question about bracing dimensions in '38 Epiphone Broadway

I recently bought the above guitar, to fix up for myself. It's in poor shape, with many decades-old inept 'repairs' to correct.

I now have the back off, and it seems to me that the braces may have been shaved(by the local hack who did the 'repairs', and left a label, in 1977). The tone bars measure about 1/2" tall at the center of the 'f'-holes: this seems low, especially when I compare them to the bars in my good condition '39 Zenith(especially the treble bar- but I can't measure these). It seems to me the bars in the larger guitar should be at least as tall as those in the smaller guitar. If so, since I have the back off the Broadway, should I correct them, before reassembling the guitar?

Can anyone who has done work on old (prewar) Epi's advise me on this, and provide dimensions?