width of fender aprons

Quote from chucks302

Hi ALL, im looking for a width measurement just forward of the shock towers between the right & left front fender aprons where a monte Carlo bar would be installed on a 65-66 mustang , im doing some work on a 65 and want to check for shifting of the shock towers, a measurement from a strait car with original shock towers & aprons would be best for reference, thanks in advance, chuck.

Chuck, I have found that when installing an NOS export that I have almost always had to spread the shock towers which also changes the front end alignment. This process usually begins with my jacking up the car on the lower frame brace under the engine. Due to 50+ years of travels almost all of the cars, that did not originally have export braces, are suffering from this contraction of the shock tower aprons. I know that you are fitting a Monte Carlo bar but my comments are relating to finding a car that has not had this old age problem. It will be a tough find and then really only verifiable if an NOS export brace fits right on without having to jack the car up.

-Fred-

Quote from chucks302

Thank you Fred. I do have an nos export brace on my 70 BOSS 302 im not sure if it would be same as a 65 66 car and im sure the 65 shock towers have moved , if I had a width measurement of an original 65 66 monte Carlo bar or nos one I could make a tool to measure with and correct the tower movement as close as possible . as you would understand the more the towers are inward the more alignment shims are needed to gain the correct camber & caster setting when doing a front end alignment .I have an aftermarket export brace but who knows if it has the same dimensions as an original one, thank you again for your input.

Your original export brace on your Boss 302 is correct to try on your 65/66 Kar. The only difference on an original factory installed export brace on a 65/66 is the hole spacing at the firewall. The hole spacing on the firewall on 65/66 Kars without a factory export brace is the same as your 70 Boss 302. I always work on getting the export brace to fit the shock towers first and then deal with the firewall. If jacking up the car on the tubular bolt in brace under the engine, does not move the towers enough, a Port-A-Power between the shock towers will "Get 'Er Done". I am poor so I just use a bottle jack on its side with a 2 x 4 to the opposite side.

-Fred-