Just thought I'd bring this into its own thread from HERE.

The 99-03 Cobra IRS can be put into 67-70 Mustangs without any welding by using the kit from DVS Restorations. Base kit starts at $1199. According their information, this IRS will not fit the 65-66 cars due to its overall width of 70.5". The wheelwell width on the 65 is 69.5".


In the other thread, Jay mentions that the T-bird and Lincoln both use an IRS. Has anyone measured them to see what their width is? If they are usable, it'd sure be alot cheaper to buy than the Cobra unit.

Ideas? Opinions? Comments?

 

Pretty sure the T-Bird unit is slightly wider. I have no figure to judge that on other than the theory that the Bird is a bigger car. The swap I have seen on an early car (65/66) used a Jag rear.

 

I sent Dave (DVS restorations) a PM "over there" to see if he would give some more input on this topic.

I'm really curious about this conversion. I may have to take a trip to the junk yard myself with tape measure in hand.

Other than flange to flange width and mounting point measurements, what else would need to be checked?

 

If Dave wanders over here he will tell you why the T-Bird setup is no good for the swap. I remember reading it in one of his newsletters sometime ago.

 

Yeah, I just found that.

"Q. - Will a Super Coupe IRS unit work with your kit?

A. - Nope. Although the SC and Lincoln pieces are more plentiful, they are bigger, heavier, weaker in some places and the mounts are completely different."


Link to the whole newsletter. http://www.dvsrestorations.com/aug03.htm

 

yea....if the T-bird IRS worked, they would be all over the place in classic Mustangs.
________
Buy Bubblers

 

Dave states that the Cobra IRS is 2 inches too wide for the 65/66 without radiusing the wheel wells or adding flares and the T-bird IRS is even 2 inches wider than the Cobra. :bang:

 

I wonder if one could use this setup and get wheels with backspacing to compensate for this width difference?

 

MAYBE with the Cobra but the T-bird would be out of the question. You'll still have wheels sticking out of the wells though because the Cobra IRS is wider than the 65/66 is outer wheel well to outer wheel well.

 

Even with the extreme late model back space it's a no go it seems from what I have read on Dave's newsletter. But the combo of backspace and rolling the lip seems to make it closer to reality... tough to tell from the article and pics. I'm sure Dave will update us all if he finds a way to make it all work.

 

Here's something you might find interesting. Ford originally planned an IRS for the mustang but the project was dropped. CTM engineering found the blueprints and necessary parts and is currently making the bolt-in kit for classis mustangs. The design is supposed to be very similiar to the shelby cobra IRS. It's kinda pricey though. Here's the link if you want to do some more reading http://www.geocities.com/ctmengineering/mustanghome.htm

Here's another link to a car being built with the IRS http://paladin.pony-cars.net/

 

Wow, I would love to have either one of those IRS on my 69. I plan on converting it to more of a street car than drag car next year. B)

 

Hey Blake, how's about deleting everything that isn't IRS related in here?

•• Since it is at the thread starter's request and to keep the thread on topic: it's done. -Blake ••

 

I hear you loud and clear