MC bar installed this weekend

[Fast68back]

Its a really nice piece, but it fit like DooDoo. I had to open up the mounting points by quite a bit to get it to fit. Looks pretty good now. When the car was in paint jail I asked the painter to weld up the end caps on the front bar, it looks beefier closed up rather than the open tubes. He repainted it as well.

couple pics:

 

[Sluggo]

Looks good.

 

[70_Fastback]

From the pics, it appears that I have the exact same combo export brace/monte carlo bar as you do.

Mine is still not on because I have to dissect it first to make it fit and reweld up the entire damn thing.

 

[Fast68back]

I just slotted the existing mounting holes on mine. I figured it mounts under the shock tower caps so it didnt really need to look to pretty, I redrilled holes close to the existing ones, then filed it down to the right size. I got it pretty even in the engine bay from side to side. I had the TCP brace setup, but this just looks more heavy duty.

 

[70_Fastback]

I went ahead and tackled that task last weekend as well. Turned out pretty good after a few hours of cutting, cussing & welding. Not neccessarily in that order either.

The Chinese laborers that built this American auto accessory must have been squinting extra hard that day, because not a single hole linded up... :wtf

I started by dissecting the entire brace...

I then basically re-built it to fit my car. Did some light tack welds in place then removed it to beef it up.

...When the car was in paint jail I asked the painter to weld up the end caps on the front bar, it looks beefier closed up rather than the open tubes...

Kind'a like this...?

... He repainted it as well.

Mine goes to the plate shop on Friday to get nickel coated! Woo-Hoo!

 

[Fast68back]

Nice work J! Thats gonna look sweeeeet nickel coated.

 

[70_Fastback]

What do you think about this though... I've been kicking it around.

I'm thinking about welding the shock tower caps to the export brace so it's all one piece in lieu of 3 pieces.

Either way I'm getting the tower caps plated in nickel as well. So it's just a matter of welding them to the brace or not.

Can you think of a reason not too? I would get all of the bolts lined up first then tack it in place then put the heat to it, off of the car.

 

[AzPete]

If you have to remove a spring, it would require the removal of your new unit, not just one shock tower.

 

[70_Fastback]

Good point Pete.

 

[Fast68back]

Good point Pete!

 

[70_Fastback]

But then again, if I'm changing a spring, I will most likely be doing it in pairs....

And likewise for schocks...

I may still do it.

 

[AzPete]

Not just changing springs but any front end work that might require a spring compressor. I have often wondered why Ford used floating bolts as opposed to putting some nuts welded into place and use bolts from the top.

 

[tarafied1]

because they are easier to round off and spin endlessly with no good way to get in there when you want to take them off.

 

[AzPete]

A welded in nut should not be a problem. As they are now, if a bolt slips, it is possible to get it to stop enough to get it out. They used that method in other places that seem to last.

Oh well, just random thoughts..............

 

[tarafied1]

I was just speaking form my experiance with those on my original shock towers. I had to hammer a really long screwdriver in there wedging the bolt and then hitting it with an impact to break it loose before it would spin as someone had rounded off the square part of the heads. It was a PITA! :2guns

 

[AzPete]

Been there with that for sure. That is why I think welding nuts in place of the stock bolts might be a good thing.

 

[tarafied1]

yeah, I think your right

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Jeremy,

Take the bar assembly to Dan in Tonganoxie and get it powder coated yellow.....I mean Orange.

BTW, That setup looks sweet on BOTH cars :cool

 

[70_Fastback]

Who is "Dan" in Tonganoxie ... ?

 

[70_Fastback]

Nice work J! Thats gonna look sweeeeet nickel coated.

I got everything back from the plate shop. I'm not totally happy with the finish. I have spent the last 3 nights buffing this sh*t. I still need to try polishing it to get a better gloss on it.

I'm going to pick up a small wheel that I can use on my drill tonight and try some rouge as well.

Pics to follow.