Those dumb cross bars in the engine bay, why

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dodge freak

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Not sure all makes and models but loads of Mopar cars from the 70's have two bars in the engine bay. They go from each fender to the firewall, sometimes at the same point, sometimes not.

Why? They don't seem to offer much support. My bay area seems cleaner without them, any harm?

Sorry for no pictures but I think I explained it ok.
 
agreed, they seem stupid, and not really any reason as to why some got them and others didn't

Maybe others will chime in with a more information on them.
 
I may be wrong here, but they were designed to help eliminate the twisting effect of hard launches.

The reason some got them and others didn't was probably because of the engine that was placed into the car. The /6 wasn't a torque monster whereas the 340/360 and big blocks were.
 
It had nothing to do with the engine size, not sure what year this started but they all had them, my 74 Satellite has them too. They were put in for support from normal driving and a little extra support in a crash. You see alot of performance front wheel drive cars have a strut bar (similar), these cars do drive better. You can remove them, doubt you will notice a change.
 
Monte Carlo bars were used in early stangs from Carrol Shelby to keep the shock towers tied together to prevent the motor weight from bowing them inward! The export braces were used to stiffen up the front end. Dont know why they were called export braces. IF you cut up your fenderwells for headers, the "export braces" can only help you.
 
dodge freak said:
Not sure all makes and models but loads of Mopar cars from the 70's have two bars in the engine bay. They go from each fender to the firewall, sometimes at the same point, sometimes not.

Why? They don't seem to offer much support. My bay area seems cleaner without them, any harm?

Sorry for no pictures but I think I explained it ok.
Click to expand...

If you aren't going to use them you can send them my way! I have been half heartedly looking for a set for my Barracuda. I figure any little bit of stiffing of the structure of a 40 year old car is only a good thing.
 
dgc333 said:
if you aren't going to use them you can send them my way! I have been half heartedly looking for a set for my barracuda. I figure any little bit of stiffing of the structure of a 40 year old car is only a good thing.
Click to expand...

x2
 
It is tubular which gives it strength in linear direction, Sure you could destroy it from under the hood but... wreck the car at a fender and have a look at the crease that little piece of tubing causes. I'll admit the sheet metall is easier to fix after a collision if that brace wasn't there.
 
Added for model year 73 to stiffen the front structure of the car. Probably not gonna help much in a crash, but they do reduce vibration.
 
They were placed there in conjunction with the 74 and newer 5 mph bumpers and were used to stiffen the back half of the engine compartment in order to let the front half collapse easier.

And some people thought it was a goverment conspiracy to be an elbow destroyer for mechanics.
 
yellowdartdave said:
They were placed there in conjunction with the 74 and newer 5 mph bumpers and were used to stiffen the back half of the engine compartment in order to let the front half collapse easier.

And some people thought it was a goverment conspiracy to be an elbow destroyer for mechanics.
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that makes sense. a ton of guys are putting that type of things to stiffen the body of their cars up these days so you may as well keep them..
 
Build a custom brace from shock tower to shock tower and then drive the car.

You will notice a difference in handling, much like putting stiffer torsion bars in an A body.

Those angled side braces are more for crumple zones.
 
i think my duster had them when it was new but they got lost somehow somewhere during 30years of changing owners 20times even if the car was put away more than half that time...

cudaspaz said:
Build a custom brace from shock tower to shock tower and then drive the car.

You will notice a difference in handling, much like putting stiffer torsion bars in an A body.

Those angled side braces are more for crumple zones.
Click to expand...

im thinking alitle furhter here, howabout triangulat all these points and have both a crossbar and keep the diagonalbars? should stiffen up the front of the car quite alot, im gona try that when my car is drivable again!
 
About all they do is keep the fenders from rattling around a little. They were the first thing I took off of my 75 Duster when I got it.
 
That's what I'm going to do on my 63 dart. Triangulate a 3 bar set up from the shock towers to the firewall. Not going to happen till winter though. I already have front and rear sway bars along with frame connectors. If I remember I will reopen this thread with pics. The thin, small bars that are oem don't look like they offer much for body flex or tower support. As stated they were for impact during crashes.

P.S. Great burnout vid 66340SEDAN:)
 
I'm not sure what they were originally for, but over the years I have made all kinds of things out of them.
 
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