats are staggared. Hull is the same. Lightning has a different topdeck with a windshield and the EX(also called a lightning classics in that year? has the plexiglass fairing. Both good boats.


RAF

thanks runafever. Have you seen the factory orange 99 42 EX on boattrader? what do you think. Il try to post a link.

I think this will work
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/19...tning-90761105

You might have to copy and paste it to find it. The one thing that concerns me is that in one pic the port drive is off. Only 43 hours on boat???? whats up with that?

There was an orange 42 that sold at an auction a couple years back. Some guy that had a bunch of high $$$ muscle cars, and an orange 42 with a green shamrock on the engine hatch, died, and all of his toys were sold at that auction. I wonder if that is the same boat? It only had a couple (literally) hours on it, then.

bob t, I found the auction site when the orange boat was listed. I think it was 2005. It still had pics up and I compared the two boats. It looks pretty close, probaly the same one although the new pics today on boattrader are pooly shot.Cant see much of the cockpit or engine hatch covers to see if theres a shamrock. Looks like the same trailor to.

I did see that boat on boat trader. Looks pretty clean. I would think it would be a lot of work to maintain and also consider resale as well. The color certainly does take a lot of buyers out of the market.

The Orange boat on LI is The same boat came from portsmouth NH and does have a green Shamrock on the pad the bottoms of the 42s were updated in 2004 and ar the same from 04 up

Blownincome are you saying that the 1999 bottoms are a bad design or handle poorly? Remember I'm tryin to get out of an express cruiser,great boat but it handles like a 747 jet. Can take a beating but at 22k lbs, not the funnest ride. You seem like you know the orange boat, do you know who owned it or what it sold for at auction. Is it a good boat? Runafever why do you think it will be hard to maintain?

Guy who bought the boat new was in the salt mining business and was a drunk/drug addict who died at a young age. His widow liquidated all the guy's stuff at an auction in N.H. a couple years back. He had nice stuff but it sold for stupid money.

Muscle cars, antique and new dump trucks, snomobiles, jet skiis, boats, gas pumps/ memorabilia. It all got sold in a weekend. If I remember correctly the guy pulled an Elvis and died alone in the house......

when you say stupid money you mean stupid cheap or stupid exspensive?I contacted the auction site and asked for some info on the boat, like what it sold for.I'm waiting for a responce.

I know a guy who had an 01 or 02 42 that had pretty big power that didn't handle well at high speed but with 500hp's it should be fine.

the only reason they changed the bottom was to dial in a few more mph the boat handles like all 42s Great!!! they just got faster as they have progressed They have always been a great boat!!! Reggies weapon of choice!!!

What do you think a 42 will run with 500 hp's?

Like most retail auctions open to the public, stupid money as in what you could buy the stuff for in the newspaper!

My uncle attended and was trying to buy a small boat/ jet skiis and the stuff sold for whatever it cost new two years earlier after the auction fees etc.

My guess is low 70's with carbed, a mile an hour or two more with 500 EFI's.
Mine is a 630ish hp EFI boat and does mid 80's, just a good guess.
Did you get my e-mail's ok?

Take care;

Jay

I would think low 70s is off. A new EX with 525s is a mid 80s boat. I think that upper 70s maybe an even 80 would be more in line with 500s.

yes,got the pics. really nice boat!!!! def. what I'm lookin for.I'm still gonna have to wait till i get a better offer on mine though.I'll keep you posted with whats going on.
Tony

1999 lightning , Bone Stock, 250 hours, carbed HP 500's, Bravo 1's Labbed 28P four blades 75mph -77mph GPS top speed 78.3mph

I have owned her for one year and could not be happier.

formula 377 is that a lightning classic or lightning? I'm going to look at a 1999 classic this sat. I'm stoked!!!!

also whats your cruise speed and fuel consumption if you know it? thanks

Mine is a 1999 42 Fountain Lightning with stepped hull and giant grandpa winsheild. I have a friend with a 1995 Lightning which actually looks like the Executioner. It is about 5 mph slower.
Cruise speed for me is about 50mph @ 3500rpm. I am running 1.5 ratio Bravo 1's with labbed merc 4 blades. I am not sure about fuel consumption.

I am told that the style 1995, 1996, 1997 Fountain Lightning became the Executioner and had the small steps in the hull

The 1998, 1999 Lightning hulls had the big steps in the hull. This made them very fast with small power.

The 2000 and newer models had a medium step in the hull but were much more stable above 100 mph.

I chose the 1999 model because I can attain the greatest speed for the least amount of power.

In my opinion Fresh 500HP=80mph, 600HP=90mph and 700hp=100+mph

I was out running with a stock 2007 lightning with 700's and consistently he could do 105mph top end.

(Obviously I was not running with him;)

These are just my opinions and what I have seen. If anyone has other input feel free to chime in.

42 L - 575 hp
 

What will a 42 lightning - 2001 - 575 run speed wise?

ive got a 98 classic deck that i ordered new in 98 it has side by side 500hps with the big steps, she will run 77-78 all day long regard less of temp or fuel load and right at 80 with cool temps and light fuel load. in the early years the 42 was called a lightning, in 98 they changed to the tall winshields and taller freeboard continue the lightning name, they would still build the older style and called it a classic deck then somewere around 04 they decided to advertise the classic deck and called it the executioner, most early lightnings ( classic deck are a side by side enigine configuration and all newer executioners are a staggered configuration.

later

Man I need to get rid of the grandpa winsheild! I bet it gives me 3 MPH! :)

Sure is nice on those cold Oct nights though.

Hey LATER sounds like your ride is similar to mine. Have you done anything mechanical outside of routine maintenance to her since you bought it?

nope i change the oil every 40-50 hrs or once a year same with the drives keep everything greased, other then i had a ignition module inside the distributor go bad on one moter and a trim pump stop working it has been a very reliable boat. this is the 2nd 42 ive had, my first was a 90, and i have loved both, few years back i was going to trade to a newer one with 525's and staggered boat just could not bring myself to give up the extra room in the cockpit for the staggered, beside the cost on a new one is just not justified anymore. so ill keep the one i got, i keep my boats nice my upholstry is always covered with towels so the sunlotion doest soil the vinyal gets washed and waxed regular and is covered up when not in use so for being 10 yrs old its mistaken for a new one all the time.

later

It is hard for me to keep track of the HP in all the motors.
The new N/A 525's actually have about 565. The old 525SC are about the same with better exhaust. So it is all tough to say.

I would say an 01 with 575-600hp is probably worth 90+mph.

Would anyone agree?

An 01 Lightning with 500 effies is a 77-78 mph boat. A 575 boat will run 84-85 maybe a little better wish shorties and 5 blades.

Is there an HP difference fromt he carbed 500hp and the 500 HP EFI?
Carbed is 500hp athe crank and 470 at the prop correct?