whats the deal with monte carlo bars?

[ramair351 10]

i have been looking for a curved one for my 70 mach. some catalogs list them 65-70, some 67-70, some 65-66 and 69-70 only. what years actually fits? are they all interchangeable? i am looking for a satin finish curved one.

[Big Secz 26]

It's been a long time since I had ordered one for my old Mustang so I did a quick search on CJP and I see what you mean. Not sure what's up with that. You used to be able to order them for 65/66, 67/68, and 69/70. I'm not sure how a 67-70 would fit. I shot over to Mustangs Unlimited and they show them as 65/66 & 69/70.

[ramair351 10]

hey you are on the torino cobra forum too?

yea its confusing on these bars.

[Big Secz 26]

hey you are on the torino cobra forum too?

yea its confusing on these bars.

 

 

Yes, I'm on that forum too. I've been a member of this forum for a few years back when I owned my '70 Mustang.

[buening 63]

I went through this madness awhile back with NPD (who was awesome to work with). I had bought the curved stainless one and it flat out wasn't going to fit (note top hole locations), as can be seen in the picture below. I had them measure their chrome, black, and satin bars at the time that they called 67-70 fitting bars and the bolt spacing was essentially the same with exception of one (see emails below). After the below email coordination, I found that Virginia Classic Mustang (first that I could find) had 67/68 and 69/70 bars listed separately yet NPD had only listed the 67-70 bars. It turns out that indeed the 69/70 required a unique monte carlo bar but no one had ever made NPD aware of it. Basically, the holes on the fender aprons in which the outer shock tower covers bolt to are in a different location on a 67/68 compared to 69/70. I had some guys measure a 67/68 and they all measured 1 1/16" from the top of the apron to center of the hole, and my car as well as other 69/70 owners measured 1 9/16" for the same measurement. Below are some responses from NPD regarding bolt hole spacing between the top and bottom hole shown in my picture, as well as distances between the end brackets. Keep in mind this was before NPD got the 69/70 specific bars in.

 

Email 1 (after a bit of coordination to have them measure their bolt hole spacing on their bars):

Hi Jeremy,

 

Part# 29432-2J is 3”

 

29432-2A is 3 1/8”

 

The 29432-2C I have here is 2 13/16” in the center of the slot. On this bar the upper hole is also a slot, not round as the one you have there is. The slot runs perpendicular to the lower though.

 

Email 2: (From me)

Can you also get a measurement from the top of the bracket to the center of the first hole along the same line as I showed in that picture? Just go to the center of the bend since it doesn't make a corner. That will help determine if the plate was bent at the correct location or not. I don't think the holes themselves are spaced incorrectly on my bar, but instead they bent the plate too low it made the bar sit too high. If you look at that picture and imagine unbending the plate, sliding the monte carlo bar down, and then bending the plate back all of holes would line up. I would have tried that but I would end up with a crease just below the new bend.

 

Email 3: (response from NPD employee for my above email request):

I am coming up with 1 1/8" on all three bars. However, the radius of the bend is quite different from bar to bar. I also checked the overall length of each bar and found them all to be different. 29432-2A 40 1/8" 29432-2C 40" 29432-2J 39 ¾" Basically, they are all going to sit on the aprons a little differently. Perhaps we are just dealing with a "one size fits all" type part, being that it fits 1967-1970?

 

 

 

[Big Secz 26]

I had purchased mine from Virginia Classic, so that's probably why I don't remember running into this.

[ramair351 10]

NPD does list a 69-70 bar now, but not in satin like i wanted, but in black I will probably get that. thanks

[manley 13]

No wonder the bar I have doesn't line up! Glad I never installed it.

[Jimjific 23]

The one I had didn't fit right either, so I made my own that ties the shock towers together instead of the fender aprons.

 

Jim

[buening 63]

It surprised me that after how many years these bars were available that mustang vendors apparently didn't know the 67-70 bars didn't fit the 69/70 cars. Rick Schmidt was the person who I was dealing with at NPD (head manager), who is a big 69/70 fan and even owns a Boss9. This was the first he had heard of the fitment issue as well (well, back in mid 2010 when I was dealing with this). I guess everyone just slotted the upper hole to make it fit?

[MustangChuck 16]

I'm glad I read this thread. I bought mine from Mustangs Unlimited probably a decade ago. Had it draped across the engine bay a couple of times, but never removed the shock tower bolts to properly line it up. Looks like I may be enlarging some holes when I do put it in.

 

Chuck

[buening 63]

Something else I learned in this madness is that if you need to spread the shock towers, the motor mounts can actually limit how far you can spread the towers. I was going to town turning the nut on the threaded rods to spread, noticed it was starting to bend and took a look from the side of the car and realized the towers weren't moving any further (and I had another 1/2" to go yet!). Supporting the motor and unhooking the motor mounts, I was able to spread it enough to get the monte carlo bar to sit in place (which was when I found the issue with the bolt holes :(

 

[LindenBruce 27]

So that must mean the coil spring covers for 67-68 won't work on a 69-70 since the top bolts are in a different position by what a 1/2"? Good to know. B

[RPM 1,190]

These problems are a good reason to make this simple bar yourself. And btw, on the store bought version the 2 bolts do mount to the front of the shock tower. Not to worry about the aprons.

 

Bob

[Jimjific 23]

I agree with RPM. Plus it is questionable how much difference the bar with a bend in it helps since it will end up acting like a big spring. A straight bar is way better.

 

Jim

[ramair351 10]

i got the 69-70 specific bar from NPD today, its made by Scott Drake. it looks great. i held it up to the car, and it appears like it will fit awesome. my shock towers are apparently in the perfect position still. couldnt ask for a better fit. I will take some pics when i install it.

[buening 63]

Could you measure the distance between the end brackets up near the bend like described in one of my posts above? Is it around 40"?

[RPM 1,190]

Mine is 40 1/4".

 

Bob

Edited February 12, 2013 by RPM

[Nightowl 10]

Is this something like your looking for?

 

[ramair351 10]

so i got the scott drake bar from NPD, and it fits great. its not bolted up, but it dropped right in like it was meant to be there. here are some pics. you can see the bolt holes line right up.

[ramair351 10]

its now installed.