remicks

Alright after all this talk about monte carlo bars and export braces I decided to go get my own. I know about the sagging of the car that will make the bar more than slightly hard to install, its been off the ground for over a day now. The bar still won't fit. Can I take off the shock tower/firewall braces to spread it more? Is that safe? Where do I mount the MC bar to? The two bolts beside the shock towers, or do I have to drill into my fenders to be able to mount it, I don't want to drill. Also would it be better to install the export brace first, or should I wait until I have to MC bar in? I know its a hard job that requires hammer work, I just want to get my info before I go to town with the hammer and start breaking stuff. Also I do not have welding available to me.

remicks

.

[IMG]local://upfiles/50401/B926AFB1B37E46A383642E4F96112848.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/50401/FC08918B6C734F5886C9D4C3F4C0D3DE.jpg[/IMG]

JamesW

I would install the export brace first, then the monte carlo bar. The export brace will help force the towers into position, which should help the bar insertion. Some people have had to go so far as getting a wooden 4x4 and a bottle jack to spread the towers.

The montecarlo bar picks up the front shock cover bolts as well as one of the upper bolts. There is another hole for which you have to drill the fender apron.

Tims65

Where do you have the car supported?

Tim

FuzzyDiceRule

it took us 4 days to get the monte carlo bar in the 69, and it still doesnt fit right, shoulda put those suckers in from the factory

baddog671

My bar went in fairly easily. I put it in the general spot and then used a rag and rubber mallet to beat it into place. I quickly found out that becuase of the "bump" on the inner fender wall on the driver's side, the mountingbrackets need to be modified somehow. I cut off the lower half of the brackets and it snugged right into place. And since I could only get 1 hole to line up on the side instead of both of them, this eliminated the need to drill the a new hole through the fender.

Remick's second picture is good for showing the "bump" and to get a visual where I cut the bracket in half at...

Nic

remicks

Well I just finally got the monte carlo bar "in." It always went flying across the garage a few times. It doesn't fit right so I'm going to consider it as a starter bar, hopefully it will spread the towers out a little and when I put it up for the winter and do an EFI swap I can put in another one. The export brace wasn't as bad to put in. It took a little effort but it did shift it somewhat to put the monte carlo bar on slightly easier if there is such a thing. Anybody have a link to an adjustable bar or a homemade adjustable one?

dodgestang

Nah....you don't want anything adjustable. If the bar is in, its in. The bars force everything to be in certain place. If you put an adjustable bar in you are simply reinforcing everything that might be in the wrong place.

remicks

That does make sense, I will just try to get another straight one in that goes in 100% correct when I do the engine swap with no stress on the towers.

Oxnard Montalvo

Jim has a design for a beautiful adjustable bar, it's just a bit too high tech for my tastes.

These cars weren't built with the precision of the hubble telescope, and after forty+ years things have "settled in." A quarter inch might as well be a mile when trying to pound something into place. And when did a hammer a become a precision tool?
Slight variations in width are easily accommodated for by a good alignment.

Cut both ends, bolt the brackets on after working them for a nice tight fit and grind the bar for the proper length. Angle the ends of the bar to fit flush against the brackets. Call welders out of the phone book, feel them out until you fid one who sounds competent. There are a million of them and this kind of work blows their skirt up.Take the car to him or have him come to you. hold the bar in place while sparky does his thing, pay the man what will be short money, take the bar off, clean it up, paint it and reinstall.

I've asked this question three times, when you spread the towers what happens to the gap between the hood and fenders on the sides? Do you loosen the fenders first?