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...if all the brackets I mentioned are installed afterwards, what holds the clip at the front end?
The books will show you. Did you ever purchase the AIM? Front clip bonds to the inner fender skirts (left and right) and at the cowl. Inner skirts, in turn, bolt to the radiator support. Radiator support bolts to the frame. Skirts and radiator support may or may not need shims for correct alignment. AIM shows the shim points.
Horseshoe and radiator support rod are more for bumper mounting than they are for clip mounting.