Mocked up the 455/ trans/ TA Stage 2 heads/ T/A shorty headers. Steering box hit 2 of the tubes on the driver's side, and this after pulling the 'box, installing the header & trying to reinstall the 'box. No go. Was expecting such- I'm not aware anyone has put a Stg 2 455 in a '59 chassis and as big of a car as it is, contour is everything. Shortys are supposed to be good for 28" of ID rail width, and I have about 32-in... but the steering box is just too porky. Motor is also set back kinda far. Only viable solution is to cut the header tubes out, down to maybe an inch above the collector, reposition the collector closer to where the passenger side ends up, then reflow the tubes between the 2 ends. If the tubes at freeze plug height were in one plane, instead of overlapping in 2 planes, it'd probably work. Anyone had to rebuild a header to fit / have any tips? I fabbed a dual exhaust system from scratch for a Ford flathead truck just fine, but this needs to be right.
Steering box is vertically shy of it's bolt holes by about 2 inches- I can't raise the motor that far.
Not really. Steering linkage is all behind the crossmember & front end is stock. Already rebuilt the center link & got the steering box rebuilt as fast ratio (3.3 turns l-t-l). Seems the easiest/most cost effective way is a new header on that side. If only T/A would sell headers singularly.
Pipe #1, #3 and #4. Note the absence of any steering box (it nestles in that dished section of the framerail on pic of pipe #4). Surgery to begin soon.
Rack is best solution it looks like to me. This is the car hobby/lifestyle. What is life with many parts on shelf with revamped solutions in projects.
Chassis is stock '59 boxed perimeter frame. Engine is a mere 1/4-in shifted toward pass side. Using lower motor mount holes + block girdle; can't go up or down. Don't want to re-do any mounts if I can avoid it. 1 pipe flowed, might as well keep at it:
I think you are doing it right, it was much easier for me, to adjust that one pipe then all the other stuff. Who knows what other problems can arise once you alter one thing. Sometimes it becomes a domino affect. I had to tweek a pipe on a header on one of my cars and it was the most logical thing for me. Looks like you about got it.
That looks good. Make an upper frame extension for box. How does steering linkage fit. I do not think it is good lifting motor anyway. Messes w driveline angles. I have a Chevrolet I notched pan to fit it as I had engine high to fit and not hit frame and center link and inner tie rods on turning. angles were extreme and no good in a 70 Chevelle. Good luck and please keep us posted.
