What's this part called?

[Woodsman341]

Hi folks,

What are these parts called in the engine bay? I assume they are used to minimize body roll, but I see a lot of builds without them. Are they necessary?

Thanks!

 

[ch1ll]

What year car is that? Never seen those. If I have the year and model, I can look at the parts book. Might be aftermarket.

 

[moparmarks]

Fender strut rods. Found on 74-76 A bodies and 72-78 B bodies and also 77-80 F bodies. Chrysler must have thought they worked for something otherwise they would not have spent the money on them. I added them to my 72.

 

[Woodsman341]

What year car is that? Never seen those. If I have the year and model, I can look at the parts book. Might be aftermarket.

1975, but moparmarks answered it.

Now, will any piece of sturdy, fabricated metal do the trick, of I can't find the originals?

 

[Eric Pearson]

Ok let me locate them first.

 

[pishta]

take some 1/2 copper tube and cut to length, smash the ends and drill a hole.

 

[Woodsman341]

take some 1/2 copper tube and cut to length, smash the ends and drill a hole.

Hmm, steel tube, maybe. I'm not sure copper has the compression, tensile, or sheer strength required. Good idea, though, and worth trying!

 

[moparmarks]

I'd use 1/2" EMT.

 

[Woodsman341]

I'd use 1/2" EMT.

Hmm, might be worth a shot. I'll wait to see if he has the original ones, but I may even have EMT in the shop.

 

[S'cuder]

Hi folks,

What are these parts called in the engine bay? I assume they are used to minimize body roll, but I see a lot of builds without them. Are they necessary?

Thanks!

View attachment 1716006284

Those are Johnson rods.

 

[GTX JOHN]

I removed them on all my cars and have since to mid 70s.
they might help hold the fender in place if it was severely rusted
but we do not get much rust out in the desert.

 

[harrisonm]

They look pretty light weight to provide much rigidity.

 

[Demonic]

Our cars do flex a lot. Measure from the rad. support to the firewall on the ground, then jack one up in the middle of the K frame and do it again. Some folks claim they do add some stiffness. The factory must have thought they were useful, they made thousands.

 

[ACME SS]

On Mustangs they are called Monte Carlo bars I believe. I'm guessing they were added to conform with goverment crash test or something? I'm pretty sure that should be a solid rod and not a tube smashed at the ends.

 

[Woodsman341]

On Mustangs they are called Monte Carlo bars I believe. I'm guessing they were added to conform with goverment crash test or something? I'm pretty sure that should be a solid rod and not a tube smashed at the ends.

I remember removing them from my original 75 when I pulled the engine, And I'm almost positive they were hollow. That said, I think a bit of properly dressed steel channel would be an upgrade, if they are in fact some sort of crumple zone piece or anti-body roll brace.

 

[moparmarks]

The factory ones are hollow and about the same weight as a piece of 1/2" EMT of the same length. Maybe a scooch heavier. Ex-sparky. The engineers had to convince the bean counters that they were worth the money.
I think they were more for the uni-body flex thing rather than for crash requirements. They started on B body in 72 and A body in 74. E body never had them.

 

[jos51700]

They control the gap along the fender and hood while driving. On some earlier cars you can lean on the front of the fender and see the gap change a little bit along the hood. I've seen a few Mopars that has chips in the paint where the hood got closed and didn't have enough gap.

It's my understanding that the later cars had thinner sheet metal and thus needed a little extra bracing.

They offer nothing for handling or chassis rigidity. Body rigidity only.

I have a set I'd sell if you're looking em.

 

[jos51700]

On Mustangs they are called Monte Carlo bars I believe. I'm guessing they were added to conform with goverment crash test or something? I'm pretty sure that should be a solid rod and not a tube smashed at the ends.

They are tube mushed shut. Chrysler be cheap.

 

[Woodsman341]

They control the gap along the fender and hood while driving. On some earlier cars you can lean on the front of the fender and see the gap change a little bit along the hood. I've seen a few Mopars that has chips in the paint where the hood got closed and didn't have enough gap.

It's my understanding that the later cars had thinner sheet metal and thus needed a little extra bracing.

They offer nothing for handling or chassis rigidity. Body rigidity only.

I have a set I'd sell if you're looking em.

I am definitely interested, please message me.

 

[Cuda Al]

My bet is on crash management, they probably help move the fender a particular way on a frontal impact.


Alan

 

[pishta]

I'd use 1/2" EMT.

Yes, that was what I was thinking gauge wise but had a brain fade.