1st gen help
 

hey everyone, never posted here before cause, unfortunately, i dont own a lightning, but i was hoping you guys could help me out. my friend is in the marines and stationed in california right now, but he's looking at a 94 lightning back home in mass and he wants me to check it out for him before he buys it. here's a link to the ad:
http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/car/474963493.html

i do know a little about lightnings, but i was hoping you guys could tell me if theres anything i should look for to distinguish this 'lightning' from a regular f150. i know to look for the cobra intake or the 'gt' stamped on the heads(assuming the guy will let me pull the valve covers) but is there anything else i should look for? anything to do with the interior? would the axle tag say 4.10? anyone know some of the codes on the id tag on the door? im just suspicious because i dont see the token 'lightning' written on the side, but he didnt mention a repaint. also it looks like it has dual tanks in the pic, do lightnings come with dual tanks? also how does the price look? thanks a lot for any help you guys can give me, and if he buys it i'll post some pics for you.

The Gen 1's did come with dual fuel tanks. The GT stamping on the heads is located at two of the 4 corners of each head, and the valve covers don't need to be removed to see them. It'll have an E4OD transmission, 4" aluminum driveshaft, 8.8" LSD and you should see some cooling fins on the front of the 8.8" casting. It'll have the GT-40 intakes with the "Lightning" cover on the upper intake.

Over the rear axle's, you should see some metal plates welded on the outside of the frame rail/gussests.

These trucks are speed density 5.8's from the factory, however, there are/were companies that made mass air conversion kits which may have been installed previously. Don't be surprised to see some oil leakage from the bottom end, between the engine and trans; the rear main seals are known to leak over time.
The factory exhaust system will be stainless steel, with 4 cats and 2 mufflers, exiting behind the rear passenger tire.

Ford also installed a factory slapper bar on the rear leaf springs to help with axle binding.

Hope this helps.

thanks a lot for your help, ill let you know how it looks when i go see it.