eBay Motors Launches ‘Parts of America’ Tour with Ultra-Powerful SVT Lightning
Events
Y’know that story about the car or truck you wanted so badly in high school? This is one of those. Alex Palmeri, the host of the popular LegitStreetCars YouTube channel - opens in new window or tab., had his heart set on the Ford F-150 SVT Lightning since his sophomore year.
It took Palmeri 19 years to make his dreams come true. Finally, in 2021, he bought a True Blue Metallic 2002 SVT Lightning. Little did he know that the truck would end up on a cross-country road trip with eBay Motors.
eBay Motors’s whirlwind “Parts of America” tour launches today, September 21, in Hickory Corners, Mich. Known for its Wednesday Night Cruise-In at the Gilmore Car Museum - opens in new window or tab. and its love for American classics, the midwest town is the perfect kick-off location for the ultimate car-lover’s road trip.
Over the next two months, the eBay Motors hauler will roll into a dozen US communities, explore regional car culture with the locals, and pick up unique modded vehicles along the way—each created in partnership with star builders.
The end result? Eight highly-customized autos representing a snapshot of American car culture. The tour will culminate at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 17. The event, open to the public, will offer an up-close look at each ride.
Well, That Blows
The LegitStreetCars SVT Lightning adventure kicked off with a blown head gasket in the original engine. Palmeri told us:
I initially thought the engine was clean. But I saw the coolant expansion tank swell in wide-open throttle (WOT). When I did the head gasket test, it failed, so I knew it had bad head gaskets. But this only caused an issue at WOT. If it wasn’t in boost, it was okay. So I drove for four to five thousand miles without beating on it.
Palmeri used the truck to move into his new 3,000-foot shop. But he waited until he could pull the engine and take it apart. Once Palmeri opened it up, he found a cracked piston. There was only one path forward.
I gotta build the engine for more power. But the connecting rods have been on backorder for months.
Opportunity Arrives on a Pallet
Last month, eBay Motors contacted Palmeri about the “Parts of America” tour. It was a big opportunity, but it presented a crazy time constraint. At the time, the space between the fenders was vacant.
Palmeri said:
I found an engine with a bigger supercharger and dual fuel pumps listed on eBay. In four days, the new engine was sitting on a pallet in my shop, along with a set of 20-inch chrome wheels. The only way we got this project done is that we were able to find the engine and wheels so quickly.
Palmeri estimates the current engine is good for 75 to 100 horsepower over the 380-horsepower factory rating, although it hasn’t been on a dyno. After the eBay tour, he plans to swap the supercharger to the original engine. He’s aiming for 550 horsepower.
The truck is a true survivor, just one of 1,000 or so in True Blue Metallic for 2002. The truck’s exterior is mostly original, except for a front and rear bumper respray. Palmeri and crew pulled the cab and cargo bed to sandblast and refinish the frame.
The Day Has Arrived
A few hours ago, the LightStreetCars crew finished bolting on a lowering kit, installed a fresh set of headers, and put in an electric fan from a 2010 F-150. And the truck has new polyurethane cab mounts—just in time for the eBay Motors hauler to show up at Palmeri’s shop and take the SVT Lightning to the tour’s first stop at the Gilmore Car Museum. Come on by!
To follow the tour and take a deep-drive into the builds along the way, visit eBay.com/PartsOfAmerica - opens in new window or tab..
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