I was driving and everything seemed to be working great. Then I heard the gut wrenching sound of metal bouncing off metal and concrete. Turned around and pick this part up. Any idea where it came from? What it's for?

 

looks like one of the engine lifting bracket.

 

Transport bracket, not suppose to be there lol. It's removed after the truck is unloaded at the dealer.

 

Would it hurt to drive without it being replaced?

 

No, it won't hurt. A lot of Fox Body Mustang's had those left on them from the factory. They are attached to the exhaust manifold studs.

 

The 17a084 number is for a spare tire jack mount bracket. 17080 is the jack and 17084 is the bolt itself, so the bracket is separate by the "a" code in the service or part number. Just rechecking the number, and it is also the same number as used on the right rear lifting bracket for engine removal. They carry the same part number from Ford. Very weird for Ford to use one number in multiple different uses.

 

I ran across this picture earlier, coincidentally. These were on virtually every 5.0 Mustang I've seen with the factory manifolds.....

 

Yea, they chain it down to the car hauler with those.

 

Why was the left side header bent in two tubes? Was that to get clearance for the booster or the steering linkage? I've had a set of those sitting in my shed for over 10 years. Maybe someday I will find a use for them. I thought about my 90 w/5.0 only to find that they were on it from the factory. Something about 1990, and the way they put their trucks together that year. Some HP parts, and others with cast parts. Both numbers for the exhausts were shown as standard equipment, check vehicle, in 1990, where as 91 headers were optional except in U series (Bronco).

 

Yes, the steering shaft was the intent. However, it did not even come close to hitting. I've had a few header and steering shaft combos in mine over the years, and never had an issue.

Aftermarket headers with OEM steering shaft




With the Flaming River shaft