what is the big deal with IRS???

[Joes66Pony]

If SVT/HTT thinks a proper IRS would cost too much why not build a Shelby GT-350...(or a Boss) - lightweight, N/A with strong aluminum block and leave the damn SRA in it. Couldn't they do this for less than $40K....how about $35K? Sans the iron block and s/c up front, the car would HAVE TO handle better out of the box than the overweight (3700-3800lb; 57%/43%) GT-500.... for those who prefer handling over brute power and want the SVT Cobra THEY feel they deserve.

Do you think the aftermarket (Kenny Brown, Steeda, MM, et al??) would ever build the IRS for the new Mustang it was SUPPOSED to have and prove to Ford it can be done right and for less? I mean hell, the car was designed for it. Could this be done for under $5K per unit? Would there be a market for it?

While I would love to see KB offer an IRS system for the 05 Mustang, it's all dependent on whether or not Ford releases the IRS for public consumption. It would be a lot easier for KB to simply re-engineer the Ford system than come out with a completely new system from scratch.

With that said, the idea of a KB IRS in an 05 would blow my mind. Their 04 Cobras are so good that they got banned from NASA American Iron because it was spanking the MM and Griggs equipped cars. :thumbsup:

 

[CobraRed01]

While I would love to see KB offer an IRS system for the 05 Mustang, it's all dependent on whether or not Ford releases the IRS for public consumption. It would be a lot easier for KB to simply re-engineer the Ford system than come out with a completely new system from scratch.

With that said, the idea of a KB IRS in an 05 would blow my mind. Their 04 Cobras are so good that they got banned from NASA American Iron because it was spanking the MM and Griggs equipped cars. :thumbsup:

Based on what we are hearing about Ford's resistance to the IRS, I don't think we should hold our breath waiting for them. Might have to leave it to the aftermarket to get it done right....they've been doing right for the Mustang for years. I think we should at least hold SVT to producing a lighter N/A version of the Cobra sometime soon.

 

[Dave Schotz]

As for the Boss 302, or Shelby GT 350... I completely AGREE...

5.4 litre... Aluminum Block... SRA... bare bones light weight Race Car (for handling)... is also something I would be VERY fond of!

Kind of like the Boss 429 (Shelby GT 500 of today) and Boss 302... both served completely different purposes... very well!

Dave

 

[Serpentor]

good idea on the lightweight boss 302, at this point, if the mounting point for a proper IRS (IE without a heavy subframe like the 99-04) arnt there, I'd rather have a decent SRA.
or maybe I'll just go out and buy a C6 and be done with it. :-D

 

[Joes66Pony]

good idea on the lightweight boss 302, at this point, if the mounting point for a proper IRS (IE without a heavy subframe like the 99-04) arnt there, I'd rather have a decent SRA.
or maybe I'll just go out and buy a C6 and be done with it. :-D

I don't think a "proper" IRS will be difficult for this car since the chassis was designed for it right from the start. The question becomes, does Ford have the grapes to actually do it?

 

[coco]

Get one of those hungry malpractice lawyers and have him build a case against ford and they will probably recall all 03/04's to install the necessary components needed to level the IRS with the amount of power it was supposed to be designed. Who knows?

 

[Silver2003Cobra]

I'm not so sure I'd want an IRS rear with all that power. Especially after you add a tune and other mods. Might give a new meaning to the "Big Bang" theory if you know what I mean!!!

gee.. I feel sorry for those with 700+ hp Vettes, Vipers and other cars with IRS.. (also, it's not the hp/torque that tears up the 03/04 Cobra's IRS, but wheel hop)

 

[BillyGman]

gee.. I feel sorry for those with 700+ hp Vettes, Vipers and other cars with IRS.. (also, it's not the hp/torque that tears up the 03/04 Cobra's IRS, but wheel hop)

This is a sincere and legit question on my part, so you need not take this as sarcasm.....

a number of people have brought up the fact that Vettes and Vipers have IRS set-ups without problems. But can it be possible that there are simply a much greater percentage of Cobra owners who drive their cars hard on the street, and also drag race them at the track than there are Viper owners, or Vette owners? The reason for my question is because even though I have seen a couple Vettes being raced at the track, I haven't seen all that many, and when ever I've seen Vettes or Vipers being driven on the street, they're always being driven by guys who are very old, or by those who don't seem like they ever want to lean on the gas pedal very much even if challenged.

And I've only seen one Viper at the drag strip being raced. I've heard that they're raced on circle tracks by some people, but every time (with only that one exception) that I've seen a Viper at the drag strip, their car is always just sitting there as if to be on display for people to walk up and say.."OOOOOOOH....AAAAAAAHH"...and they're never being raced.

So can it be possible that the only reason that problems with the IRS on the Vettes and Vipers hasn't been noticed nor heard of to any great degree is simply because a greater percentage of Vette & Viper owners don't really drive their cars hard as often as Cobra owners drive their cars hard? Again, this is an honest question on my part. I've never owned a late model Vette (just an old one) nor have I ever owned a Viper.

 

[Cobra03]

No. Porsches, Vipers, M3s, Vettes etc. all get thrashed in their own right. Go to any road course event and Mustangs will be outnumbered by Vettes by a huge margin. These guys drive their cars and drive them hard. They are not all old, just as not all Mustang drviers are young drag racers. The fact is that a Vette is designed and built from the ground up to be a $45,000 car, and the Viper a $90,000 car. Even the base 3 series BMW starts at $30,000. When you start at a much higher price point you can afford to build a strong and race ready IRS, as well as a light and agile car. The Mustang is designed and built to be a $20,000 car, with higher priced models building on the base platform. It is very hard to design a truly sporty chassis and suspension at this price. It is not hard when starting at double or more.

 

[BillyGman]

No. Porsches, Vipers, M3s, Vettes etc. all get thrashed in their own right. Go to any road course event and Mustangs will be outnumbered by Vettes by a huge margin. These guys drive their cars and drive them hard. They are not all old, just as not all Mustang drviers are young drag racers. The fact is that a Vette is designed and built from the ground up to be a $45,000 car, and the Viper a $90,000 car. Even the base 3 series BMW starts at $30,000. When you start at a much higher price point you can afford to build a strong and race ready IRS, as well as a light and agile car. The Mustang is designed and built to be a $20,000 car, with higher priced models building on the base platform. It is very hard to design a truly sporty chassis and suspension at this price. It is not hard when starting at double or more.

Thankyou for your intelligent and mature input. :thumbsup:

 

[Cobra03]

You got it. We can have a debate about the IRS withtout stomping on each other. SRA is great for affordable performance and perfect for straight line performance. At a given level of NVH, an IRS will alsways outhandle the SRA in the corners, especially on uneven pavement. Or said another way, at the same level of handling, the SRA will have higher NVH. And at those levels the IRS will always cost more to achieve equal strength and avoid wheelhop. Life is about tradeoffs. But an SRA can be made to handle - giving up some NVH and always with certain compromises- and an IRS can be made strong - given enough $.

 

[tito_146]

JPJR (and other IRS Lovers)...
But anyone thinking that AN IRS from FORD in a MUSTANG will ever be a 'non-compromised' solution... is GRAVELY MISTAKEN!!! :lol:

I think I am one of the few guys on here that actually races these cars in almost EVERY FORMAT...

Seriously... quit EVEN THINKING this car would have been COOL with an IRS... it wouldn't have been!!!

And again... I'm sorry for anyone I may be offending... IRS IS BADAZZ... but a FORD IRS will always be PINTO in the automotive world. (EXCEPTION to the FORD GT of course) :bowdown:

We will never get IRS systems like an M3, a Corvette, a Viper, a Porsche, etc...

Peace! :beer:

I still think better weitgh (sp) and IRS will be a better car. Think about this the IRS in the Jags, LS 6 & 8 and the T-bird are they bad? For what I can remember when the lincoln ls came out on 99?, it outhandled anything BMW had on the same price and class. Was that bad? Jags have being good handlers is that bad as well? This new platform was designed to be an irs car. It works better because it is a new platform. It will work even better with the IRS. Have you being watching the Grand Am cup races. Mustangs are doing very well. The Mustangs are killing the competition, even the BMW M3.

The old IRS on the OLD platform was a big compromise. That platform was not designed to use the IRS. Did the old IRS outperformed the solid with the same platform? Yes. Was there a better NVH? Yes. Was there a huge price increase on price with the IRS? No. Remember the Cobra came with better interior, brakes, engine. Price increase with these differences was minimal. I know some people here like the new suspention because it fits their purpose. But an IRS should be part of the new Mustang even as an option. It makes the car just that much better.

 

[Dave07997S]

I still think better weitgh (sp) and IRS will be a better car. Think about this the IRS in the Jags, LS 6 & 8 and the T-bird are they bad? For what I can remember when the lincoln ls came out on 99?, it outhandled anything BMW had on the same price and class. Was that bad? Jags have being good handlers is that bad as well? This new platform was designed to be an irs car. It works better because it is a new platform. It will work even better with the IRS. Have you being watching the Grand Am cup races. Mustangs are doing very well. The Mustangs are killing the competition, even the BMW M3.

The old IRS on the OLD platform was a big compromise. That platform was not designed to use the IRS. Did the old IRS outperformed the solid with the same platform? Yes. Was there a better NVH? Yes. Was there a huge price increase on price with the IRS? No. Remember the Cobra came with better interior, brakes, engine. Price increase with these differences was minimal. I know some people here like the new suspention because it fits their purpose. But an IRS should be part of the new Mustang even as an option. It makes the car just that much better.

Please remember that the M3 is down almost 100hp compared to the Stang. Next year there will be rule changes and GrandAM will even it out again. This is what happened to the CTS last year, and GrandAm penalized them a ton and now they aren't that competitive anymore.

Its is awesome to see Stangs in the winner circle though in GrandAm...I'm loving it. Dave