Most B-body cars to my knowledge in '71-72 came with both fender braces, but the driver side interferes with the battery replacement so most people tossed them and didn't put them back on. It helps keep the fenders aligned with the firewall and the hood\core support all straight. I think several people I know of have posted pictures of their '71-72 cars with only the passenger brace and no holes drilled or tapped for the driver side. I do not know why that was done as the majority of cars I've seen have all had the brace mountings if not both braces.
The fender distance and bracing changed in '73, they weren't as long and the frame changed slightly as well, which is probably why they were removed then. Wagons did have the braces on the frame in '73 though
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