The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Dash to Firewall Brace question

Stovebolters;
The previous owner decided to cut out the brace that goes between the firewall and the dash just below the gauges. Does anyone know if that brace was bolted to the dash? Or was it welded to the dash? I didn't notice that the brace held anything in place except for the dash and a few wires - is the brace structural?

Either way, does the dash need to come out in order to put that brace back into its proper position?

Thanks for the advice!

Bruce