headers on comet gt

How in the world am i supposed to put headers on my 1973 mercury comet gt. the passenger side looks soooo much easier than the driver side... the lengths are different. Please let me know what brand of headers to get, and what to do to make them fit!

Thank you!
sincerely,
a 16 year old broke kid

 

Shouldn't be any different than a Maverick. They go in from undeneath and you need to lift the car as high as safely possible. I have the Hooker 6901's on my 302. The passenger side goes in pretty easy. Just have the plugs out. The drivers side is a little harder. you need to remove the motor mount bolt and jack the engine up a few inches. If you have power steering or a column shifter you need to account for those. Check the search function to see what you need for them.

 

If you are a 16 year old broke kid, I would suggest keeping the factory exhaust manifolds. Can't get any cheaper than that.

 

yea i would suggest that too! but i have a crack in the exhaust manifold on both sides. Im in Auto II class at my school, we have a lift in the shop that i can use. i replaced my intake manifold already, and i ported out my own factory cylinder heads. my heads are out right now... would it be easier to do it now? then just hook them up to the heads when i put them back in?

 

I have a 73GT also. I have Black Jack headers. Was a pain and ended up with a few dimples here and there. If you go ahead with headers I suggest you wrap them before putting them in. Obviously you will test fit first.. There is a bolt on the pass side I cut flush with the nut and ground the steering box corner round where it barely touches. Getting rid of the towers is the way to go but your broke so might consider waiting till you have some cash..

 

i just sold some stuff on ebay, so i got some money for the headers. But are the headers going to hook up to the stock collector flange? or do i have to do a little cut and weld job.

 

Cut and weld.. Cuss.. Kick.. Throw.. lol

 

I bought headman headers and the passenger side was EASY the drivers side was a B**** but I did it the hard way I took the steering gear box out and managed to scrape them in that way but then after taking them back off to get ceramic coated I figured out that they go in from underneath with a little convincing and massaging. my headers cost me like $159 I think definitely worth the money if you have it to spend.
that lift at school would make life so much easier. like so many others I had to do mine in the garage with my car dangling in the air barely hanging on the jack.

I also got a cam kit for like $380 right around the same time from a local machine shop and it really transformed my car from a little v8 to a monstrous sounding machine.
the cam kit came with the cam lifters and valve springs I was researching cams by themselves running $299 and lifters at like $150 then the springs were even more so when you start building your motor go to a local machine shop thats been around a while and ask them what they can get for you.
it will save you a ton of money
AND ASK TONS OF QUESTIONS

 

By the time you are done installing those headers you will have called your car every cuss word in the book!!!!

 

Sounds like you have done quite a bit of work, so in that case headers might be just the course to take.

You will install the headers once the motor is back together and in the car.

Shorty headers might be best. The are easier to install, don't interfere with steering components or transmission linkage, and will not scrape the ground like long tube headers can.

 

Your deductive reasoning is right on target there, young man. When working in the engine bay, I ALWAYS try to slip headers in while the heads are off the motor. Usually allows you to preinstall the plugs and save even more time.

Also in your case.. you have much more clearance and ease to mock the drivers side head/header into place and do whatever may be required for header clearancing before actually doing the final install.

Saves tons of time, scraped knuckles and hail mary's.

 

You might want to take a look at Crites. Probably biggest primaries with easiest installation available I believe. I am right up the road from you and have a new set in the box that you are welcome to test fit. PM me for contact info if that would help you.

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-2122/overview/make/ford
Ok, this is the cam shaft i was thinking about buying. My auto teacher is a big chevy guy and knows nothin about fords/mercury. Would this set work on my engine with the original cylinder heads that i ported/polished. (which was a pain in the you know what). Today i went in early to school and tookoff the exhaust manifold from the collector. Ive been spending my lunches in the auto shop working on my car and staying after school.

 

I'm no expert but that seems a grade above stock if not a couple grades.. Is the engine origional? Alot of GT's came with a 6..

 

yea its an original v8 302... but lemme say this. I have the opportunity to buy a pair of cylinder heads off of a 85' mustang GT for $50 from my teacher. Would those heads and the cam i just mentioned me a better combo?