Installing 427 Windsor in 71 Comet

if you have a Real Comet GT and not a clone, it will NOT make your car more valuable cutting out the shock towers. if you have a regular comet, than cutting the shock towers out will not hurt the value since the car will be be worth more because of the drivetrain than the body. but your car is yours, so you can whatever you like with it.

I am the other guy running the Boss 302 in my car, I have seen many mavericks with 351w's in there cars, and I have to tell you, until you run a cleveland head motor in your car with 1 7/8 primary tubes, you have no idea what no room means.

I would call tubular automotive and see if they make a header, people are running something without cutting the towers, for some reason I thought that the hooker super comps used to say they were for a 289-351w in a maverick, thats if you dont want to cut the towers< but if you do, Saw away, thats your choice>

Duane
302 Boss 71 Grabber Uncut! LOL

 

Try this
Im going with the 408W, with the R&C MII Coil over with a manual rack.
I would also consider a full cage with front framerail bracing. Like what Bob is doing.

 

And this was one truly awesome car!!!
Chip...great to hear from you again. Do you know who would up with the Comets?
Look forward to seeing your new project. :Handshake

 

PS try Kookes Headers, 9.5 deck 2" primaries. yup they have a 3.5" collector. But lets face it putting a 427 stroker in a Mav will require alot of customizing so you might want to consider custom headers.

You might be happier with a 393 or 408 they are much more streetable when it comes to low end torque and I hear they are fun as hell. Ill let you know what happens when Im done with mine $8000.00 Plus later.

 

In my opinion Crites makes the best "off the shelf" 351w swap headers. (off the shelf is used loosely,they are made to order). They need six orders to build the headers, I've been on the list since March.

Thread with some pics.
http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=49075

 

For $1k I'd have some custom headers made.............plus the Kooks will not fit a stock crossmember..............and all you really need is 1-3/4"....
2" can support 700+hp.

 

got a good laugh out of the member who said he wouldn't touch those headers as he opted for custom equal length headers for these cars.

Is true equal length even physically possible without a full tube front clip on these cars? Seems doubtful.

for sure.. although it would depend on the engine combo to be more precise. I'd think a higher winding 427 would prefer a stepped 1-3/4 to a 1-7/8.. or 1-7/8 to 2 inch setup.. whereas a sub-6500 rpm street engine would be just fine with 1-3/4. Low-mid rpm torque would be killer with that smaller header if everything was working together with the combo. In which case the 3-1/2 inch collector is slightly larg'ish, IMHO. A custom modded merge would be a nice addition though.

 

I think with some thought a true equal length header could be built.....I will offer this again......................just bring you car down/over/up to San Jose and we will get it done.
Now with that said the headers on the Maverick are really close to being true equal length and I know they are supporting 640hp.................the only real issue I have is that the drivers side does hang down some.....but with the smaller master cylinder I think I could bring them up a little...

http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=86005&page=2

 

yeah.. I'd say you're close to equal.. but #4 is definately at least 1.5 inches longer which likely still throws your ideal tune into the law of averages.

But.. we're obviously splitting some pretty small hairs here and perfect headers are rarely ever possible.. especially for any stock chassis or street driven cars. Optimized?.. yes. Perfect?.. good luck unless it's fully clipped. Even the number of bends per primary adds variable and some shops will go so far as to step only certain tubes to compensate for that specific architectural related flow loss.

I bought an audio tape about header design from Ed Henniman of Headers by Ed years ago and he's got it down to a science in the fact that he figured out long before many others.. that it's better for average power across the curve to have too small a header with equel lengths than too large a one with unequel lengths. He also points out that most off-the-shelf headers have too large a collector for most street setups which is why many of his custom headers use odd-ball sizes in relation to everyone else.

PS. I really dig those merged collectors. I started to do a set about 3 years ago for my s-10 blaser but I gave up and ordered a set of burns. Very pricy.. but top notch quality. Plus.. I figured I could copy them later if I had them physically present on my bench. Needless to say.. their guys have better tig welding abilities than I do. lol

here's the link to headers by Ed if you want to check this old timer out. I think his son(s?) run it now though.. and not sure if things have changed or not. You know how this newer gen likes to milk that last buck out of a long established business these days.
http://www.headersbyed.com/index.htm

 

Yes, Chris Hill of SPD Exhaust has told me I just need to bring the car over to his shop and he will make a set that fits nicer and are more intune with todays technology..........and I'd love to have some SS that are ceramic coated on the inside only.
I had a company in Hawthorne, CA ceramic coat some Flathead headers I did...........but only on the inside, the same as I did on the exhaust ports of the motor............and you could almost touch the tubes when the motor was running.........and actually made about 3hp more on the dyno than the uncoated headers...................and all of this from a blown flathead that made 315hp.
Check out the site http://www.spdexhaust.com/

My favorite header manufacturer was Stahl..............I bought the first non-homemade headers from him for my SS/IA Camaro..............for Chevy's he was the man............................Thanks for the link.

 

Anytime you're dropping 10lbs of engine into a 5lb car you're gonna have compromises. The Crites are cheap considering ($370 plus shipping) and look great IMO (other Mav swap headers have wimpy 1.5" tubes!). I would probably still opt to shave the towers, even with these headers but from what I've seen you're pretty much just looking at labor if you keep the stock springs/steering. I also asked about merge collectors, they said I'd have to fit them myself (which is doable considering their collectors unbolt).


******Here's my email/response from Crites in back in March********

Scott
Yes the magic number is 6 and it has to be 6 SOLD small block headers. And at this time that could take 6 weeks or 6 months as we don't have a big name for small block customers yet.
As for the Maverick headers they are built to fit auto c-6 w p/s floor shift. 1 3/4 tube bare metal 3 1/2 collector. I can add your name to the list I would need your phone number and if and when we get 6 sold orders I can get your info at that time for payment. Thanks Jessica
Also for the merge collector you would do that on your own.




-------Original Message-------

From: Scott
Date: 3/2/2012 11:14:50 AM
To: tbolt427@frontier.com
Subject: Maverick swap headers


Hi, I have a 71 Maverick I'm looking to drop a 351w into and I heard Crites was the place to call for good swap headers. The car will have a 351w backed by a c4 tranny and its non PS and no power brakes. I heard I have to shave the pittman arm a little for clearance and convert to floor shift, plus a little cutting and welding to the shock towers. Anything else I should be aware of?

I know it could be a while before you have enough orders to make these and I'm ok with that. I heard the magic number is six orders, is that six header orders in general or six Maverick headers?

One more question, I'd like to put some merge collectors on these. Would you like me to send you the merges before you begin or fit them myself after I receive the headers?

Thanks for your time, let me know if you need a deposit to get the process started.

Scott

 

I say, notch the towers and your good to go. I used the Crites headers but ended up cutting the square flanges off and installing 2" round Trick Flow ones to match my ports. You also need a front sump oil pan and relocate the oil filter. Outside of those adjustments for me it was no diffrent then 302 based. No issue for me accessing plugs.

If all you want is a consistaint bracket car then you could stay 302, you can go round after round all day. If you want grow and go fast, go 351 based for the power and reliability.

 

crites was getting there headers from tubular automotive, so does auto krafters, I would call tubular automotive direct and compare pricing,

Duane

 

i just looked at the pictures, it does not require cutting the towers, so it might be a good option.

Duane

 

Headers for 351 Swap

Hello again Rod:
There are headers available for a 351 Swap into a Mustang that I used for
my 427 swap and they were 1-3/4" diam. tubes. Only had to do minor trimming of a couple tubes and they fit pretty good considering. We removed the shock towers and had a rack and pinion steering also. If you're interested I'll look up the make ( I think they were Hedmans) .. Hooker also makes a set of headers but they are a "no fit" ..and were troublesome to install. Let me know . I hope you get this resolved. I highly recommend removing the towers to gain the room you'll need. Cometized