Has anyone installed Ford 5.0 Mustang shorty headers in a 73-79 2wd F100, 302 with 3 on the tree trans?

Anyone had success, without making any mods, with long tube headers?

Thanks

 

I dont know how much it will help you but I put factory fox body headers on my 86 F150 4x2 and automatic with no mods to truck. I did port the inside welds out of the tubes and weld them on the outside.

 

Was it any tighter around the starter vs. stock manifolds? What do think of the perfromance gained?

Thanks

 

I cant really remember around the starter, it was a couple years ago. The main reason I did the swap is the manifolds on my truck were cracked and when I unbolted the front half of the bolts out of one side and that half fell off. Plus I found my set of shorty headers at a swapmeet for $10. I dont really know how they would fit clearance wise on a dentside though.

 

Shorty headers are a waste of time and money unless your going to put them on upside down for a turbo application. Full 4 into 1 or Tri-Y's depending on the application would be the smartest route. By the headers for your application will be a direct fit 99 percent of the time.

Flowtech's will clear the starter so will most header brands due to the fact they put alot of R&D into desigining them also throw in the fact the 302 is swimming in the engine compartment of a dent you should be fine clearance wise. But usually with running headers with stock starters you will need to remove the header to take the starter off.

It's kinda hard to give an estimate on performance gain. Your deffinatly going to pick up top end power which is good because you have to spin a short stroke engine to make power but your going to lose some bottom end torque. Once again no big deal with a 302 but swap on a 4 barrel carb when you throw the headers on. It's like breathing in through your nose and out through you mouth.

But I'd check out a set of flow tech's long tubes they are cheap to buy your looking at around 120 bucks, it's a Holley brand, and I've had good look with flow tech over the years.