88-94 Rear Strut Tower Brace

[Matt]

I had just removed the carpet in the trunk so I could measure the strut tower distance to see if a Taurus STB would fit on my 89 Conti, then I notice that there seems to already be a STB on there..

http://www.shocontinental.com/pictures/rear_tower_connector_small_m.JPG

I went down to my local Lincoln Dealership and they pulled up a rear suspension diagram and there was no sign of the STB the zoomed out and looked over the whole body and suspension of the 89 Conti looking for the rear STB but none was found. Here is my question, does anyone have a 88-94 Conti that can check to see if there's a STB in back

[MissingLINC]

Same as in my 92. I just had all the trunk pulled apart installing a CD changer.

[Nick]

Those are not strut tower braces! Those are the torsion bars that hold your trunk lid up. :D

[Steve Moran]

Nick Look at the picture just a little closer, the silver rods are the rods to hold up the trunk and the black tube is between the strut towers.
Matt; I looked in all three of mine and I see none

[Nick]

Holy crap! Where those arrows there too?! :eek: I must be blind as a bat... :cool:

[Desert Stallion]

Could they be part of a certain trim or suspension package?

[pro-five-oh]

Holy crap! They actually came with rear strut braces! This is more proof that Ford did its homework back in the 1980s, and actually wanted to make cars with a more performance slant. Less land yacht, more Volvo or Saab in nature. smile.gif

There was no handling package, that must be standard on all of them. My 1999 Conti didn't have one, I think. But it did have a front strut brace.

Learn something new everyday, thanks for sharing Matt!

[ February 17, 2004: Message edited by: pro-five-oh ]

[pro-five-oh]

quote:Originally posted by MissingLINC:
Same as in my 92. I just had all the trunk pulled apart installing a CD changer.

I was gonna say that the brace was deleted in 1990 to explain why Steve doesn't have one...but this just threw me a curveball.

[MissingLINC]

So?? How about the front, will a Taurus bar fit the front?

[Matt]

quote:Originally posted by MissingLINC:
So?? How about the front, will a Taurus bar fit the front?

Sorry about the late reply everyone..

I'm still waiting for the mounting plate.. the distance from strut towers is the same so all I need now is to check the mounting plate. It's in the mail currently and as soon as it gets here you guys will be first to know if it fits or not, pictures and everything..

[Lankin]

Just to let you know,my 92 doesnt have one.

[Matt]

Alright.. Apparently the owner of the company that's making the brace had a few personal problems, so the plates weren't mailed untill yesterday.. But the mounting plates are now in the mail. And as soon as I confirm the bolt pattern for him he'll be sending out the Front Strut Tower Brace.

If anyone is interested in getting either a front or rear Strut Tower Bracet the price for them is:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>88-94 - Front STB - $115 - Shipped
<LI>88-94 - Rear STB - $115 - Shipped
<LI>95-02 - Front STB - $145 - Shipped
[/list]

[Nick]

What does the '95-'02 brace look like? I know '98-'02 Continentals have a factory brace. It is just a tube with flattened ends bolted across the engine bay.

[Matt]

quote:Originally posted by Nick:
What does the '95-'02 brace look like? I know '98-'02 Continentals have a factory

http://www.superford.org/getfile.php?id=88743&toggle=fullsize&f=DSC00413.JPG

http://www.superford.org/getfile.php?id=111695&toggle=fullsize&f=StrutBrace.jpg
click here for larger picture. (http://www.superford.org/getfile.php?id=111695&filename=StrutBrace.jpg)

[pro-five-oh]

Those hoops that bolt to the strut towers looks like they'd be better than the stock Continental brace for sure.

[Nick]

Pro is right. The '98 and up Continental braces don't have mounting plates. At most, it's one or two bolts holding a pipe. The pipe is also straight and does not curve around the engine as the pictures shown. THanks for the pictures!

[pro-five-oh]

You know, I measured the '99 Conti bar and it would fit on a Mark VIII if the intake wasn't in the way...but the Taurus bar has a bend in it to clear the duratec V6...I wonder if that would help it work on a 93-96 Mark?

Hmmm, probably not.

[Matt]

I had the idea to put my Taurus' strut cover on my Conti,

http://www.superford.org/getfile.php?id=112017&toggle=fullsize&f=lincoln_with_taurus_cover.JPG


and it fits, of course. So the FSTB will be sent out in two weeks, and I should recieve it, who knows when? but I'll have it in a few weeks.Click here for larger picture (http://www.superford.org/getfile.php?id=112017&filename=lincoln_with_taurus_cover.JPG)

[pro-five-oh]

Wow, that is pretty cool!

I always thought you could do cool swapping from Taurus to Conti. The Marks have a strong Internet following, but its nice to see someone doing it to the V6 Conti. smile.gif

[Matt]

Just an update.. I have not yet received the STB :eek: . How long has it been?

Anyways.. I've sent the owner of the company an update, after all he's sponsoring my slow moving SHO Continental project, which isn't on the road yet, so there isn't really a priority over normal orders.

But when it shows then you'll know. smile.gif

[Desert Stallion]

Damn, I should start fabbing braces for Lincoln's. There's actually a market it looks like, at least to sell a dozen or so to the various crowds.

Hmmm...

[DustyLBottoms]

Checked my 92' Conti this morning....NO rear strut brace!

So, I headed up to the local junk yard...(Crazy Rayz...best place on earth!)..
and looked at the Conties there.

I looked at five different ones from 88-92,

the cars up to 89 had strut braces, the 90+ did NOT.

So...I took out my wrench and got me a rear strut brace......$10.....like I said...best place on earth :D

my Conti handles nice now....all I need is a FSB!

[pro-five-oh]

Ford was so good at cost cutting in the 1990s...and they thought they could get away with removing the rear strut brace, but we caught them! redface.gif

I expect that is the front brace will work on a 3.8L Taurus it should work fine on a Conti.

Thanks for the updates, Matt. smile.gif