Brain storming about export brace.

[gtaroger]

I was talking withLuva65wagon about the export brace on my Falcon. Has any of you guys have any ideals on a design for one.I like the looks of the tube export brace ,but don't like the heim-joints. I was thinking about two tubes running from the fire wall to the shock towers with the tubes welded to the bracket to the fire wall and the other end welded to the plate that bolts to the shock tower. Maybe cut the tubes at one end and install a screw type adjustments .That way you could mount the brace and then preload it.Also make one bar that goes across the fender aprons like you see on some of the old Shelby Mustang.If you space the two tower tube braces enough ,you con weld a plate between them. Maybe cut out Falcon in the plate. If made of aluminum or stainless steel you could polish it out.I want to run a export brace .but something that looks better than the stock brace.

[Turbocluck]

Yeah, you would need a turnbuckle of some sort to adjust it and preload. I've been toying with a few different designs in aluminum and steel. I am not setup for stainless. I may have something available by summer. I personally like using heims, but I can see a need for guys that want a minimalist look. Here is my 67 Cougar when I was fabbing it up years ago. 7273

I'm currently dropping a 2018 Ecoboost into my 65 Tudor so I will be gathering measurements and doing some prototypes over the winter. I was toying with a bolt in plate at the firewall with the adjusters mounted under it. new shock plates and then a boltin Monte Carlo bar to triangulate. The firewall plate could be milled with the cars name or FALCON or whatever. I'd probably do it all out of aluminum for weight reduction and it's a bit easier to work with than stainless. Plus as you said, it could be polished, anodized, powdercoated, by the end user.

[gtaroger]

I found a set made by Gobal West.TS-46. I kinda like the lookwith the double bars on each side. Maybe something like that withturnbuckels on the bars close to the fire wall brace.

[Turbocluck]

I found a set made by Gobal West.TS-46. I kinda like the lookwith the double bars on each side. Maybe something like that withturnbuckels on the bars close to the fire wall brace.


Yup, but I'd merge the 2 tubes at the shock mount into 1 larger tube with a single adjuster. It would be cleaner than a turnbuckle on each tube at the back. Falcon plates and a nice milled shock mount... Thats what I'm thinking.7280:banana:

[gtaroger]

Sounds pretty good.Just aluminum. You could weld a plate between the bars and cut out Falcon .

[pbrown]

There is a bolt in export brace make from heavt stanped steel. It's cheap. I did this can had it chrome plated.

You could also build your own. Maybe something like the Global West version. It looks pretty good.
https://www.globalwest.net/1964-1965-1966-mustang-export-brace-shock-tower-stiffening-kit.html

[Turbocluck]

I found a set made by Gobal West.TS-46. I kinda like the lookwith the double bars on each side. Maybe something like that withturnbuckels on the bars close to the fire wall brace.


Yup, but I'd merge the 2 tubes at the shock mount into 1 larger tube with a single adjuster. It would be cleaner than a turnbuckle on each tube at the back. Falcon plates and a nice milled shock mount... Thats what I'm thinking.7281:banana:

[pbrown]

Is a turnbuckle needed? It's by understanding that's it's just there to account for manufacturing variations from the factory. If built in the car it should fit fine and still be removable.

I saw another some time ago that was built with curved steel tubes. I can't find it now.

[gtaroger]

Your right.You could make a small amount of preload in to it . One would be making it to fit only the one car. If you were to mass produce it ,then there would be a reason to make it adjustable.I still don't like the way the tubes are mounted the the tower plates on the Global set.Maybe cut them at a angle and weld them together. Then cut the bottom of the tubes to mount flat to the plate.Like the two tubes, but kinda like it with a thin plate welded between the tubes.Mybe lightening holes down it,or Falcon cut out of it.

[Turbocluck]

I have 2 cougars one is a 67, the other is a 68... 5/8 difference in width between the towers LOL... I thought I had a stroke or a brain fart but it was there... I later found that the 68 had been hit in the a frame and rocker intersection and had skewed the unibody a bit when it was "fixed" they didn't notice it because all the panels fit and the gaps looked right. I guess the moral of this in my mind is that even though I hand built both units in situ, It still was "off" once other damage was found down the road. PLUS, I like to preload mine a bit and thats not all that easy without some sort of adjustment. I guess it just my overkill mentality LOL...7282

[Turbocluck]

Your right.You could make a small amount of preload in to it . One would be making it to fit only the one car. If you were to mass produce it ,then there would be a reason to make it adjustable.I still don't like the way the tubes are mounted the the tower plates on the Global set.Maybe cut them at a angle and weld them together. Then cut the bottom of the tubes to mount flat to the plate.Like the two tubes, but kinda like it with a thin plate welded between the tubes.Mybe lightening holes down it,or Falcon cut out of it.


check the pic edit I did real quick...

[gtaroger]

Sorry I didn't look at it . That looks great.I do beleave you need to put a small amount of perload on the brace. I guess one way would be to remove the stock brace and jack the car up from the frame behind the front wheels and install brace from there ,but I like the adjuster better.

[Turbocluck]

Sorry I didn't look at it . That looks great.I do beleave you need to put a small amount of perload on the brace. I guess one way would be to remove the stock brace and jack the car up from the frame behind the front wheels and install brace from there ,but I like the adjuster better.


When I do my 65 I'll mock up some stuff and play with it a bit. Our CNC mill will be here the week after Christmas so grinding out a logo or text wouldn't be too difficult. I do have a set of dimple dies as well so "lightning holes" are also doable. Have them increase in size as the plate gets wider... that would be cool.

[Luva65wagon]

I've got to find this disc I have with the images from the regional Kenny and I made it down to in Woodburn, Oregon. There was a guy there with a beautiful red 65 sedan down from Canada who made, what I thought at the time, one of the best braces I'd seen. But who knows, I may find it and say something totally different about it 10+ years later. I'll have to fire up my old desktop and see if pics are on it.

[gtaroger]

I will be waiting to see .Roger

[Luva65wagon]

Took some searching, but here's the car I was thinking about. It was a very nice 65 Sedan from Canada (unique trim, hadn't seen before then, but have since a couple times). Very stout bracing and... I still like them.

[gtaroger]

Thanks for looking it up.Looks cool, but would not clear my air cleaner. I have about 1/2 inch between my hood and air cleaner. Roger

[Luva65wagon]

It was a two piece setup, shock tower brace and Monte Carlo bar. I like the stout shock tower brace, but even that MC bar wouldn't clear my regular air cleaner (as built), I don't think.

[Turbocluck]

I have to reconfigure mine in my 67 as while I had planned ahead on air cleaner (carbed) and plenum (boosted with Fox EFI) clearance, I didn't take into consideration that boost is like crack, you always NEED more. So the old M/C bar won't work with the new 102mm front facing 351W stuff, I'll probably bend one up that goes behind the elbow and over the top of the MAP sensor.... :WHATTHE:

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[gtaroger]

Nice job. What are the top shock mounts from? Roger

[Turbocluck]

Stock 67 Cougar with some bracing and tabs for the Heims. These were done before I had a mill, bender, and tig in the shop. The tubes are .125 wall mild steel tube...73027303

[gtaroger]

Nice work.Roger