I had it wedged in there right between the top of the towers i didn't have my engine in yet.The top couple of inches on the towers are almost flat and i did have to beat the block in once i started to spread it.I can do a lot with a bottle jack but you have to be slow and gental with it.

 

LynnBob, Try this link, Sorry about the dead end link

http://www.fly-ford.com/MM0105-How_T...Carlo_Bar.html

 

Be sure to loosen the top fender bolts. It will help allow it to move more freely and possably crinking them. At least that makes sence to me.

 

Mine the front end wasn't straight so i had to beat it back is why i used the bottle jack.You might get lucky and the export brace or monte carlo bar just drops right in.

 

Since our car hadn't been on the road in at least 12 years I was sure I'd have this issue. Purchased a 'chrome' MC bar from NPD and it dropped right in. Now regarded the MC bar from NPD.. without a doubt the worst excuse of chrome I've ever seen! I bought most of my mustang vendor stuff from them and service was great. I called, b!tched and they shipped out a replacement at n/c and didn't want the 1st one back.

The 2nd one was just as bad! At least 1/2 of the flat end areas had no chrome at all and just the nickel showing. Both looked like a set of vise grip had been clamped on and turned.. so many deep scratches. I couldn't be bothered calling back.

Dropped one off yesterday for a nice purple powder coating to match the block, toploader, master cylinder and custom 1/4" valve cover spacers.

 

I got mine in by bolting the export brace in on one side. I then put the base of the bottle jack on a wood wedge and used the overhang of the brace on the side bolted in to hold the bottle jack in place (Driver's side in the picture below):



The other side was off by a little over an inch. I cut a 2x4 to length and wedged it under the vestage of the old brace mount on the passenger side. With the car suspended by jack stands, I slowly pumped the bottle jack until I could bolt the passenger side in place and then used longer bolts on the firewall side to pull it into position, replacing each one at a time with the correct bolts once in place. I then removed the bottle jack and the monte carlo bar dropped right into place.

 

Mark,

Are you planning to leave the ends of the old export braces attached to the shock towers?

I was thinking about cutting mine off, grinding it flat and then painting it but I have seen others who left them in place.

 

I left the mounting tabs for the origianl 2 piece export braces on mine. I decided that although they are not the most attractive thing, I would rather leave them than bugger up the shock tower removing them. I see alot of cars that still have them on with the 1 piece export brace installed. In fact most I see are like that. I actually saw one the other day that still had the little export braces under the new one. I didn't quite see the point in that. I looked at mine and the original parts couldn't stay since it wouldn't fit because of the bolts and the fact that I also installed the firewall stiffener.

 

I thought about the same (cut, grind, and paint), but ended up not doing it. They're not really noticable unless you look for them, but I now wish that I did remove them as I know they are there.

 

I couldn't stand it, had to take mine out. When you know they're there, you can't help but notice it. It's just cut, grind and paint, I can't understand why anyone would leave them in. Maybe it's just me.