I guess I gotta play Devils' advocate here.
Why did you do that?
For the same reason you did your '89 - because I can. Even setting aside that you stated that the front end was a mess before,....somehow what you've got planned is better?
Not necessarily better, but easier imo.
You're gonna cut the frame rails out as well?
Yes. Why?
Assuming I tried to put on new aprons, they wouldn't come close to fitting because of how warped the front end is. Why spend that much on new sheet metal if I have to hammer it to hell to make it fit the "shape" of the frame rails? I'm sure you're aware of the integrity issues you just created by cutting the end off of the "square box" that used to be your engine compartment.
The way I see it the integrity of the front end comes from the K member. Everything in front of the shock towers is important, yes, but not AS responsible for the integrity of the front end. And besides, its all going back in and I believe the way Im going to brace it will make it stronger. I've seen this done on a few cars and they dont have issues. Now you want to heap further complications w/
suspension mounting, geometry, and alignment complications by replacing what is already there?
The K member mounts underneath the shock towers, so no suspension mounts will be affected. As for Geometry/alignment, well I think with a wrecked car, your gonna have issues no matter what you do.
You know my thinking,......any mustang relegated to dragstrip duty is a mustang that becomes worth less every time another "weight saving" mod is made,...especially after getting hacked up. And I know you said the the car was already a hack when you bought it, but the only hacking I'm seeing is the stuff you're doing.
Well, you say potato, I say vodka. There was no trunk in this car and the floor pans are 16ga sheet metal that someone POORLY welded in. So yes, I am hacking on it, but it is possible that other people can make off-the-wall ideas work as well.
Do yourself a favor, Contact LRS and spend the 159.00 it costs for a core support
And put some new aprons on it before it ends up too far gone.