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i will try to upload photos soon, we just tied the firewall,front framerails near radiator,and inner fenderwells ( the part that mounts the upper control arm ) together with a combination of 3/4 box tube ( 1/16th wall ) and solid 1/2 inch round rod ( only because thats what we had laying around in the steel pile.)and WOW what a difference it made. ( about as much as putting the southsanantoniofab subframe connectors in did . ) even though the car isnt driving yet, just shutting the door or climbing in and out, or even jacking it up you can tell the difference. my inspiration was a set of braces on my younger brothers 67 camaro ( they are factory pieces ) that tie the top of the front fenders to the radiator support . i dont really know what the hell im doing as far as 'correctly' bracing everything--but i figure it can only help.it almost looks like the front outrigger tubes of a 10 point cage.so now i just have to figure out how to stiffen up the rear of the car and we should be good ( i also welded some of that 3/4 box between the subframe connectors,stock trans crossmembr mounts, front k-member, and anywhere else it looked like it needed it.) again, i will try to get some more photos up in a day or three.

Please do it sounds interesting.
Merle

dont know about anywhere else needing the bracing on our h-bodies, but the radiator support just seems to be a flimsy piece of sheetmetal that would neither need support for any reason, and would definitely not add strength or give support anywhere else in the engine compartment. i owned lots of 1st gen camaroes and those 2 cross bars from rad support to top of fender well maybe(just maybe) added a little strength to front, but i really dont think so. just my opinion art

This is a common early Mustang roadracing trick. Out from the firewall to the shock towers is an "Export brace" and across the shock towers is a "Monte Carlo bar". I've been thinking about doing something like this to mine.
*

i recogognize the mustang style brace. i could see that setup working in conjunction with the stock vega k-frame and any other points the guys would suggest using. question i have is would it add to the strengthening for a drag type car. i can see where this would really benefit road racing. maybe not even racing, but just keeping the front end alignment in place . art

Hi,
i've been reading your thread, and i'm also interested in any improvements to the cars rigidity.i have also been thinking about some of these mods.
nick75vega

ok, got more pictures up with the engine compartment bracing in place...check it out at http://s811.photobucket.com/albums/zz35/fatguyzinc/

I have plans to do something like this to my vega too.

I have been thinking a lot on this subject.

A lot of reinforcements I have seen does not really stiffen anything (generally speaking). They tend to attach the inforcements to some weak flexing sheet metal. Looks nice but doesnt really do much.

My thinking is not finished yet , but I have one idea.

The upper control arm´s mounting is really nothing more than a rather thick piece of stamped sheet metal and it flexes inward.
It should be a good idea to extend that piece of metal upwards (with a boxed shape), following the curvature upwards in the enginge compartment all the way up to where you mount the fender.

This way you make your own "strut towers" and can connect them with each other with a ordinary type strut tower connector.

hauge--yes, i thought of that too, but i was trying not to have to cut half the car up if i ever need to pull the motor back out, hah hah...

Oh no!!! Dropping the F-bomb is strictly prohibited here.....lol.....