Hey Rich, need a way to get a hold of you my friend. I can't email or send you a PM through FTE. Please email me at modelking2000 at hotmail dot com.

I'll be sitting by the computer waiting for your email.

 

Give Sacramento Vintage Ford a call; check mine out in my gallery.

 

The Patriot headers fit good? I'm thinking about just getting a set instead of the Clifford split manifolds. The Patriots are about half the price. What is the part # for the Patriot headers that you used?

The only issue that I might run into is that the Panel truck has a fuel tank on the inside of the left frame rail. However, I'm sure that a good muffler guy can figure out how to run the pipes. What mufflers are you using and how's the sound?

 

The patriots needed very little trimming. I put in studs so that made it very rigid. The mufflers are very long glasspacks. 20in. i think. The sound is very mellow, NO rapping. The pipes come out the drivers side together. You might consider taking them out the right side, less noise. Make sure you paint them very well with heat appropriate paint.

 

I took the dual pipes out the left side together. You might consider taking them out the right side, less rumble. The mufflers are 20in. glasspacks. NO rapping! I used studs on the block to make it more rigid. Make sure you use the correct paint on the header. Good luck.

 

What had to be trimmed? Also, what do you mean when you said you put in studs ot make it rigid?

I would get them coated with a ceramic coating.

 

I installed studs in the block insted of cap screws to make it more rigid. I had to trim a port that was too close to a stud. A different header on another block might be alltogether different.

 

Hey 51PanelMan, if you are not interested in the manifold, let me know. I'd like to have a spare.

 

I spoke to Rich yesterday and it appears that the manifold that is on his engine was cracked at some point and repaired. We're still in communication about it. I'm waiting to get pictures of the manifold and the repair.

 

Update on my straight down manifold, its is cracked too. Has anyone found a correct 215 manifold in good shape they would sell me?

 

When you find one, let me know if the person has another one. I've searched and searched without much success. I was able to buy one in Vancouver, WA with the help of Dano78, but that one also revealed two cracks that were minor enough to be fixed. I now have gobs of brazing and welding on top of the cracks to hold them in place. It's not pretty, but at least it's stock. Haven't ran it yet to see if the welds would hold.

The 54+ are easier to find, but could also have their issues.

Post a picture of the cracks in your manifold. I'm curious to see if they're in the same spots as the rest that I've found.

 

Unfortunately I don't have a picture and the manifold is at the rebuilder's place. There is a hairline in the "tube" area just behind the center dump area around 3/4 of the "tube". I hope that makes sense?

It was not leaking and I drove the car for 20-30 thousand miles.

 

I think I know what you're talking about. If it's just a hairline crack, find someone to repair it.

 

This is the manifold that I bought with Dano78's assistance.




This is how it looked after beadblasting, which revealed three hairline cracks.






This is after the cracks were welded ($100). I told the guy not to be concerned with it being pretty as long as he can seal the cracks. I'm not exactly happy, but satisfied.








And this is a few days ago being BBQ'd to cure the VHT Flame Proof ceramic paint header coating. It's flat black. Originally the manifold was painted the engine color, but I'm too chicken "s" to paint it. I don't want to risk burning off the green engine color after the first run. With the intake being mounted on top and the carburetor in center, the top weld will be barely seen, as will the lower right weld since it's at the bottom.

 

Yup, i had a number of hairline cracks in mine when i went to a header. I threw mine away, should have kept it.