I need help with headers.

Cupid

Member
Mar 30, 2006
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For those of you who have been following my other suspension build thread you know that I have completed it and it has a decent stance.

However.....I have a MAJOR problem. My headers are too low.

HEADERS1.JPG


I need advice on headers that will "tuck" like the stock headers.(not below the frame) I don't know what type of headers I have on there now. They came with the car. I can only speculate that they are some type of "long" headers (not necessarily the correct ones for this car). I have a 351 - 2V. Any advice would be appreciated.

Right now, I can't even get out of my driveway....SERIOUSLY....:bang:
 
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My Accufab headers fit tight against the body of my 351w powered 65.' I have not lowered the car like you did so the clearances shown may seem large to you. Rest assured that these 3" collectors are about as close to the floor pan as you can get.

Also notice that the big arsed Lakewood bellhousing sits LOWER than the headers.

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http://www.accufabracing.com/exhaust.htm - Call George and he will fit you up.
 
$135

$135? That's what i'm talkin' about!:SNSign:

I would call George @ accufab, but $599 is way too much for headers. Thanks anyway though.

Can anybody beat $135?

$135 going once...

$135 going twice.....



I am worried about spark plug changes. The ones I have on there now have a notches in them to fit the plugs.
HEADERS2.JPG


Anybody have these headman shortys?
 
Pbum5 said:
maybe the angle is weird but are you sure your motor is a 351W and not a 351C?


Uh-oh....

You tell me. I have 8 bolt valve covers and my water neck bolts directly to my block, not my manifold. All Cleveland characteristics right? However, my fuel pump has vertical bolts. Windor characteristic right? :shrug:


ENG1.JPG

If this is a cleveland, what are the implications? Am I hot water as far as a rebuild or what?
 
That is a Cleveland engine. The only headers out there that will gain you more ground clearance are made by Ford Powertrain (FPA) and they are not cheap. About $450-500. Hooker Comps or Super Comps are going to hang almost as low as the ones you have. In fact, they may be Hookers.
 
Sanderson Headers also makes, (or made) Cleveland Shorty's. Can't tell you if they'll fit the Stang though. Go to the 335 engine forums on Network54. Those guys can get you an answer. You also have to watch what heads you've got. 2 bbl and 4 bbl Cleveland heads use different exhaust ports. They both have the same bolt pattern, but they don't interchange. And just because you have a 4 bbl intake on there, doesn't mean you've got 4 bbl heads. Edelbrock made 2 different 4 bbl intakes for Clevelands, one has 4 bbl sized ports (big enough to store tennis balls in:rlaugh: ) the other has 2 bbl sized ports (little larger than a golf ball) Look at the front, top corner of your heads, there you'll either find a "2" or "4" cast next to the valve cover. If there's neither, then someone swapped a set of later 351M/400 heads onto it.
 
D.Hearne said:
Look at the front, top corner of your heads, there you'll either find a "2" or "4" cast next to the valve cover. If there's neither, then someone swapped a set of later 351M/400 heads onto it.

Yeah, I do know I have a big "2" stamped on them. This really does suck, but there's gotta be something out there for less than $500-600. If it is, I plan to find it. If it's not, my wife is going to kill me....:bang:
 
Sandersons were cheaper than that. They used to have a website, ain't been there in a while though......... Nickel-chromed FPA's run about $430 shipped to you. That's the cheapest they get. Stan (the guy who builds em and takes your order, doesn't do plain steel) I've got a set on my 68 Merc's 390 and have no complaints about the headers, I don't care for the gaskets he included though. He's got a website too www.fordpowertrain.com I see all he's got listed are long tubes for Clevelands, you can call him and ask him about the ground clearance. I looked at Sandersons too and it looks like none of the 3 designs they list will work on a Stang, except maybe the bottom one. But it looks like it dumps right into the firewall on a Stang. But I could be wrong, it's been awhile since I had one.
 
Manifold vs. Shorty Headers

Can anybody break down the advantage of having shorty's over the stock manifold? I'm going one way or the other. I just would like to know if there is a BIG difference in performance.
 
As far as manifolds go, the Clevelands got better ones than 95% of other Fords got. I know this may be a weird comparison, but a while back I saw an article where they did a comparo between manifolds and various types of headers on a big block Chevelle, of which the Cleveland manifolds, seems to me are similar to, there wasn't much power lost with the manifolds.
 
D.Hearne said:
As far as manifolds go, the Clevelands got better ones than 95% of other Fords got. I know this may be a weird comparison, but a while back I saw an article where they did a comparo between manifolds and various types of headers on a big block Chevelle, of which the Cleveland manifolds, seems to me are similar to, there wasn't much power lost with the manifolds.

This is exactly what I was thinking. The manifold are extremely short. I mean, they definitely won't flow as good as headers, but not so bad that i'll lose a lot of power. Today I plan to call a few junkyards to see if they have any manifolds laying around that will fit and are not cracked! If i'm unsuccessful, i'll have to be really nice to my wife before popping the $500-600 question for some shorties.... :D And to think, this all started as a $500 suspension build!

Thanks again guys.
 
Not sure, but if the 351M/400 truck manifolds will work in a Stang, the right side one has a better looking shape (as far as flow goes)to it than the Cleveland car manifolds did. I think the left side is pretty close, if not the same as the car manifold.