Im am in the "thinking" process of buying a Gen1 Lightning..
Are there anything that I really need to LOOK for in one except the Mileage and stuff...

 

see if/how bad the wheels are peeling...its a common problem with GEN 1 "L"s

 

Ive noticed that in some that I have looked at...What causes the wheels to peel in the Gen1's?.. Is it the heat or the over time wear?..

Thanks

 

i think it was just a bad job from the factory
im getting mine powder coated like most other gen 1 owners w/ the stock wheels

 

So, you got a gen1 too?? Thats great man to hear that.. Do you mind if i ask you some questions?

 

ask away

 

Ok.. Im hoping to get a 95' because of the seats without the console, I like that better, but it reaaly want matter, Im looking for a great priced one with low miles as possible..hehe
Anyway, I have heard that the Gen 1's handle (corner) better than the gen2's. Do you know if thats true or not?..Also what all do you have done to yours?.. I like to know all the boltons and engine work that I can do to one of the gen 1's...

Thanks

 

the gen 2 out handles a lot of sports cars.....so yea it handles a little better than the gen 1..but i did read on svt's site tht the '93 "L" out performed the ' 93 GT all the way around..in every category...
the only thing original under my hood other than the belt driven accesories is the upper and lower intake, throttle body and the oil pan and dipstick....

i used speedway's 396 kit w/ keith black pistons and a scat crank
bored .030 over
world products Rousch stage 2 heads w/crane 1.6 roller rockers and crane hardened pushrods
comp cam 4x4 cam with .531 intake and .512 exhaust at 260 duration
downs ford MAF kit
heddman shorties w/magnaflow muffler w/no cats

 

Thats awsome man, have you took it to the strip yet?..

 

not yet...it has only been done for like a week i still have some small bugs to work out b4 i take it to the track

 

The Gen 1 does not handle anywhere near as good as a gen 2.

 

There aren't too many "trouble" areas with the trucks, but there are things to check out. '93s were/are notorious for paint issues, I have a black '93 that has very rough paint. Basically it just starts flaking off, this winter was tough on it. Also, the trannies are known to have issues, but a low mileage truck should be ok especially if unmodified. The '95s have the strongest trannies, I don't know specifics but they supposedly used some diesel tranny parts and are similar to Gen 2 trannies.

If the truck has been raced at all, possible that the rearend could be hurt.....quite a few guys will blow the stock Trac Lok due to wheel hop.

Other "little" things the you commonly see are broken foglights, peeling wheels as stated, bad radius arm bushings, speedometers jumping, and I've heard of a few guys with rear tanks that rusted out.

I bought my '93 last September with a Powerdyne supercharger, off road exhaust, MSD ignition, Eaton posi, FRPP shorty headers, and boost retard. Absolutely love the truck, it rides a bit rough on country roads but it's great on the highway and fast two lanes. It ran a 13.97 my one time at the track with some wheelhop and me being VERY conservative with the timing. I just installed traction bars today to help with the wheelhop...I lost a driveshaft a month ago and don't want to have the problem again. I also put a Factory Tech valve body in the tranny....nice firm shifts to help save the clutches. Just turned 130k and no major issues.....and with recent tuneup it's been getting 15-15.5mpg cruising at 75-80mph.

 

Thanks guys, That has helped me alot. My cousin has a 93' gen 1 totally stock, he lives off down state and havent gotten a chance to talk with him, so I figured id ask some of you all. I will proably get a 95' if I can find one with desent mileage, and I wont red or white, so I hope I can find one...

Thanks

 

My friend owns a '93 and his trannie was fine at 140,000 miles although he had put a shift kit in it to make it shift harder. Then he put a 10# Vortech on it and blew the 2 gear sprag in the trannie.

 

Well I guess you have never drove a gen 1......It will out handle a gen 2 with ease and add a good supercharger it will out perform a gen 2 in every way.