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I just bought a 1988 foxbody and I'm currently working on restoring it and then maybe in the future do some engine improvements.

I've had many people tell me to avoid this, as my car isn't going to be used for drifting or racing. I feel that there would still be benefits.

Would a Strut bar in the engine bay be a good investment to improve handling and increase performance?

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    I'm not sure this question is a good fit ... you are really asking for an opinion, which would make the question off-topic. Consider asking a question which can actually be answered without opinion. Maybe you'd like to discuss it in our chat room, The Pitstop ... we can talk about things there. – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2♦ Feb 17 '16 at 0:12
  • If this question is getting closed then why didn't this one get closed? mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/110/… – DucatiKiller Feb 17 '16 at 5:42
  • A slight tune up of this question might be in order. For example, are you looking for measurable differences? What problems are you possibly trying to solve? Are you worried that things are moving that shouldn't? Also make it clear which end you are trying to fix. Given that information, it's a lot easier to give you a real answer rather than running afoul of the "opinion based" rule. – Bob Cross♦ Feb 17 '16 at 12:55
  • Maybe that'll help. sorry for making it unclear the first time. – kameron cousins Feb 18 '16 at 0:36
  • @kameroncousins. Welcome :) I've edited your question to try and make it less opinion based and more suitable. Hopes this helps. George – George Feb 18 '16 at 23:23
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This question and answer from @BobCross is very illuminating and may help you in your decision making process. Have a look.

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Tl;dr: it might be better for noise, vibration and harshness than for handling.

Once upon a time, I had a Fox body mustang. I remembered it being chock full of rattles and squeaks. It was definitely a source of sideways looks from the WifeUnit back in the we have no money days.

After doing a little research, it appears that the greatest measurable benefit that you might gain from an engine bay strut bar is a reduction in noise, vibration and harshness (also known as NVH). Apparently, there's real data that indicates that a front bar can change the chassis resonant frequency. Apparently, the increase in frequency is manifested in a reduction in rattles, cowl shake and all kinds of annoyances. The net result is that the car feels more "tight."

However, the same poster says that he has tested before and after with his 88 on track and has seen no change in lap times.

So, will it seem nicer? There's a reasonable chance. Will it make you go faster? Almost certainly not.

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  • are you getting upvotes on your response that I linked to? – DucatiKiller Feb 24 '16 at 0:38
  • @DucatiKiller, yep. Not a lot but some. – Bob Cross♦ Feb 24 '16 at 1:48

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