$%#@!& Monte Carlo Bar!

[buening]

Has anyone successfully spread their shock towers apart without using a Porta-power?  I checked all the rental places in the area and no one carries these darn things. I'd prefer not to have to drop a few benjamins and buy one of the darn things only to use it once.

I took the carb off, cut some 2x4 and tried using a jack to spread the towers apart.  Before the towers even move the whole thing buckles. I have the shocks removed, so I was using the holes in the top of the shock towers for my end points for the 2x4s. This makes getting the jack centered in the same plane as the bearing points of the 2x4s a challenge.  I thought about putting the boards further down, but the faces of the towers are sloped. Getting a good grip there would not be easy.

My export brace is always a pain to install since the towers have moved inward, so I really don't want to resort to cutting the monte carlo bar and rewelding (which I think Jeremy did on his).  Modifying the monte bar doesn't fix the export brace fit issue   

I've had the car on jacks for 6 months and the towers haven't "settled", as many suggest. The jack stands are under the frame, with the front suspension hanging.    I'm looking for anyone more creative than me on getting these bastads spread apart.

[6t6red]

I bought some threaded rod and a threaded coupler.  Welded the coupler to one rod and  installed the other threaded rod into the coupler.  I was able to use this as a spreader up at the shock bracket area.  It gave me about 1.5 inches of spread to push the towers back out.  You can use two small pieces of 2x4 (one at each end of threaded rod at shock brackets) It helps to drill shallow holes in the 2x4 so the rod won't walk on you.  Costs about 10 bucks to make.  Oh, when you are ready to spread, just use a wrench to turn the welded coupler and the towers will move out.

[buening]

Thats a pretty slick idea! It was 98° outside when I was attempting the jack thing, so my alternative ideas that came to mind weren't the best.  I figured someone on here had already been down this road before.   

I think I'll go buy some threaded rod over lunch break  :5

[65-408]

try pulling from the outside instead of pushing from the inside...

hook a strap or cable from one shock tower cap to something big (to anchor one side) and pull the other side out with a come-along attached to the other cap and another big heavy thing...

[buening]

I wonder if I could hook it to the wife's BMW?   :craz    Nah I don't have anything heavy enough to act as anchors.  I'll try the threaded rod trick first, and then go from there if it don't work.

[silverblueBP]

Have you tried lifting the car by the engine cross brace?

[AzPete]

Another thing, if you have the export brace in tight, try loosening it. Also, loosen the bolts on the engine mounts. Moving the top a bit can result in moving the lower areas some, but not noticed.

Are you doing a curved bar? I have been know to put some pressure at the curve and gently pull towards the front of the car. This is done with one side partially mounted and a long bolt/rod thru the mounting holes to stop things from going past the mounting holes.

[buening]

Have you tried lifting the car by the engine cross brace?

Engine cross brace is MIA.  Due to the engine being lowered, that is on my list of things to fabricate.

[buening]

Another thing, if you have the export brace in tight, try loosening it. Also, loosen the bolts on the engine mounts. Moving the top a bit can result in moving the lower areas some, but not noticed.

Are you doing a curved bar? I have been know to put some pressure at the curve and gently pull towards the front of the car. This is done with one side partially mounted and a long bolt/rod thru the mounting holes to stop things from going past the mounting holes.

Export brace was removed when the car was put on the stands and still hasn't been installed.  I knew I'd have to fight with the monte bar, so I figured I'd install the export after the monte.

Yep its a curved stainless bar.  I may add some muscle if need be   :)

[buening]

Well I'm a c-hair away from getting the towers apart but encountered an issue.  The two bolt holes that are on the vertical part of the bar end brackets don't match up to the stock holes in the apron that bolt on the outer shock tower covers.  I have an NPD stainless curved monte carlo bar, which they claim fits a 65-70, and the top hole of the two aren't coming close to lining up with the stock holes.   I know I have to drill the two holes that rest on the top of the inner fenders, but was under the assumption that the other two holes match up to the stock outer shock tower cover holes.  Anyone confirm that they should line up?

[AzPete]

Does this help. Pulled it from the for sale add Johnpro posted for the car I bought from him.

There are a couple more angles in the add too.

[buening]

Pictures really won't help much, it's more if anyone had to drill holes for those two on the vertical plate. Below is a picture of the end at the passenger side and another on the drivers side.  The end not shown in the picture at the time was not seated since I'm still attempting to spread the shock towers.  I'm 1/4" or so away from getting them perfect.

As you can see the holes aren't even close :rp






Here is a pic of my attempt of spreading the shock towers with the above mentioned threaded rods.  I'm using 3/4" threaded rods and it's buckling it like a mutha.  I loosened the engine mount bolt, thinking it was preventing it from moving.  Didn't really help much.

[AzPete]

In the three or four I have installed, I have never seen the holes that much out of alignment.

Have you measured across the mounting area? Mine have been right at 39 3/8"  or a hair less. I have seen bars that were made to wide.

Also, try putting in the lower mounting bolt and leave it a bit loose. Then attempt to rotate the top into place.

I also loosely bolt in one side and then work the other side into place.

[buening]

Mine is exactly 40" at the upper-most location where it's bent 90°    :po

[AzPete]

The light gray car in my sig....

[buening]

Any proof that your towers haven't sagged either though?  I may have to test fit my export brace to see if it now installs OK.  This could turn into a big friggin headache  :rp :rp

[johnpro]

I will look at Scary tomorrow and see how many holes I had to drill, and the measurements on mine.  I bought my chromed, curved monte-carlo bar from NPD.  It was a tight fit on Scary.  I was headed for the peg board to get a rubber mallot for some persuasion, when Ken Glick (70sportsroof on the VMF) yells, "I got it, shove some bolt in!"  I looked back and he was standing on the monte-carlo bar and sure as s%^t, the bar was in.  I shoved two bolts in, drilled the remaining ones we need and end of story.

I just installed my daughter's Monte Carlo bar a couple weeks ago in her '67.  That one was pretty easy to install.  If I remember right, I had to drill 3 of the 4 holes.  I'll verify that tomorrow. It plopped right in.  I don't know where this bar came from ... it was in the trunk when we bought it.  It's a black curved bar.

[AzPete]

Any proof that your towers haven't sagged either though?  I may have to test fit my export brace to see if it now installs OK.  This could turn into a big friggin headache  :rp :rp

The bar on that car went in with some force, but it went in within a few mins. of work. You can compare the measurement of your car and bar to see if there is a chance. I do believe that the measurements I gave are pretty close to what they should be.

[65fast]

I used a ratchet strap and hooked one end to the MC bar and the other to my sway bay and it slid right down to the holes.  This did take some cranking on the ratchet though.

My towers were in pretty far as well.

[buening]

It seemed that my towers spread easily until they reached a certain point, in which they wouldn't budge and would bend that pretty heavy bar.  While I did loosen the motor mount bolts, I decided to jack up the motor to relieve the mounts of the engine weight.  That was the ticket!   I got the bar to drop into place, but now none of the frigging bolts line up.  They are all too high up compared to the holes in the body.  I think what happened is the manufacturer made the bend in the end brackets too far down, which raises the hole location when installed.  It's some fairly thick stuff and I may end up making it look like crap, but I'm going to try and straighten the bend, then install the bolts into the holes, then bend the plate back down.  As it is now, the plates interfere with the edge of the fenders as well so something has to be done.

[johnpro]

I got the bar to drop into place, but now none of the frigging bolts line up.  They are all too high up compared to the holes in the body.  I think what happened is the manufacturer made the bend in the end brackets too far down, which raises the hole location when installed. 

In looking at the pics, I had the exact same thought.  At least the top bolt where the coil spring cover bolt goes through, should line up.

[buening]

John do you remember having to elongate the holes when you installed yours?   

I'm to the point that this may be more work than what it's worth.

[daveSanborn]

Welcome to the world of cheaply made in Taiwan reproduction parts.

I wouldn't modify the holes in the apron to adjust for a POS Monte Carlo bar.  I would modify the holes in the Monte Carlo bar's end brackets... or better yet... return it to NPD and buy one that fits better.

[johnpro]

Welcome to the world of cheaply made in Taiwan reproduction parts.

I wouldn't modify the holes in the apron to adjust for a POS Monte Carlo bar.  I would modify the holes in the Monte Carlo bar's end brackets... or better yet... return it to NPD and buy one that fits better.

As usual, :wstup

Obviously you need to drill a few new holes.  You shouldn't have to F with all 4, though.  Send it back and get a better one!

[buening]

I'm not the original purchaser of the bar and its been in my basement for 5+ years, so returning it is likely out of the question.  I'll attempt at bending the plates and see how that goes.