Shock Tower Allignment

[68FBJJZ109]

I have a 68 Fastback, and I am having a problem with the mounting points for the export brace. I have te TCP tower brace kit. The front inner fender where replaced by the previous owner years ago, so this could be part of the problem. The car is a shell, with about 90% of the front suspension on, and no motor. and it sitting out jack stands, I dont think this would cause deflection where the whole don't line up. The problem is the wholes do not line up at all. The ring in which the coil springs seat them selves seem to be in the wrong postition. and when I use the stock export brace as a referance, and it does not line up either. The export brace's whole dont even seem to be within exceptable limits. I'll try and post some pictures later today so you can see what exactly is going on. I just an woried the whole front end might be out of tolerance.

 

[mustangman1974]

Jack it up by the crossmember and thats it. The weight of the car shoudl spread the towers out. I believe there are many measurements in this baord on frame specs. I believe the shock tower centers are 40in apart.

 

[68FBJJZ109]

Well here are the pics, i dont think jacking it by the cross member will help. Icould be very wrong though. There are not even wholes that are close to being aligned. Sorry the pictures are so small I dont have anything to crop the actualls smaller, and these are the tumbnails.

 

[302 coupe]

it'll fit, just gotta work at it. The bolts will move around a little bit. Its possible that you'd have to remove the springs to get the bolts to move around enough, but its not that big of a deal.

 

[Jester67]

Yah that is pretty close I was imagining something much worse. As mentioned jack the car up and support it at the firewall with the front tires dangling and it will be even closer.

 

[68FBJJZ109]

It is jacked up, supported under the fire wall by the torque boxes, with the suspension hanging, when the picture was taking. You can see two out of the three wholes are not even visable. the coil spings are not in yet. I am concerned because the when the export brac is somewhat close to lining up, one or two off the wholes are not completley over the mounting points, there over the actuall shock tower itself.

 

[302 coupe]

can you post some better pics? What your describing sounds pretty typical, hard to say without really being able to see it.

 

[68FBJJZ109]

These should help a bit more

 

[krash kendall]

Loosen it up at the firewall then use a long punch in one hole to manipulate and pry it to get the other two lined up. You will have to bolt them in without the upper shock mount untill you get the coils back in. The coils will then hold the bolts in place so you can undo the nuts to install the shocks and mounts.

 

[68FBJJZ109]

I tried the punches, the wholes absolutely do not match there is no way to bolt them all down. I am going to be using a TCP tower brace kit any how, So I am thinking about re drilling/making new wholes because something is def wrong with the shock tower mount ring. there is no reason for them to bet that out of wack. I just want to avoid making a complete mistake which is why i posted this problem. I'll give it another try after this weekend.

 

[Cannoball888]

Are you sure that your export brace is not upsidedown?
Flip it and try it.

 

[mustangman1974]

looks like your shock towers are twisted a bit. bolt thos two holes tight as hell and jack it up by the crossmember. I am willing to bet it will come closer.

Also did you check to make sure its for the right year?

 

[68FBJJZ109]

Well this export brace came with the car when i bought it and it is upright, and it was only mounted to the firewall, I think some one made a mistake when the replaced the innder fenders, because i dont think i can get everything bolted regardless of where i am jaking it up by the mounting wholes are that out of place,

 

[mustangman1974]

it look like the engine is out is this correct?

I was suprised at how easy these cars flex It think you would be suprised at how easy it is to move them around

 

[68FBJJZ109]

Yeah, I have heard as much. The distance is ok, its the postion od the wholes there not even close to there proper postion, like the ring that the coil spin sits in has been rotated

 

[mustangdave]

Two suggestions stand out: wrong brace or flip it. I'm afraid you have worse problems like parts welded in wrong or structural damge but I would definitely try those ideas first.

 

[mustangdave]

After looking at it again, I'm pretty sure that brace is upside down. Just as a note, the firewall end should be on top of the lip ( there were no pics of that end).

 

[Cannoball888]

What I already said.
This is the way it is suppose to go. Notice the part of the brace that bolts to the shock towers is cupped upwards not downwards like in your photos.

 

[302 coupe]

its not upside down guys.

 

[Cannoball888]

I disagree. 68FBJJZ109 just needs to flip it to settle this argument.