Second-gen Camaros and Firebirds look better under the hood, and handle stiffer with DSE’s adjustable fender braces.

We spent the last couple of years renovating PHR’s Project g/28, a ’76 Camaro we picked up for $2,300 in February 2004. Over the years, we’ve transformed it from an ugly duckling, into to a very graceful swan. But when I saw these new adjustable fender braces from Detroit Speed & Engineering, I suddenly felt we were back at the ugly duckling stage. As I stare at the photo, I can’t help but think, boy, our Camaro would sure look a lot better with a pair of these, which go for about $185 a pair.

These pieces replace the stock stamped tubing braces, which look unremarkable on a good day. The DSE fender braces have a functional, industrial look, and are made from 304 stainless steel, and feature a CNC-machined clevis. And check out those laser-cut mounting brackets, and the satin black powdercoated finish. The braces are adjustable too, making it an easy fit on a car that is known for a rather “generous” fitment tolerance for factory body panels.

As for the performance benefit, yes, they do help triangulate the core support and the fenders to reduce flex and NVH—just as the original stamped steel pipes did, only these DSE pieces look good doing it. They’re also available for first-gen Camaros and Firebirds, too. For more, call 704-662-3272, or log on to www.detroitspeed.com