No, my '06 is vin # 1528 and has the rough hood. The MSO was issued on May 22 2006.
'05 and'06 differences
- Thread starter TEXAS GT
- Start date
No, my '06 is vin # 1528 and has the rough hood. The MSO was issued on May 22 2006.
fjpikul
GT Owner
'05 #1297 with billet A arms, built June '05. I didn't realize there was a difference until we were at Saleen during the rally. One of the engineers pointed it out to me. He didn't say just how many '05's had them, but they did use up what they made, so we may never know exactly which number they stopped with.
ViperJoe
GT Owner
SteveA
GT Owner/B.O.D
The billet units have a very distinct machined groove pattern to them.
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FlorIdaho Chris
Yeah, I've got one.
The billet arms are beautiful shiny machined aluminum, jewel like actually, and you can see tiny machine marks if you look real close. The later forged arms are dull gray.
fjpikul
GT Owner
Kave
GT Owner
- Nov 13, 2006
- 275
isaakgt
GT Owner
ViperJoe
GT Owner
BlackICE
GT Owner
SYCO GT
GT Owner
Could someone please post a picture of the beautiful billet arms - if you have?
Would love to see them. I have a major billet fetish...
Would love to see them. I have a major billet fetish...
FlorIdaho Chris
Yeah, I've got one.
I'll post some up tomorrow as long as ACRJoe doesn't mind me posting some shots of his billet arms. :wink I am on the road or I would post tonight.
SYCO GT
GT Owner
Thanks Chris!
I will satiate myself by drooling over the CF console pocket that Stormcat designed for now. MY CF fetish is a close second to my billet fetish.
GT Tech
Ford GT Team Alumni
05-06 control arms
All 05s had the machined billet control arms. The first 500 or so 05s had the arms retro fitted after the cars were built. For reasons still unknown, the blank aluminum blocks were all shipped to the Wixom shop first, before being sent to Roush and Multi-Matic to be machined. Sure was a pretty site, pallets full of 40 pound aluminum blocks. Word had it that each arm ended up costing 2-3 grand.
When we started building the 06s, they switched to the forged arms. Not as pretty, but a heck of a lot cheaper to make, and just as strong if not stronger.:thumbsup
All 05s had the machined billet control arms. The first 500 or so 05s had the arms retro fitted after the cars were built. For reasons still unknown, the blank aluminum blocks were all shipped to the Wixom shop first, before being sent to Roush and Multi-Matic to be machined. Sure was a pretty site, pallets full of 40 pound aluminum blocks. Word had it that each arm ended up costing 2-3 grand.
When we started building the 06s, they switched to the forged arms. Not as pretty, but a heck of a lot cheaper to make, and just as strong if not stronger.:thumbsup
FlorIdaho Chris
Yeah, I've got one.
Well that answers that. So all '05s have the fancy arms. Thanks GT Tech! :thumbsup
cobrajeff
GT Owner
Billet vs. Cast or Forged Control Arms
It is very easy to tell if you have the Forged Control Arms or the Billet Control Arms. The forged arms look like this:
While the "Billet" ones look more like over-size pieces of fine jewelry: :rofl
The first design was a casting process which, I believe at one time, they were even touting it as a new "breakthrough" technology - "squish cast" - a cheaper, faster casting method "almost as strong" as a forging. :thumbsdow
They had to delete those words in the 2006 Product Information Guide (page 12). The new design actually was forged instead of cast, and the beautiful billet ones were virtually "hand-made" while they worked on the tooling for the new forgings.
regards,
Jeff
It is very easy to tell if you have the Forged Control Arms or the Billet Control Arms. The forged arms look like this:
While the "Billet" ones look more like over-size pieces of fine jewelry: :rofl
The first design was a casting process which, I believe at one time, they were even touting it as a new "breakthrough" technology - "squish cast" - a cheaper, faster casting method "almost as strong" as a forging. :thumbsdow
They had to delete those words in the 2006 Product Information Guide (page 12). The new design actually was forged instead of cast, and the beautiful billet ones were virtually "hand-made" while they worked on the tooling for the new forgings.
regards,
Jeff
BlackICE
GT Owner
The A arms that I have look different than both of those. I think the billet ones shown here are prototype arms that are not in production cars. Does anyone have these type of billet arms?
Also the so call forged arms I have never seen on a production car either. They must be the recalled type arms.
BlackICE
Also the so call forged arms I have never seen on a production car either. They must be the recalled type arms.
BlackICE
SYCO GT
GT Owner
Mounting point at top of the A would appear 180 degree angle difference between the forged and billet as well, in the pics...
GT Tech
Ford GT Team Alumni
The pretty shiny one in the picture must be just a photo piece. There was never an arm like that on a production car. The 05s should all have the machined arms. You will see the actual tooling marks on them. The 06s should have the ones that look like the second of Jeff's pictures. (2 in the cardboard box:thumbsup )