tow tabs?

[F body Deconstructor Jim]

Look like recovery tow tabs.
Did the 88 M's come with these? (one each side)

 

[lowbudget]

I noticed that my 87 has them when I redid my exhaust to 2 1/4" last days off.

 

[MiradaMegacab]

Yup, Ive seen them on Miradas too.

 

[F body Deconstructor Jim]

Thanks guys.
Never seen them on any F's...and its pretty much the same car under the skin.
I wonder when the factory started putting them on?
This one had a trailer hitch so I wasnt sure if they could have been related. Didnt think so, but...

 

[Aspen500]

Those are actually the tie down brackets for transporting the car from the factory. They hook the chains into them on the car hauler and/or train car. Supposed to be removed during the predelivery inspection at the dealership. 26 1/2 years as a dealership tech and I removed hundreds of similar brackets (from Fords and Audi's) before I got smart and GTFO of a dealer service that is, lol!

 

[Jack Meoff]

I don't have those on either of my M's.

 

[F body Deconstructor Jim]

Thanks Rich, that makes sense.
Guess I'll set them aside for some future restorer!

 

[lowbudget]

How much for the trailer hitch?

 

[Joe12459]

I've had several Miradas, and they've all had them.

 

[ramenth]

Those are actually the tie down brackets for transporting the car from the factory. They hook the chains into them on the car hauler and/or train car. Supposed to be removed during the predelivery inspection at the dealership. 26 1/2 years as a dealership tech and I removed hundreds of similar brackets (from Fords and Audi's) before I got smart and GTFO of a dealer service that is, lol!

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.

You beat me to the punch. I never took 'em off during the PDI, simply because I've towed too many vehicles and they're great for tying a car down on a trailer. I know, I know... as a dealership tech I was paid for the PDI, but some things just make sense to leave alone.

 

[Jack Meoff]

I guess our dealers up here took them off.
Not a one on any of my cars.

 

[Aspen500]

I'll admit, we left them on cars (Ford dealer 1986-2007) if they weren't visible from the outside of the car. Like most dealers, we worked on flat-rape, I mean flat-rate so you had to take every short cut you could, without compromising the job, to try and make rate so you could pay your bills.

 

[compubert]

Wish I had those on my wagon when I had to tow all those stuck jeeps and trucks out in the woods, had to loop over my bumper shock... :-/

 

[Aspen500]

They aren't really designed to be used as tow hooks. Only attached with one bolt (or nut). They're designed to have a vertical load like the tie downs on a trailer but they might have worked for towing to a point.