Rayo Azul: The Stunning Reinvention of a Ford Lightning

Lindsey Fisher . August 27, 2024 . Buyer’s Guides

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There’s Nothing Quite “Factory”
About This Ford Lightning Anymore!

When it comes to building your dream ride, what is the first thing you think of? Is it the look? The performance? The overall package? Regardless of what it is, you undoubtedly aren’t looking to build something exactly like someone else. That’s one of the best parts of custom car culture—the unique take on the “ultimate ride” that every vehicle carries with it. For Larry Bernal of Denver, that unique custom comes in the form of one sleek first-generation Ford Lightning dubbed Rayo Azul!

The first-generation Ford F-150 SVT Lightning came onto the market with a bang. Introduced for the 1993 model year, this bad little truck was built to take on the likes of the Chevrolet 454 SS and GMC Syclone, touting the performance and agility of a sports car while maintaining the capabilities of an F-Series truck. While not even 12,000 of them were built over the three model years of the first generation, these trucks quickly gained notoriety and have continued to garner a cult-like following in the automotive industry even to this day. For Larry, having a first-generation Lightning was more of a calling.

For Larry, having a first-generation Lightning was more of a calling.

Wanting to build an OBS (Old Body Style) Lightning, Larry looked high and low for the perfect truck before finding this gem after two full years of searching. He then went to work transforming it into his dream ride, doing much of the body and interior work himself before entrusting it to Uneekbilt in Englewood, Colorado to take it from what they deemed “close to perfect” to the one-of-a-kind sleek ride you see here.

True To Form

Seemingly basic in design, the Ford Lightning, along with its competitors of the day, were built with performance in mind, not exaggerated looks. While some may see this as a downfall of the SVT, others have fallen in love with, and work to maintain, the truck’s original looks—even when modifying them. The latter is exactly what Larry wanted for his custom build, with a few twists, of course.

Stockish-looking at first glance, you won’t find a body panel on Larry’s truck that hasn’t been touched. Riddled with dents and dings from previous ownership, all of the truck’s existing body damage was ironed out and some rust repair was handled by Larry himself upon the purchase of the Lightning. Larry then replaced the front bumper with one from Late Model Restoration and fitted the truck with a Cervinis cowl hood, adding to the truck’s classic aesthetic rather than taking away from it.

From under the hood to riding in the bed, these custom wheel tubs allow Larry to run wide wheels and tires on the truck, while also making room for the bagged suspension system.

Underneath the truck, you’ll find custom wheel tubs in the front, built by Uneekbilt, along with custom slotted tubs in the rear, which take this truck up a notch completely. From under the hood to riding in the bed, these custom wheel tubs allow Larry to run wide wheels and tires on the truck, while also making room for the bagged suspension system. But the tubs add even more aesthetically, including a nice trimmed silhouette and even more custom flair to the Line-X-sprayed bed. The whole truck is finished off in stunning Viper Blue paint, laid by Mathew Lowe.

So in addition to a new engine and drivetrain, he opted to upgrade the Lightning’s suspension, wheels, and tires to round out the entire package, as well as give it the ultimate stance.

While Larry wanted to maintain much of his truck’s classic body style, one look inside and you’ll notice a full transformation from stock-level to a fully custom interior. Featuring SEM Portal Red paint with black accents, the Lightning’s interior includes red leather-wrapped seats and a custom center console, as well as a custom Alcantara-wrapped headliner, dash and door panel components done by Larry himself. All of the truck’s instrumentation has been upgraded to New Vintage USA F-Series gauges with additional AEM fuel, boost and airflow gauges, while an Alpine digital head unit sits center-stage at the truck’s full Rockford Fosgate stereo system.

Show & Go

Although this Lightning’s good looks are enough to garner attention, Larry didn’t want it to be all show and no go. He entrusted Richard Ballard to rework the truck’s engine, leaving little guesswork to what his intentions for the truck are. So much for show and shine—this bad little truck is also a quick little machine!

Just like with any factory Lightning, you’ll find a Ford 351ci Windsor V-8 under this truck’s hood, but with some impressive upgrades, the utmost being a Powerdyne blower pushing 10psi. The engine also features a timing gear drive set, MSD 6AL ignition box with timing retard, a custom auxiliary fuel pump kit, and BBK Performance 1-¾-inch headers dumping into a full Cherry Bomb dual exhaust system. Backing the V-8 is one of Ford’s finest transmissions—a heavy-duty E40D 4-speed automatic, tied to a custom driveshaft and a shortened differential, the latter built by GS Customs.

Laying Low

Even though the original Ford Lightning may have come from the factory with upgraded suspension dynamics and a lower center of gravity than other Ford trucks of the time, the stock fare wasn’t exactly what Larry wanted for his dream ride. So in addition to a new engine and drivetrain, he opted to upgrade the Lightning’s suspension, wheels, and tires to round out the entire package, as well as give it the ultimate stance. For this, he entrusted the skilled crew at Uneekbilt.

Aiming for superior handling, ride quality, and the stance Larry was after, Uneekbilt utilized its own in-house front suspension and rear 4-link kits, along with DJM Dream Beams for the truck, pairing everything with Airmaxxx bags and components on all four corners. Custom bag mounts on the I-beams allows the truck’s C-notched frame to lay even lower while providing it with adequate clearance for regular drivability. Additional components, including a Square Tank air tank, two Viair compressors and an Accuair air management system, tie everything together for unfettered performance at any level.

Throw on some sick 24×9-inch front and 24×12-inch rear billet Raceline Silverstone wheels wrapped in 275/30R24 and 355/25R24 Vredestein rubber respectively, and you’ve got yourself one heck of an aired-out Lightning.

Larry certainly put together a unique ride with his first-gen Lightning—something he told us he’d advise other builders to not be afraid of doing themselves. When it comes to the world of custom vehicles, having something really unique says a lot about not only your style, but also your passion. And if you’re truly building your ultimate ride, why not have it stand out in the process?

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