Guys
Just wondering if anyone has a BMP rear brace installed, and if they had any issues with it fitting?

Are the shock towers distance the same between the early and later model e21s?

Ken has my BMP rear brace and is ready to fabricate up the battery relocation part to it, but finds that the BMP bar is too wide by about 3/8".

My thoughts are if is too wide to cut it in the center and weld it up the way it should be. Anyone out there have you run into this problem??

My other thoughts where to slot the holes?

They are all the same. The bar gave me a hard time too, you are just going to have to sit there and play with it until it goes. The car is 25 plus years old so it had time to move out of spec all those years.

It may seem like it wont fit, but it will go after you sit there and mess with it for awhile.

^^^^^What he said^^^^^^

Ken has the bar and is going to fab up the battery relocation kit to be welded to the underneath side of the bar, so i dont have to drill holes in the trunk.

Just to clarify - is the BMP bar too long, or where exactly is the fitment problem in linining up the holes with the 3 bolts for the shock towers? I have heard people have slotted these holes.

Anyway if the measurements are all the same, Ken please fab up the relocation tray and cross braces to it.

PM sent, one more idea to make it fit-other than slotting the holes... not the best solution.

ken

Nore than likely that your frame is tweaked.

Nore than likely that your frame is tweaked.

Bruce I am having the usual problems with this BMP bar.

I am having Ken fab up a battery relocation kit to it, but the bar will not fit either of his cars.





His '78 is 34 1/4" (give or take 1/16") between the shock towers just above the weld bead where the towers meet the wheel well. Even with the shocks dropped on the 82 it will not fit. ..In place and the center hole correctly oriented in relation to the hole in the shock tower the other end falls 3/8" short at the bolt holes and the center hole. My '82 is 34 3/8" between the towers in the same place-1/8" difference from the '78. ken

Ken says both of his cars are straight.

It could be another fine example of BMP engineering:rolleyes

So I am thinking about measuring the exact distance between the bar for mine, having Ken modify the bar to this length, and then add the battery relocation to it. Do i just run a tape from the outer shock tower one one side to the outer shock location on the other.

Anyone have any other ideas????

damn, i was hoping to have ken fab up a second tray for me, but now i'm thinking i should go with a different strut bar...keep us updated on the progress!

Bruce I am having the usual problems with this BMP bar.

I am having Ken fab up a battery relocation kit to it, but the bar will not fit either of his cars.




Ken says both of his cars are straight.

It could be another fine example of BMP engineering:rolleyes

So I am thinking about measuring the exact distance between the bar for mine, having Ken modify the bar to this length, and then add the battery relocation to it. Do i just run a tape from the outer shock tower one one side to the outer shock location on the other.

Anyone have any other ideas????

lol, if your not sure how or where to measure you better have a shop do that for you. Not trying to take business away from Ken, but shipping that bar and all that time your taking to do that you might as well have someone local do it. Like you said if its 3/8" to long then section the bar by 3/8". I would personally make that bitch fit, it wont seem like it will but it should go. Unless you have severe flex in the body.

And no, BMP did not "engineer" this bar, they are made by ST.

I dropped the shocks on my '82 this evening to eliminate the slight angle of the studs from the equation. The bar is 3/8" too short. With one end located correctly with two bolts and the center hole correctly oriented over the shock tower hole the other side won't come close to lining up. If I elongated the bolt holes to fit, the center holes will still be off and interfere with the upper shock mount where it protrudes through the tower.

My '78 is within 1/8" of my '82 between the shock towers. The '78 has never been hit anywhere and has no rust so the body has not sagged at all, the '82 has only been hit straight in the nose so the rear is unaffected and that car has no rust either. Don't know why the bar won't fit either car. I don't have access to the rectangular aluminum stock locally to modify the bar. I'll be sending it out tomorrow. To bad, TIGing aluminum is hot work but one of the more fun things I get to do.

ken

Ken,
Before you send it back to me please allow me to take a measurement of the area. If I think its close I can you please make up the battery trey and all the other parts like Fred's design.

thanks
Joe

I would send it back and get another one. It's probably just a mistake.

lol, if your not sure how or where to measure you better have a shop do that for you. Not trying to take business away from Ken, but shipping that bar and all that time your taking to do that you might as well have someone local do it. Like you said if its 3/8" to long then section the bar by 3/8". I would personally make that bitch fit, it wont seem like it will but it should go. Unless you have severe flex in the body.

And no, BMP did not "engineer" this bar, they are made by ST.

I had Ken ship the bar back to me, and quess what? :eek::confused
The bar Fits!

I dont get why it fits my car but not his.
Anyone have any ideas why this is?


Anyway its back to Cali for the fabrication.
I will post pics after its done and powdercoated.
I cant wait to get my car started, and this will help me keep the optima
battery from moving around in the trunk.