1st Gen - what to look for?

[Shawnskii]

Hello,
I am determined to buy a 1st gen Lightning within a year. I am more familiar with SBF's and I like the relitive simplicity of these old school trucks.

What are things that I need to look-out for? Although I have a rotating assembly to create a 393, I am not looking for a tired one to re-build.

One thing that does seem apparent to me up here in the great white north is that this generation F150 has more rust issues than later F's even when considering age/use etc - although maybe moot considering that Lightnings are not work trucks per se...

Thanks in advance for your insight!

 

[68 lightning]

a fellow non L owner seeking info

Hope you find some answers buddy, I to have lots of intrest in the lightning but do not own one. I am now trying to do a 351w efi setup for my ranchero and copy exactly what ford had planed with the lightning. I have a frend on our forum for rancheros that has a 1st gen L and he says they are really better than the 240 hp they are rated for. I dought you are going to get many answers here though. I am an old fart but new to the performance game. You said you were comfortable with the 351W but are you comfortable with EFI? If so I got lots of questions for you

 

[95'lightning]

well by now either the first gen lightnings have turned into a work truck with 200k on it or its a garage queen. i am always looking for another one to get but its one extreme or another. i don't think there is anything super special to look for.
-the rear tube bumper was popular, but there was a regular bumper as well
-the jump seat was an option until 95'
-in all of 93' and most of 94' the radiator support was not painted to the body color, just cause its gray doesn't mean its wrecked
-hope the fog lights are in good shape, i have been looking for about five years for factory ones to replace one of mine thats cracked

as far as some of the big stuff thats all i can think of, if i think of anything else i'll post it. pm me if i can help. chris.

 

[99BOSS]

The 93s didnt have clearcoat paint. The 94-95s did. The 94-95s had airbags, the 93s didnt. Jump seat became a late option on the 94s. The 95 got the latest and greatest version of the E4OD with some beefed up internals. The 93-94s had the heavy duty E4OD, they just made some upgrades to the 95. They were supposed to get roller blocks in 94 but a lot of 93s had them as well. 95s are the rarest. White was the rarest color only available in 94-95. The vin had to have a R in the 8th digit to be a genuine Lightning. Those are some of the biggest items to look for. I had a 93 and have a pretty good knowledge of the gen 1s. I have a bunch of Ford tech articles, SVT dealer manuals and binders, etc on these trucks.

 

[mrzero]

I got a white 95 with 86k original miles if anybody is interested.

James

 

[NZBling]

i got a 93 red lightning and a 99 red lightning. The 93 is for sale, has 103,000 miles, really good condition, truck is in Texas, let me know if your interested> thanks and good luck with your lightning search, Carl