Hello, I have been chatting with Julie about this and she suggested a new thread. I have a 1951 F1 with stock front axle and steering box. I am concerned about my steering box because there is very little clearance between the current header (stock 1968 F100 header? not sure) and the steering box. I have read that heat can lead to failure of the box. This may have already occured. I am considering a Toyota PS box conversion as well. I would like to give my steering box a bit more room and Julie mentioned the Sanderson block hugger headers for this solution. There are two models that appear that should work. The FF1 and FF5. They move the collector closer to the block and further forward away from the box. Has anyone used these headers to solve this problem? If so, would the same headers work for the toyota PS box? And which model? Thanks so much! Steve

 

I keep hearing the Sandersons mentioned, but I've not yet seen a set of them installed in an F-1. I've looked at the FF1 and it looks like they would fit between the motor mount and steering gear like they ought to, but they are fairly tall. This would push the collector down farther in the chassis. With a vertical collector like these street rod headers all have, that can spell trouble when you go to try to put pipes on it. There will have to be a 90 degree bend directly under the collector and you don't want the bottom of the bend to be so low that it risks ground contact at full suspension compression. The more compact and higher in the chassis that the headers are, the better. The FF5 looks like a better fit as they are considerably shorter. The only complaint I have with them is the price. I think that $285 for a plain steel shorty header is a little ridiculous.

The set that I have seen installed and have already bought a set of for my truck is built by Patriot and is also sold as the house brand by Summit Racing and Speedway motors. norvillebob used a set on his truck when he installed a 351W in his F-1 this summer. Here's a couple pics of his install:







I don't think that you could ask for a better fit than that. Keep in mind that his engine is a 351W and the block deck height or your 302 is shorter. Otherwise, the engine is dimensionally identical. This just means that the headers will consequently sit about an inch lower and slightly more inboard in your truck than his. According to norvillebob, an easy-to-find '90-'96 style stock Ford 5.0L starter fits with them just fine.

I bought mine from Speedway Motors as Summit was out of stock at the time and I'm very pleased with them so far. They are well-made, the welding is good, and the ceramic coating looks great. Although I haven't installed them in the truck yet, they are hung on the engine and the fit is identical to norvillebob's pictures. The best part is the price. A plain set is only $128 at Summit vs. $285 for the plain Sanderson FF5. You can get a nice ceramic coated set like the ones I bought or even a chrome plated set for about $230 vs. $435 for a coated set of Sandersons. I'm just not seeing a $200 difference in quality here. Maybe others have more plentiful resources than I do, but that much cheese would definitely serve me better elsewhere on the truck.

Here's where to find them:

Small Block Ford Tight-Fit Headers

SummitRacing.com

 

Bumped up for one more look!

 

I just picked up a pair of headers from a Lincoln 5.0 they are shaped like a log
and the dump out the back they fit my 302 ,i have a 302/ a jag ifs.I got these at a junk yard for$30.I have to save as much as i can too,i think that the headers came
out of a late 80's Lincoln,that is what i was told

 

Thanks BlueOvalRage, The Summit (Patriot) headers look to be quite good. Is there a reason to upgrade to the ceramic or just use High Temp Paint on the plain steel headers? I will likely go with them and there appears to be some room for an Aluminum shield between the header and the box. I could not find an exhaust that mounts to the bottom of the block huggers that would go 90 degrees for the rest of the exhaust. Is there an adapter that would mount at the bottom and then curve horizontal to mount with the stock (existing) exhaust?

Bob, I assume that with the JAG IFS that you do not have the steering box clearance issue or maybe you do? If it goes straight back, I am not sure how the pipes get through the steering tube. Do you have pics?

Thanks so much!!!!!!! Steve

 

Steve,

Others opinions may differ, by in my dim view of the universe, headers go something like this: Chrome headers are only for show cars because if you actually run the engine and drive the car they will turn blue, yellow, orange, or any other color besides shiny chrome. Plain or painted headers are only for absolute beaters or race cars where the finish is not at all important. I don't care how good the manufacturer says the paint is, it WILL ALWAYS burn off eventually and rust will be shortly behind. Some paints last longer than others and there is a wide variety of qualitys and prices, but no paint on an exhaust system is forever - period. The only time plain headers might be useful is if you know in advance that some dinging and modification will be necessary. Beat and modify to suit and then send them out to be ceramic or JetHot coated. And that brings us to ceramic coated headers. They rule and I feel like they are the best choice out there for anything with headers that actually gets driven. The finish can be had in several different colors, but the silver shade is the most common. As long as you don't scratch it up too bad or abuse it, that finish is nearly bulletproof and looks good indefinitely. It will dull a bit over time, but it won't rust or flake off if properly applied. I had a set on a truck a few years ago that were on it through 4 salty Indiana winters that I owned it and they looked great when I finally sold the truck. I used it to pull a loaded trailer through the mountains one time and they got so hot that they were glowing red when I stopped to fuel up and the finish never failed. Caoted headers are worth every extra penny that you pay for them.

 

I agree on the ceramic coating, but if you have it done be sure they do the inside as well as the outsides. Headers and exhaust systems rust from the inside out do to the corrosive nature of the exhaust gases. The ceramic coated ones will also heat up less and flow better.
AFA Sanderson headers: They have excellent customer service and stand behind their products. Call them directly to find out which headers will clear, they know what works for most any application. If they recommend a set to fit, they will take them back or modify them if they don't.

 

Steve, I dont have any problems with my set up as it is rack & pinion
I dont have the stock steering box.sorry that i dont have any
pictures of anything because i am not good with computers

 

Hello, I know that I am resurrecting an old thread, but I was wondering if there is an adapter that converts the 3-bolt flange coming off the header to a 2 bolt ball flange at a 45 degree (?) angle to connect a shorty H-pipe exhaust? I screwed up and bought the ford racing headers for my GT40p heads, but completely blanked on the clearance for the steering box. I want to be able to use the summit H-pipe exhaust that I have also purchased. I am sure that any muffler shop would be able to make it, but sitting at my desk...I thought that I would do some keyboard fabrication....

Thanks, Steve

 

I used Sanders (FC3) for my Ford 408 and they worked just fine in my F1.



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__________________________________________________ ________
48 Ford F1 - Darkside
46 Ford Tudor - Lightly toasted

"Happiness - 3 pedals and 5 speed"

 

Not sure why you would want a "ball" type collector flange or for that matter a 2-bolt...why not just fabricate what you need? Here is a pic of the 351W in my 40 chassis with Sanderson headers. I bought a 2-1/2 inch stainless steel flange so that I could weld the exhaust pipe onto it at the appropriate angle. The headers came with a mating flange but it was only 2-1/4 inch instead of what I wanted. This may be something that you want to take to a muffler shop and have done for you.

 

I use the ball style collectors as well, mainly to replace the old style 3 bolt headers with the rotating clamp ring..they always blow out the gaskets.
Anyway the way I do it is I buy used 5.0 mustang tubular headers at swap meets for around $15 a pair that have the 2 bolt ball flange to cut off. I then cut off the 3 bolt flange, add tubing as needed and then weld on the 2 bolt flange. It would be an easy way to hook up to your (I assume) mustang style H pipe.

 

Sanderson headers do not use gaskets so there is nothing to blow out.

 

The Patriot headers I had for my 302/AOD into '54 would not clear the Trans-Dapt motor mounts. I found some Sandersons that had been modified on eBay and got them - they had the 90* extensions welded on already with the ball type collector.

I had to re-angle the direction the 90* turns went (they were angled too far in), and I had to massage the motor mounts a little as well as some heating and dimpling right in the collector area of the Sandersons. But my motor mount choice was made and installed at this point.

Patriots looked fine (I have a set for sale if anyone is interested), but simply wouldn't work for my set up. I think the collector on the patriots is too far forward and complicates the engine mount - regardless of choice.

Because the Sandersons I got were modified and 'used' (ie - open box), I got a decent price on them. I choked on their retail price as well.

Of note, my exhaust shop said he has a hard time getting the ball type flanges & was currently out (he can form the bell opening no problem, it's the flanges), so because I wanted the exhaust done that day, he cut off my ball type collectors and welded on some nice HD, but decidedly pretty standard 3-bolt collectors and went from there. No big deal and no leaks yet (although I'd prefer the ball type, truth be known).

Sandersons put the collector further rearward, which I think is better. They tuck in very tight too (so did Patriot).

 

Have you got a pic to share?
3 year old thread