[systronic]

Hello All.
If you don't know anything about my stang yet, It's a '65 coupe that was formerly an I6, but is now an empty shell waiting for a nice V8.

I was doing some research on 64's and 65's and whatnot, and discovered something weird (at least i THINK it's weird) about my car. There currently ARE two braces going from the firewall to the shock towers. But it is unlink any I have yet to see a picture of. There are brackets WELDED to the top of the shock towers, with two bolts for a boxed, stamped steel brace that bolts to the OTHER bracket on the firewall. one on each side.

I am trying to figure where this came from. Is it factory? Is it an option? is it a T5 export? Was the car originally some sort of special edition (god forbid it was a shelby, i'll break my own legs.)

Any input is appreciated!
I'll try and get some pics up, but the car is about an hour away.

EDIT:
I found two photos of one like mine.
64 1/2: http://www.svs.com/zim/mustang/images/dif-e1a.jpg
65: http://www.svs.com/zim/mustang/images/dif-e1b.jpg

[Spraguepsycho1]

Looks like it's pretty much stock standard stuff to me. My '65 coupe is identicle to the ones in the pics you posted, and it came stock with the 289 2 barrel carb engine. Since yours had a 6 cylinder in it originally, and it being a coupe, I highly doubt it was a Shelby lol.

[systronic]

Well, i'll have to run the VIN on the six, i'm not sure it was a six cylinder originally. From what i understand, the 200cid sixers in 1965 were painted red, and the one in my car is painted blue, and has the year "1971" in the emissions statement on the engine tag. Frankenstang's history is very blurry... much like my weekends.

[Spraguepsycho1]

What's the letter in the 5th spot in your VIN? C=289 2bbl, A=289 4 bbl, K=289 Hi Performance. I believe any other letter (possibly a T) would be a 6 cylinder. Also are the wheels a 4 lug or 5 lug? All of the stock 6 cylinder '65 Mustangs I've seen were only 4 lug, all V-8's had 5 lugs.

[andrewmp6]

Yes its not a shelby thats just a the factory export brace its not as thick or wide as the after market ones.

[systronic]

all good points gentlemen, obviously my car was originally a 6. the teeny weeny rear end, 4 lug wheel setup, and crappy 7 inch drum brakes should give that away.... thanks for the help guys!

[Veronica]

Hello. That's the standard cowl brace set-up. All 65/66 mustangs had that, except for the export cars and the 65/66 GT-350s. The export braces that were used on export cars had 4 evenly spaced bolts holding them to the cowl instead of the two and two configuration like yours. The also don't have that short bracket welded to the shock towers, since the export brace sits down on the top of the shock tower, underneath the shock caps. Hope that helps.