What's this for?

[johng]

I was hanging upside down this afternoon with my head inside the very front of the engine compartment whilst attaching my headlight relays. Whilst there I noticed a large captive nut right in the middle of the header bar that runs across the front of the front clip.
I can't see what it is meant to do and can't find it in my AIM (although finding things in the AIM is not my strong point!). Anyone know what it's for?

 

[Oneball]

Do the later cars have the round bracing rod?

 

[johng]

I've got a round bracing rod that goes from the bottom of the radiator support to the metal bar that the rear of the headlight frames attach to. The mysterious captive nut is in the very front support bar that the front of the headlight frames attach to. Since I know that the front clip has been replaced, it's possible that the front metal bar has been replaced with one from the wrong year. Or else I've forgotten to attach something!

 

[Oneball]

The round bar on my 69 does go to the front. Obviously completely different front end so might not help.

 

[johng]

Does your bar attach to something that looks like my captive nut? If so, I've probably just got an earlier year front bar fitted.

 

[Oneball]

I’ll have a look tomorrow.

 

[johng]

thanks

 

[Oneball]

Mine is nothing like that. There is a captive nut but the whole assembly is total different.

 

[johng]

Oh well, I'll just see if I can get something in there to hold the nut otherwise it will just rattle around. Can't see how it could do anything useful as there's not even room for a bolt head between the header bar and the bumper bar and there's not a hole for a bolt to go through the bumper bar.

 

[johng]

Just found out that the bar I've got fitted is for an 80 - 82 car. Apparently these have an added captive nut at the center, where the top of the frame extension bolts to.