gt40p header question

[oddball101]

I realize our options with the gt40p headers are rather limited, however I've just developed a new contact that wants to help me build a custom set of headers for material cost only. Its amazing what a few beers with ranndom people can do. So anyhow, getting complete access to his fab shop, I was thinking about purchasing a set of inexpennsive headers that people would love to use but cannot due to minor clearance issues. From there I'd just be reworking them to fit my gt40p / 4r70w combo.

So I'm looking for suggestions on which would be good to go..

Try Y's
Mustang Shorties
Hookers
..?

Are there a set of relatively inexpensive headers out there that would awesome to use but barely don't work?

What would you guys like to see adapted?

Hell, I suppose I could just start playing with paper mache and toilet paper rolls.. lol, but seriously.. I could, I just don't want to take forever getting my swap done. I do know that if I found a working solution, I'd be sharing here to help.

**And, his shop could use the extra influx of customers should we come up with something.. food for thought there.

On a side note, what would be the better materials to use for the headers? I've heard stainless isn't so good to use but I really don't know. What would be good and cost effective?

 

[Mud Bone]

I mocked up a set for a V8 monza , i used pvc pipe and give them to a shop and they built me an exact replica set of headers that worked perfect.

 

[oddball101]

Great idea man, thanks for that! What type of metal would be ideal do think?

 

[FIND]

You should look around and find the pictures showing the "minor" clearance issue mustang headers have.

 

[Ford1288]

Try the basic Ford racing GT40P shorty headers.

 

[oddball101]

Find- I have been looking at mustang shorty's and compiled tons of pics of what you're talking about. If memory serves me correctly, it is a slight notch in the passenger side frame and a dimple in one of the tubes for the driver side. I almost believe it is worth buying a set just to rework the minor differences. I also believe there was one cylinder that required a shorty spark plug w/90* plug boot. I may just swap over to a set of the cheby 5.7 (I think that is the make) wires because they are all 90* boots.. Actually I just got my 45*'s in the mail so I suppose not. Please correct me if I am wrong in any way

Ford1288- I am thinking the headers you are talking about are the same ones that Find had already mentioned. If not the only other ones I could think of were the FMS ones which I'd also try if I could find them.

I really wanted to get a set of tri-y's, for the P heads of course because they are shaped a bit differently than regular to clear the steering shaft.. or so it looks.

I am actually in the process of just trying to work the kinks out of my donor before I do this swap though to be honest. I'll most like start another thread with stuff that I am dealing with.

 

[FIND]

Here you go oddball, this should give you an idea of what fitment is like on mustang headers

There's another picture I'm looking for from someone's ranger swap that should give you a better idea of where they go if actually bolted to the engine. I can't find the thread for his build, but he had the body off and painted it green... If anyone knows the thread, post it.

You can't notch around it. When you have the header mounted to the engine, the flange points down and out toward the frame right on top of the control arm.

 

[tcruarceri]

i am new here and could be completley wrong, but what about mounting the shorties like the mustang guys do for the cheap turbo conversions. Pointing forward?

 

[oddball101]

tcruarceri- That isn't something I've considered before.. it would take somebody else though to say. If possible, I believe there'd already be a group of people already doing this unless the near 180* bend back to the rear proved to be bad..

Find- Man, that picture really does tell a lot about the fitment for these particular headers. I'm not even sure how much a difference it would make knowing if that picture was of a torsion bar or coil spring front end either. So do I have it right in thinking that the passenger side fits properly then? Looking at that picture, I still feel like I might be able to rework the piping enough to clear.. Thanks for posting that pic.