Topic: Export Brace repro/original

[jwc66k]

Ralf,
One minor difficulty. Your Mustang and mine, and all Mustangs built from 1964 thru 1973, use dimensions in the English system, not metric. Any Ford drawings you find pertaining to the export brace will be shown in the English system. We don't think metric, so if you don't mind, either go with the English system, or use both.
(I only "think" metric when working on my 69 VW.)
Jim

[J_Speegle]

Do you have the Ford drawing for the non-shelby, aka Mustang, export brace to do a detailed determination of the problems?......

There was no "Shelby" export brace. All of them were Mustang export braces installed on Mustangs or Shelbys. Excluding other versions like Falcon or Boss 429 "export" braces Think that was all of them

Well that is the wrong way to identify things. Ford identifies the left side of anything as the side where the driver sits in the USA.

Found that it works best for most people just to refer to sides as either passenger or drivers side.  Taught this when I taught auto extraction around the country. Less confusion and work if the vehicle is on its wheels, a side or on its top

[Bob Gaines]

Ok. Thanks for clarification.
My problem has nothing to do with the car itself.

Two parts are not matching together.
I'm interested in if there is a proposal for problem solving, or if anyone else has the same issue and has solution to fix it.

I don't think the brace is the problem but I do think the problem is with the unibody.  What you are describing is a common problem where over time on some cars one or both shock towers moves because of metal fatigue over time. It mainly happens on big block cars but it happens on smallblocks to. The less permanent fix to get the export brace to fit in most cases is to raise the car up balanced on the lower bolted on crossmember . As you lift the car up the fatigued shock tower that has moved inward will move back in place. The permanent fix is to use a portapower to push the shock tower back into place . I have lost count how many times over the last 40 years (when I found the solution) I have had to do ether fix given the circumstances. At least that is the typical cause of the problem and the solutions.

[jwc66k]

There was no "Shelby" export brace. All of them were Mustang export braces installed on Mustangs or Shelbys. Excluding other versions like Falcon or Boss 429 "export" braces Think that was all of them

In as few words as possible, what are the the differences in an "export brace" used on a Shelby Mustang with four evenly spaced mounting holes to mount at the firewall, compared to the "export brace" that has four holes that are not evenly spaced, that bolts to a regular production Mustang (including 6 cylinder cars)?
If you call one a "Shelby export brace" and the other a "Mustang export brace", would that be descriptive enough?
Jim

[Ralf]

I have to clarify oncemore.
The new shocktower cap does not fit to the new shocktower brace if you put both parts together while just laying on a table not even trying to assemble in the car. Look closely to my pics. The cap hits the brace rib if you want to bring the 3 holes in line. A gap is the result between brace and cap hole. To screw it down now will probably bend either the cab or the brace rib.. If you move the cap away from the rib, the holes do not match anymore. It is impossible to put the bolts in both the cap and brace. And this is only on one side the problem.

[J_Speegle]

In as few words as possible, what are the the differences in an "export brace" used on a Shelby Mustang with four evenly spaced mounting holes to mount at the firewall, compared to the "export brace" that has four holes that are not evenly spaced, that bolts to a regular production Mustang (including 6 cylinder cars)?

The equally spaced one is the first version used on both export cars (including 6 cylinder) and early Shelbys

One is 65-67 (equally spaced) and the other (unevenly spaced) was produced and used after the first version

Over the years there were allot more of the later versions available from Ford and because of this when people bought them to replace originals or to strengthen  their cars they got the later ones. So later versions (unequally spaced) have been found so often on early cars and non-Shelbys some have come to believe there are more than only one early (equal spaced) version. Notice reply #19

If you call one a "Shelby export brace" and the other a "Mustang export brace", would that be descriptive enough?
Jim

Apparently, no, because for each year they are the same piece part just installed on different cars

Now back to the current/Ralf's issue

[J_Speegle]

I have to clarify oncemore.
The new shocktower cap does not fit to the new shocktower brace if you put both parts together while just laying on a table not even trying to assemble in the car. Look closely to my pics. The cap hits the brace rib if you want to bring the 3 holes in line. A gap is the result between brace and cap hole. To screw it down now will probably bend either the cab or the brace rib.. If you move the cap away from the rib, the holes do not match anymore. It is impossible to put the bolts in both the cap and brace. And this is only on one side the problem.

Are the sock mounts original ones or reproductions also. If they are reproductions I suggest you try a set of originals and see if the issue disappears.

Lots of these late version reproduction export braces are sold and haven't seen this issue posted on this site or others

In either or both cases this may just be another example of reproduction parts not being made like the originals.

[Ralf]

The problem is clearly the brace. And here the wrong position of the holes on one side. I have a set of original Ford caps. It appears the same issue.
Yes, repros are horrible.  And in this case not usable. I saw many videos where people assembled this brace from SD not having this kind of trouble. Unfortunately, I dont have an original brace one piece to stiff the car in a better way.
May be I gonna use the 2 piece original stamped brace I have as well.

[J_Speegle]

................May be I gonna use the 2 piece original stamped brace I have as well.

Depends on what your end goal is with the car is. If restoring then the export brace is not original to your car anyway and going back stock would allow your overall project to move ahead. Can always revisit this later since its only a bolt one change

[dearbornshow1968]

I have these three Export braces   
 One measures 1.25 at what I call the wrist   
  The Second one measures 2.50 at the wrist
The third one I know is a repro I bought measures 2.75 at the wrist.. 

My question is what is #1 at 2.25 inches   what is the #2 at 2.50   (pictures )        The one that measures 2.50 USED to have a FORD part Sticker       What is the 2.25    I have had these for 35 to 30 years    Except for the repro

[jwc66k]

I have these three Export braces   
 One measures 1.25 at what I call the wrist   
  The Second one measures 2.50 at the wrist
The third one I know is a repro I bought measures 2.75 at the wrist.. 

My question is what is #1 at 2.25 inches   what is the #2 at 2.50   (pictures )        The one that measures 2.50 USED to have a FORD part Sticker       What is the 2.25    I have had these for 35 to 30 years    Except for the repro

I measured the export brace on one of my cars at the point you referenced. It was a shade over 2.5 inches. I know it's a Ford part, I bought it a Ford dealership (Now closed. They sponsored our Mustang Club.) about 25 years ago. From previous discussions on Mustang forums, a more critical dimension is the material thickness. The previously mentioned brace has a material thickness at your referenced (wrist) location of 0.135 inch. This thickness measurement was to identify reproduction braces which were "rumored" to be made from thinner sheet stock.

I have these three Export braces   
 One measures 1.25 at what I call the wrist   

I think you ment "2.25"
Jim