Looking at used GT tomorrow...


BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
You're must be a very E-A-R-L-Y '05.

No. The only cars that have the billet 'arms are about the 1st 400 or so GT's made. All subsequent cars have the regular 'arms.

Most cars until late 05 production have billet arms. My car built in Aug 05 has billet arms. Having a car with mix of billet and non-billet arms will most likely lead to a good story about the car.
 

Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,362
Washington State
Most cars until late 05 production have billet arms. My car built in Aug 05 has billet arms. Having a car with mix of billet and non-billet arms will most likely lead to a good story about the car.


I thought Ford stopped production when the pblm was discovered, replaced the arms on existing cars with the billets, then resumed production when the new cast arms were on line???:confused

Pls enlighten this old man, Sir!
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
I thought Ford stopped production when the pblm was discovered, replaced the arms on existing cars with the billets, then resumed production when the new cast arms were on line???:confused

Pls enlighten this old man, Sir!

IMO, that was Ford's plan. My guess is that the cast arms couldn't get into production fast enough, so to keep the cars moving off the line they decide not to wait and to just put the more costly billet arms on until the cast ones were available.
 

Nardo GT

Well-known member
Jul 15, 2006
2,300
Texas
IMO, that was Ford's plan. My guess is that the cast arms couldn't get into production fast enough, so to keep the cars moving off the line they decide not to wait and to just put the more costly billet arms on until the cast ones were available.

ASSactly from what I understand. My 05 #1613 has billlet from the factory...never heard of an 06 with them though, and never heard of a "combo".
 

Waxer

Well-known member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 22, 2007
927
Clean car fax?

Vandalism/keyed paint on 3 body panels?

This does not add up. All insurance covers vandalism. This should have been an insurance claim and should have been on car fax.

Its not adding up.

The pressure from the dealer is a turn off too. I would not buy unless I had a full PPI. If they don't have time for you to get it done let someone else buy it. :thumbsdown

Pockets: Nardo is correct. My '05 has factory billet A arms also. They were a stop gap until they could redesign or fix the stock cast A arm. The GT Guys were just at my house installing Shadowman's new exhaust system on my gal, changing all fluids and installing a K&N air filter. I asked Rich about the billet A arms. He said very few of the FGTs have them. Maybe 400 or so. He said they are VERY expensive which is why they were not continued in production.



Pocke
 
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timcantwell

Le Mans 2010 Sponsor * Moderator
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 22, 2006
2,639
N.E. OH & Naples, FL
Most cars until late 05 production have billet arms. My car built in Aug 05 has billet arms. Having a car with mix of billet and non-billet arms will most likely lead to a good story about the car.

For what it's worth, my white '05 is number 1727 and it has billet arms. My midnight blue '05 is number 1825, and it has the same arms as both of the 2006 cars. So therefore, the billet arms stopped somewhere between the production of both of my '05's.
 

Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,362
Washington State
I asked Rich about the billet A arms. He said very few of the FGTs have them. MAYBE 400 OR SO. He said they are VERY expensive which is why they were not continued in production.


Well, that's how I remember the story, too. As to WHICH EXACT CARS were members of that 400 would be hard to figure out from their Vin #s I would think, as THOSE were all over the map in relation to "build" number and all that goofy business. But, all this happened before breakfast yesterday, and I didn't write any of it down, soooooooooo... :willy


Edit: And, as I recall, the REASON there were 4,038 total FGT's made instead of the ORIGIONAL 4,500 targeted was due TO production being stopped for a while. Or was I dreaming all that too?:confused:frown

:)tap::skep NEVER MIND. :slap)
 
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Thugboat

GT Owner
Jan 20, 2009
851
Humble Texas
Does anyone by chance have a picture of billet vs non-billet arms?

Thanks

Larry
 

roketman

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Oct 24, 2005
8,095
ma.
You know what they say in the car business,theres an ass for every seat!!
I'd keep looking ...........
 

Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,362
Washington State
Does anyone by chance have a picture of billet vs non-billet arms?

Thanks

Larry


Here ya go. Top of the page = cast...'bottom = billet:



http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13052&highlight=billet+a-arms
 

Thugboat

GT Owner
Jan 20, 2009
851
Humble Texas
Yea, Thats the ones I have!!!

Thanks EP. Friday evening. Go have a cold soda on me!

Larry
 

Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,362
Washington State
Yea, Thats the ones I have!!!

Thanks EP. Friday evening. Go have a cold soda on me!

Larry


Thankee, sir! Uuuuuuuuuh...'credit card #? :lol
 

KJRGT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 4, 2006
2,840
SoCal
For what it's worth, my white '05 is number 1727 and it has billet arms. My midnight blue '05 is number 1825, and it has the same arms as both of the 2006 cars. So therefore, the billet arms stopped somewhere between the production of both of my '05's.


My Midnight Blue 2005 is number 1769, so perhaps one of the 42 cars in between was the first completed with re-worked cast arms.
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
You're must be a very E-A-R-L-Y '05.

No. The only cars that have the billet 'arms are about the 1st 400 or so GT's made. All subsequent cars have the regular 'arms.


(Edit: In case you're wondering, that's because the FIRST cast arms that went on these cars were done via a new casting process that, in short, proved unsat. 'Long story short: Ford didn't want GT's on the road with those 'arms, so they went to 'owners like yourself & replaced the unsat 'arms with the billet units...at no small expense, I might add.:ack)

I thought Ford stopped production when the pblm was discovered, replaced the arms on existing cars with the billets, then resumed production when the new cast arms were on line???:confused

Pls enlighten this old man, Sir!

Wrong -

We have narrowed the time frame down to somewhere between about August 10th, 2005 to September 23, 2005 (S/N 1857). The original 400 cars were recalled immediately (and removed from the road) to have the A-arms replaced, but it took quite a while to get the new design arms into production. Thus, the units shipped after the original recall incorporated the billet A-arms until the new design could be fabricated, tested and stocked in sufficient quantity to be available for the assembly line. My car is 1857, and it has the replacement forged design. It looks to be somewhere around 1775 to 1850...

We continue to try and find the serial number changeover - but since every owner is not on the forum - it's difficult.
 
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Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,362
Washington State
'ANOTHER "myth" busted!!!!

Thanks, RALPHIE! :thumbsup:thumbsup :cheers
 

t32b

Verde
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 21, 2007
432
Bay Area, CA
Yep, it ran longer than originally planned. Mine is #899 (from recollection) and they have those drool-worthy machining patterns on them. Every time I go to the local C&C event, and the F-car owners take a look at them, they look a little woozy :)

ASSactly from what I understand. My 05 #1613 has billlet from the factory...never heard of an 06 with them though, and never heard of a "combo".
 

JOETWINT

FORD GT OWNER
Mark IV Lifetime
Jan 22, 2008
438
Brooklyn N.Y.
1836 and i have billet A arms
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
1836 and i have billet A arms

Joe - What's your date of manufacture? My owner's authenticity package from Ford says mine was assembled on 09-23-2005.
 
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cobrajeff

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 5, 2006
688
Daytona Beach
According to my records, 5-1857 was built on 9/23/05, and 5-1836 was built on 9/12/05.

Jeff
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
According to my records, 5-1857 was built on 9/23/05, and 5-1836 was built on 9/12/05.

Jeff

Thanks, Jeff.

So now we have tightened the noose to an 11 day period in September, 2005, when they started shipping GT's with the new designed forged A-arms, and somewhere between 1836 and 1857. Maybe someday, we'll find the adjacent serial numbers for the change.
 
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