CHARLIE - Why wouldn't you haul one of the BEST garden tractors ever built in one of the BEST PICKUPS EVER BUILT? Down in my "Other" library in the basement, a mix of my and SON's stuff, I have a reprint of the Gen 1 Lightning Car & Driver road test with the SS454 Chevy p/u Chevy built to compete with the Lightning. The Lightning actually had better weight distribution, ie Balance than the '93 Mustang GT, and handled and stopped better... but the GT just edged the Lightning out in acceleration due to 1500# less weight. But IIRC the Lightning beat the Chevy in all but one of the 9-10 catagories they competed in. I forget what that was, but in ALL the important tests the Lightning won. Better top speed, 1/4 mile speed & ET, stopping distance, laterial G's on the skid pad, MPG, etc.
The Lightning was a REAL truck, not a toy like an El Camino or Ford Ranchero or the imported trucks. SON hauled bulk mulch, 2 cubic yards per load with his, towed trailers well over 5000-6000# many times, hauled steel, tires, junk, etc. Hauled engines to the machine shop, hauled my old 129 200 miles down to Dad's years ago when I sold it. It led a hard life the 140K miles SON put on it. And a year ago with 200K on after sitting for two years it it still rattled the siding on the house from 1/4 mile away on a full throttle launch. It wouldn't run 13-14 second quarter mile passes anymore, but it had 3.55 gears the last couple years, not the factory 4.10's, much slower out of the hole.
RON S. - According to the owner's manual, head-lights were a factory option on the 70/100's & later models. Most of the pictures in the manuals show lights on the tractors. I suspect a dealer or owner installed pkg was still available for them too.