F41 and aftermarket bracing diagrams (MORE pics added)

[Nick Campagna]

Would a brace like this help ? It is the 1976 Eldorado (E - Body) Convertible rear body cross brace.Has anyone any familiarity with these ? Part Numbers ?

 

[liquidh8]

I gave up on the gp bar and here is what I did for my wagon

What years and model grand prix came with this brace?[/quote][/quote]


I like how that looks. Especially if you have old busted up radiator support bushings, the front bar can be a pain to get on there from frame rail to frame rail.

 

[Longroof79]

Had I not found the GP brace (and jounce bars), I would've used the jounce bars and welded a crossbar between them...
pretty much what the pic above indicates.

 

[liquidh8]

Jack, I still may do just that! I have a spare set of jounce bars, and, The intercooler ducting could use some more space. I still may do this.

 

[Longroof79]

Jim,
It looks easy enough. Just bolt the jounce bars to the frame. That would be your jig. Then cut a piece of heavier wall conduit tubing and notch it out at both ends to fit the jounce bars contours. Then weld it together.
I know you know what you're doing. I shouldn't be telling you... :lol:

 

[Nozer]

I have a 79 malibu wagon and installed the jounce and radiator support bars, made a HUGE difference in steering but i just had the rear frame crap out after i installed a roll pan. need the rear frame horn replaced but ill be needing a rear bumper brace because the bumper is gone now. Tubular rear traction bars and bigger sway bars are needed too, Turning it into a 454/t56 10 bolt gn 3.42 posi drivetrain
so i need all the bracing i can get.

 

[liquidh8]

I think they help too. No scientific proof, but every gbody I have had I put on the gp bar, rad support x brace, jounce bars, cowl to fender/rad support junction. It always felt more compliant, and less squeaky to me.

 

[malibu80]

This is a long thread and I don't think this has been mentioned before. I was at the wrecking yard recently and came upon a 85 Grand Prix. Looking in the trunk I see it has the X brace behind the rear seat and at the sides of the trunk there's extra bracing I never knew existed. On both my Malibu's I don't have these braces. There was a Cutlass in the yard and I decided to have a look in the trunk and did not see these braces. I thinking this was only found on the Grand Prix.

 

[cyrus_the_great]

can someone say what these braces do exactly and what 's profits from braces in real world?!

 

[85Frankencar]

This is a long thread and I don't think this has been mentioned before. I was at the wrecking yard recently and came upon a 85 Grand Prix. Looking in the trunk I see it has the X brace behind the rear seat and at the sides of the trunk there's extra bracing I never knew existed. On both my Malibu's I don't have these braces. There was a Cutlass in the yard and I decided to have a look in the trunk and did not see these braces. I thinking this was only found on the Grand Prix.

I don't know about Gran Prix but I do know these were installed on the Buick GNXs...you can also buy from Kirban.

can someone say what these braces do exactly and what 's profits from braces in real world?!

From what i understand, these bars help to tie the frame together and help stiffen the chassis, which lessens chassis flex, allowing you to go faster in the corners and launch better.