Topic: Export brace

[Rusty]

New to the forum and just recently bought my first vintage Mustang. I apologize if I ask some elementary questions but I'm just getting started with learning about these cars. I've seen exports braces in black and in chrome. I have a 69 Metuchen Mach 1 built on 01 Nov 68. I bought the car a couple of months ago and it currently has a chrome brace installed. Could this be correct or did the braces only come painted black?

[J_Speegle]

Though some sites use the term "export brace" to describe both the one piece (export brace) and two piece (shock tower supports/braces) they have specific names to reduce confusion.

From the factory only cars with an export DSO (well most of them) or part of a special performance DSO (read Shelby orders) received the one piece export brace painted semi-gloss black. Two versions were used. One  65-66 where the mounting holes at the firewall were equally spaced (requiring that new holes to be drilled in the cowl/firewall pinchweld) and 67-70 where the holes were designed to line up with the standard holes (same as the two piece shock tower supports)

Export brace cars also (65-66) also received an additonal brace at the firewall contact point.

Bottom line - your car didn't come with a chrome export brace from the factory and its very likely (check your DSO or marti) that it had the standard Mustang shock tower supports painted semi-gloss black

[Rusty]

Thanks for the reply. So the correct brace/support would be the 2 piece? Would this be the case regardless of engine displacement? My car is S-code with Jacksonville DSO.

[J_Speegle]

Two piece shock tower supports (one passenger one driver) was standard no matter the engine size in 69.

6 cylinder, 302, Boss 302, 390, 351, 428




There were two versions of the shock tower supports used (first the single standard style and one with reinforcement welded to the bottom at the firewall end on each side) but it appears that S codes at NJ used the standard style. Lucky for you these are allot easier to find.

While your looking for some please consider that they (like almost all sheetmetal parts) are dated.

[Rusty]

Thanks a bunch for the info. The PO of the car installed a chrome export brace. Looks good but I wasn't sure if it was correct.

[jwc66k]

An export brace is one item (OK, include the Monte Carlo Bar) that can be bolted on for normal daily use and easily removed for shows. When you make a medium hard corner without either installed and see the fenders move in and out with relationship to the hood, you know it's time to do something to help out the front end.
Jim

[J_Speegle]

An export brace is one item (OK, include the Monte Carlo Bar).............

Removing a Monte Carlo bar is going to leave some extra holes that your going to get dinged for

Also not too easy to take out and replace some of those export braces since  they fit real tightly

[cobrajetchris]

The export brace in my opinion should have been standard equipment on ALL mustangs and especially the boss and big block cars. This does make a much more stable front end. I decided to install one on my 69 R code and eventually I will have them on all my cars. I will just have to take the points hit as it's worth it to me. JEFF, I agree removing the export brace is not that easy and I would make the decision on which one you want and leave it. I have also found the reproduction export braces are not near as heavy as a FORD original.

[jwc66k]

Removing a Monte Carlo bar is going to leave some extra holes that your going to get dinged for

Also not too easy to take out and replace some of those export braces since  they fit real tightly

If you install a Monte Carlo Bar without drilling the extra hole on each side you don't have the extra hole on each side problem. I put a modified T nut and a very, very short bolt in the unused holes in the bar to simulate the full four mounting bolts per side installed. Then stuck a sheet of Teflon between the end brackets and the car body to reduce scratches. Ding went away. A hint, do not use a washer under the top bolts, they may scratch the under side of the hood's frame.
And a tight fitting Export brace is a symptom of why you need an export brace. Your front frame and front end sheet metal have succumbed to old age. All three of my Mustangs have the Ford made (sold by many Ford dealers before former Ford president, Jack Nasser stopped selling old and NOS parts) brace, C5ZZ-16A052-E, with the offset holes installed. The original pairs are on the shelf, cleaned, painted and wrapped, ready for use.
Jim

[jwc66k]

The export brace in my opinion should have been standard equipment on ALL mustangs -
I have also found the reproduction export braces are not near as heavy as a FORD original.

Yes.
And yes again. The stamping is also different from the originals on some new braces being sold. It takes a 50 to 70 ton press to form one, and you don't have that size press laying around.
Jim

[specialed]

ford should have used export braces on all convertibles anyway.

[PraireBronze]

C5ZZ-16A052-E, with the offset holes installed.

I'm glad somebody else has brought this up.  It's been said on this forum that the Ford part had evenly spaced holes.  Maybe Ford made both, I don't really know.  But I do know that mine, a genuine Ford service part from the 1980s, has the offset holes.

[J_Speegle]

I'm glad somebody else has brought this up.  It's been said on this forum that the Ford part had evenly spaced holes.  Maybe Ford made both, I don't really know.  But I do know that mine, a genuine Ford service part from the 1980s, has the offset holes.

Just because Ford used the same part number on service parts should not IMHO be an indication of what the original part was designed. As has been mentioned here many times Service replacements only had to be able to preform the same purpose as the original not have the same style or look of the original in any piece.

The offset bolt pattern was a later design to reduce labor and effort when  adding these popular additions to their car and at the plant on the few Shelby's and export  cars built in later years.. Do have the equal spaced bar used into later 67 at NJ