Let me start by saying Hello to Jaguar owners. I am owner of an S-Type based automobile and I have a question about compatibility with XF parts.

My car is a 2004 Ford Thunderbird, a DEW98 based automobile.

I am trying to find if the front and rear shock tower braces from an early Jaguar XF will fit my car.

I am going to cross-post this message in the S-Type subforum in hopes some kind person has experience with these parts.

Thanks to all.

 

I have had two early XFs, a 2010 XFS and a 2010 XFR, and neither had anything even vaguely resembling a front shock tower brace so I'm fairly sure there is no such thing for the XF other than maybe a custom made piece which would a real PITA to make fit anyway due to the very limited under hood space on top of the engine.
There is/was an optional rear shock tower brace, my XFS didn't have it but my XFR did. It was bolted to the tops of the rear shock towers inside the boot (truck) under the carpet, and it is/was specific to the XF boot shape so I very much doubt it would fit a 2004 Thunderbird.

 

OxXFR - to this point two parts are identified as possible. I do not mind doing surgery on the car. It is already street/track modified.

REAR: p/n C2Z27827


FRONT: For 09-11 XFR Front Strut Tower Brace (no further identification available)

 

That rear one looks like it is legit, but I really doubt that so-called front one is legit.
Every front strut brace I have ever seen or researched has been bolted to the strut towers using all of the OEM strut mounting bolts (so on an XF that's four of them each end) and the pictured piece seems to have just one possible mounting hole at each end, which surely would not be secure enough.
It could be some other front suspension or engine bay piece but nothing like it shows up in my 2010-2011 XFR Workshop Manual.

 

Oz, think I will try the rear brace.

The front brace I'm not at all sure about no matter what the seller says. The front brace may need to be fabbed. A shop in Fort Worth (Texas Track Works) can do the job however they are proud of their work.

 

That front strut tower brace is legit - my XF has one, and I'm pretty sure it's referred to in the service manual.

 

Thanks Dave, I found it in my copy of the 2010-2011 XFR Workshop Manual, on page 2136, copy attached.
It's obvious from the graphic that it's not a strut brace as such, rather it's an engine bay brace.
I don't remember having one on my old XFR but maybe it did and it's just my dodgy memory!
Also the graphic is definitely of an SV8 engine bay (2008 4.2 SC) not an XFR engine bay so maybe it was available only on NAS 5.0 SCs.

 

Oz and davetibbs, Thank You for the drawing!

Appears the Thunderbird version of DEW98 already has this brace. On our cars it's called a cowl brace and minimizes "cowl shake", an issue with convertibles.
Ford did several things to stiffen the Thunderbird DEW98 chassis since it does not have a metal roof as part of the structure. My car needs more stiffening in the front and rear suspension areas.

Appears a fabricated front shock tower brace is my only option.

Thank you gentlemen.