OEM Shock Tower Braces

our OEM shock tower braces are huge and you can't get much done around them unless you have a 302 or a 6cyl. everytime i need to do something around the head and exhaust, i need to remove them, but it doesn't help too i have tall ford racing valve covers.

now with me mostly drag racing it, and only driving it on the street 20 percent of the time, do i really need them or will i ask for trouble if i don't?

besides, if i go to coil-overs, those bolts that hold them down will no longer stay in place because the inside part of the shock tower will be gone.

Yes! You absolutely need them! That's what makes the front of the body and suspension rigid. Think about the pressure on the front end of the car when you launch and come down between shifts. You could easily buckle the inner fenders, the fenders themselves and tweak the suspension and or steering. I have seen ones fabricated out of steel pipe with mounting brackets welded to them. They serve the same purpose, but take up less room. Hope this helps.

-Travis

Saw a fellow try try it withought them in 79. Wasn't pretty the way the aprons moved. Consider the torque in the directin of motor rotation and you'll see what I mean. Of course he was running low 10's when he tried it and I didn't see the result until the following week when we figured why the car launch had changed.

Yes they are a pain to work around, but are very necessary. Not that difficult to make some out of square, rectangular, or round tubing, even to make them adjustable. MPG Heads makes some that are adjustable and easy to remove:

http://www.mpgheads.com/export_brace.php

And here's some that've are polished stainless:

http://www.mmsacc-stainless.com/html/FordBraces.htm

I've got the MPG head 71 version with montecarlo bar - looks bitching, quick to take off - chooce the quick release pins version. Very quick and handy to use even at the racetrack, makes the popping the valvecovers off an easy task. I woudn't ever change back to the OEM braces.

Dam the MPG one looks the bomb, will be getting that ordered come payday.. looks sweet...

Installed pictures anyone?

There are pictures of mine somewhere, but no Monte Carlo bar

If you use the MPG ones, where do you go with the power steering hose?

Those MPG braces have those quick release snaps to remove them but you can't remove them when the hose is attached to them.

i've seen the MPG ones and the other companies is the same price so i'll go with the most popular ones. it'll be different if the other companies were cheaper.

it ought to make maintenance on the motor easier.