Caddy braced g-body?

[Dom87SS]

i had some time a while back. and while searching through numerous junk yards, searching for g-body bracing. i came across a 80's cadillac. i decided to buy all the under hood braces (6) and see if any would work on the monte. so i sat for a good couple hours postioning, and thinking, jotting notes and what not. i finally came up with a idea. it seemed, and was fairly simple. i painted them a while back, and stored them for a while. well i took them out, and did all the final fits, and here is what i got...

overall shot

close pass side

close driver side

close top/middle

shows driver height fitment

shows pass height fitment

yes i am aware there is a broom stick holding my hood up before anyone asks. now by the pics can anyone think of any disadvantages (besides not being able to remove the air cleaner in 5 seconds) i dont see any yet. but time will tell. o ya, i took the braces off, all 4 pictured. and drove the car a bit. i put them back on, and all i have to say is wow. it handles like crazy. no body at all. the tires feel like they are folding under when i turn sharp, cause the body is hardly moving, so the tires are talking the force, which is what i wanted. once i get a GP brace, and more back seat bracing, it should be pretty d### tight. well after i get rid of my 70 sidewall tires, and lower it also.

 

[TurboRegal84]

Very Interesting bracing method.....It looks good...but one concern is the stud that holds the filter onto the carb.

Perhaps you are at a stop light and go WOT....wouldn't that require the engine to 'torque' to one side, and thus put pressure on the air cleaner stud? Granted this is "what if" but having a large motor "bolted" to bracing through such a small stud could cause an issue in the long run!


Looks like a great set up, however im not sure if bolting a 'moving object' to the fender wells is such a good idea.

 

[G-boz]

looks good ,but I would have to agree with TurboRegal. that doesnt seem like a sturdy setup. you could try and see If you can somehow run that bar over the aircleaner to the top of each shock, almost like what you see on some F-bodys

 

[Dom87SS]

i started to think that also. i am going to tryo to rebend them to go under the air cleaner, and use t bolts ot lock them together just tying the fenders together. i dont want to bend that thing all up, cuae then i might have to cut them off. but thanks for the conformation, that im not the only one thinkin this.

 

[Dom87SS]

ok i worked with it yesterday. i took it all apart, and used the inside fender as my base point. i then angled the bar toward the front of the car (about a half in in front of the air cleaner), and mentally estimaed what the angle was. so i made the mounting tabs un-parallel to the bar, making it sit forward, while still being flush with the fender. i did this for both sides. and it worked just as good as mounting it on the air cleaner lid. except i had to use a nut/bolt combo to attach in the middle. so it isnt as strong as before. but is still noticably different in driving. so i am gonna tack weld the nut on. take the bolt out, and weld 2 small steel plates in the middle to get rid of the upward/downward flex that now occurs. after that. i will tack it top the fender cor bars, then fully weld everything, strip it down, and repaint the whole thing. it should turn out nice. and only 4 bolts will hold it in place.un fourtinatly my batteries in the digital camera died yesterday, so i have to get more to get some pics up here. but as soon as i can, i will do so.