When we upgraded the old, worn out motor mounts on the Mare to brand new MM solid ones we stumbled upon a small issue; that issue being that the new mounts pushed the motor up more than what it had been previously, and that meant we couldn’t run the factory strut tower brace (STB).

The search for a new STB began and we looked at MM, Steeda, Kenny Brown and a couple other manufacturers. After a few weeks of research and late night google picture stalking we finally decided to go and buy the Steeda STB, and upon arrival we discovered that the STB and the JLT intake were hitting one another (like the OEM) and that the holes didn’t quite line up correctly either, so after a few days of a salty attitude and wanting to get rid of the STB we decided, screw it, lets make some modifications!

In order for us to make this whole thing”fit” we had to do the following:

• Take off the firewall panel
• Cut part of the firewall panel to fit the STB in more towards the firewall (recommended by instructions)
• Take off the JLT intake for spacing and test fitting
• Open up/widen the bolt holes on the STB
• Cut 1.5″-2″ off the JLT intake to move it inwards

The most painful and heartbreaking part of making the modifications was cutting up the JLT intake.

During this process we didn’t document that much with pictures, but we still have some pictures to show.

We had to widen the mounting holes on both sides on the top holes and the front holes (facing the front of the car).

Here is the panel where we cut in as well as these 2 mounting holes ones we had to widen.

Where the JLT meets the Throttle body is where we had to trim off the JLT. You can kind of see how the silicone over the JLT is pinching up  on the bottom.

Here you can see where the biggest issue came with the STB and the JLT. Even now they still touch, but in a lot less aggressive manner (it’s a more comfortable, intimate touch as oppossed to being packed like a can of sardines).

As you can see in this pic the STB is VERY close to touching the top of the JLT, but thankfully it doesn’t touch it here.