Shock tower brace tacked together. Mike Maier copy for 71-73.

[Bentworker]

JO











I worked on the shock tower brace today.

It is a copy of what Mike Maier sells, they don’t make one for the goofy 71-73 cowl.  

I know it isn’t the most convenient brace to work around, but I think I have enough room to pull valve covers,  pull the distributor and do basic maintance without pulling  the brace.  Not sure how crazy I am about the 1 1/4” cross tube, but it is what the tubing bender would do.

Do I have the cross brace low enough for hood clearance?

 

[keiths71]

I really like your cowl bracket. I think the cross brace should be low enough. I've been playing around with different plates, tubing etc. Looks like you are doing some nice work.

 

[mach71351c]

I like where your heading.

 

[protouringstang73]

What type of suspension are you running ? I saw that shock tower mount and was wondering where you got that? Looks cool!

 

[mustang7173]

Hello Bentworker,

What is tube material and where did you purchase from? Who did the brake work on the cowl mounting bracket?

 

[Bentworker]

Suspension is all Maier Racing / Mike Maier INC.  I bought most of it before the brothers split the business.  Mike Maier makes everything suspension in house, I’d buy the exact same coil over kit again from him.

1”x.083 was used for the shock tower to the cowl.

1.25”X.120 (or maybe .095”) was used for the shock tower to shock tower piece.

Tube was regular old welded seam steel tube, purchased from a local machine / fabrication shop.  You could go with thinner wall tube, but I was stuck bending the 1.25” tube on a less than ideal bender so I needed some wall thickness to make it turn out well.

Cowl bracket was bent using an old cheap beat up Harbor Freight 20 ton hand hydraulic press, with some old press brake dies at home by myself.

 

[Mjordan]

What all parts from Maier did you use? I'm getting ready to purchase rear leafs, panhard, and subframes next spring.

 

[Bentworker]

What all parts from Maier did you use? I'm getting ready to purchase rear leafs, panhard, and subframes next spring.

A lot of what I have from Maier is “pre split”.  What I mean by that is now there are two separate Maier businesses.  There used to be Maier Racing, owned by the father of Mike and Charles Maier.  Once their father passed away the business split into two... sortof.  Maier Racing still exists in Hayward CA, and they make a bunch of nice fiberglass in house, including a 71-73 hood.  Maier Racing also sells suspension components, but I am not sure if they are still made in house or not.

Mike moved about 20 miles East and opened up Mike Maier Inc.  All the suspension sold by him is made in house, in his shop.  

Both Mike and Charles have been professional and sold me quality stuff over the years.  I have been to both locations in person, and I know when you buy something from them you are supporting some good folks and a lot of fabricators / fiberglass folks that work for them.  Just for whatever reason they split up and are no longer partners as best as I can tell.

Rambling aside.

In the back I have...

Bilsteins sold to me by Maier Racing

Panhard setup sold to me by Mike Maier Inc

Rear leafs sold to me by Maier Racing

In the front.

Shock tower brace plates sold to me by Maier Racing

Front JRI coilovers with Maier UCAs sold to me by Maier Racing (coil over kit)

I have seen Mike Maier’s latest version of the UCAs he sells for the coilover kit.  They are very nice and have more caster built into them than the older rev I have from Maier Racing.  If I was to buy them again today I would get the kit from Mike Maier.  Mike also has the shock tower brace plate kit available on his website.  They both sell some identical things, like the rear leafs.

All my other stuff like lower control arms, strut rods, subframe connector, sway bar. etc came from other vendors.

 

[Mjordan]

Thanks. Yes I've followed Mike and ol blue for years. And spoke with him several times. Super nice guy and very knowledgeable on mustang suspensions. Glad to hear his stuff is legit because being on the east coast I don't get to see it nor are there many running his stuff. Much less anywhere on our body styles. Keep posting updates and pics.

 

[Bentworker]

It back in.

Fresh coat of satin black Powdercoat.

Hopefully it can stay in for a while!

 

[rackerm]

Very nice work!

 

[mach71351c]

Nice job. One of the best I've seen.

 

[clevelandcoupe]

Very impressive.....

Nice design & fabrication.

Thanks, Jay

 

[Bentworker]

If anyone wants to copy the cowl bracket here is a quick drawing of it. Be warned... the drawing is close, the hole locations are less close. If you were to do this I’d mark the holes on the car.

 

[OzCoupe72]

Great work on fabricating this and looks great to boot!

I went to fit my original cowl braces but due to my RHD conversion the rh one hits the master cylinder top

Considering the TCP export brace but with shipping could be an expensive option

So far only want the "Export" brace side of it but do like the look of your cowl bracket and perhaps I can make something like this then utilize heim joint linkages to not only make it adjustable but easily removable for servicing. Only having factory suspension will just have to fabricate shock tower brackets.

I can feel another project coming along "while I'm at it"