Hi all, I've been told that when fitting a proper export brace, that is one made for a Maverick not a Mustang, that the shock towers are often too close together. This means that they have sagged inwards over time, a logical assumption. If this is so then wouldn't the hood rub on the inner fenders where it closes? I don't remember anybody saying that happens. Do the shock towers bend in and the fenders stay the same distance apart? Or am I looking at this the wrong way? Something has to give somewhere. Does the body flex that much? Does the tubular export brace sold by our member here on the Maverick site help much for a street driven car? Just a whimpy six, no racing or fast cornering. Because it is a six with the big factory air conditioner compressor, the Monte Carlo bar is a nonstarter. I'm thinking that the sway bars we have installed would work better in conjunction with a stiffer main body. I remember that my 55 Chebby (bad word) was still scary in turns even with added sway bars. The frame flexed too much. Believe there was an aftermarket crossmember sold that tied the frame rails together near the rear axle. John and Mikey
in my experience ive found that if the export brace wont fit with the car sitting on the ground because the towers are leaning in, i just have to jack up the car by the belly bar and then it lines up. ive never paid any attention to the hood lines with the car jacked up. usually the hood is up. perhaps the fact their is enough flex in the fender mounting flange area to keep them from pushing out or in. the front and back sections of the engine compartment are fixed and shouldnt move with the shock tower flex.
On my old Maverick the pass side tower lined up with the export brace, but the driver side was in a little over a 1/4 inch..... I bolted up the pass side, the jacked it between the towers till the driver side lined up.....
on your car...if the frame rails/torque boxes ain't rotted out, you are good. road racing may cause a problem if you run without them. as far as the distance between one set of shock towers to another...not all are the same. you may see a difference if you had a brace on and raced the car without it and then go to put it back on. JMO...Frank
