Hey guys, i am im the process of putting headers and dual exhaust on my 66. From the beginning of this project i knew that i would have to loose the Cruise-o-Matic factory tranny cooling setup.

What i didn't know is how hard it would be to route the new tranny lines so they clear everything!

after pulling some off a donor truck and cutting and bending for 5 hours, i had made just enough steel line to clear the headers. i had planned to run rubber from the front of the bell housing to the radiator, but now i see that the steering arm may hit the lines when i let it down off the jack. it also looks as though the drivers side header is pretty close to the steering arm. sheesh!

i know this mod has been done many many times before, so any ideas about where the best route is for the tranny lines?

these are flo-tech headers i picked up at AZ for ~100 bucks, i had to beat in one of the passenger side tubes a little to get it to clear the starter..

one other thing.. on the drivers side, some dope before me had drilled out the 2 inner upper manifold holes off-center, now the ear is slightly cracked and i had to put a bolt & nut through them.. any ideas? can that cast be welded? i've gotten mixed responses from people


Joe
Beebe, Arkansas

 

Header install has been discussed here. Do a forum search for headers or header install. The cylinder head bolt problem is common on FE engines. The smaller bolt and nut trick is acceptable, ugly, but acceptable. When you pull the heads a machine shop can drill the holes out square and install a threaded insert to restore the threads. Corrosion in this area is also an issue and more difficult to repair. These heads can be welded. The broken manifold ears are caused when people over tighten the manifold bolts trying to get a warped manifold to seal. Best bet here is to remove the manifold and work it on a belt sander until it is flat. Use a new gasket and red silicone for a good seal. Torque the bolts to 10fp. Manifolds from any truck 1965 thru 1976 with a 352/360 or 390 motor will fit. The right manifold from a car will fit but you have to cut the frame. Manifolds are available in the Junk Yard. A true dual exhaust system with crossover pipe and the log manifolds will do the trick for a driver truck. Those headers may not be good investment at this point. If you take the stock manifolds, and the Y pipe a decent dual system can be manufactured. Cut the Y pipe where it joins near the starter, make it dual over the cross member, through a Dr. Gas X pipe into a dual in dual out muffler. Exit both tail pipes in front of the right rear tire.
William in Atlanta

 

the stock manifolds look very restrictive. I think the FE benefits from a set of headers. But, there are trade-offs. The fact that your headers hit the starter means a poor design from the manufacturer. That starter will be in the same place in relation to the heads in every vehicle it was ever placed in, car or truck. The header companies should place the tubes in a different place but most of them run real close to the starter. Try to insulate the starter if possible.

 

it was actually the power stud that the headers came close to, and they cleared it from the factory, but just barely

so i beat it in some