Hey I have flowtech long tube headers supposedly special made for a 351w swap into my 73 comet, I am having problems getting them to fit properly. Thr driver side is hitting the steering box and pitman arm when turned to the left.passenger side hits shock tower. Considered shaving towers but still hitting steering parts, need a bit of experince...
You nailed it when you said "supposedly". I'm afraid you have run into the same roadblock that many of your fellow 351W swap guys (including myself) have run into. The ads always include the 351W, but it just isn't so. There isn't a universal header that also fits with the 351W. There just isn't enough room under the hood of the Maverick to accomodate the 351W, with its extra width and height. I guess the manufacturers just haven't done their homework. Most headers that include the 351W in their list, will fit in a specific vehicle, but most other vehicles have more room under the hood than Mavericks. Even the '65-'66 Mustang have a 1 1/4 inch wider engine bay than the Maverick, at the closest point on the shock towers. I have personally measured each vehicle. The only header that I know of that you can buy, that is readily available is Krites headers. They are made in a very different way than the standard "run of the mill" headers that are on the market, that "supposedly" fit our cars.:Handshake
how much do they hit or rub..I know its not the ideal solution but i have had this problem also..and out the frustration of having paid for the headers already.. and not wanting to cut anything, i just lightly hamered dimples in a couple of spots where they made contact ..and it took care of the problem, and after awhile i did not notice the little dents anymore, or that they were even there with black headers. I have seen since i did it , other cars with way bigger dents on there headers than me .. but I probably would not have even noticed them, had i not done the same thing myself..good luck.
