notching shock towers (dennis112 accufab question for you too)

[mtaqua]

FORDMUSCLE.com web-magazine Project 460 - Shocktower Modification

anyone try this is a 65/66? I am putting a windsor in and plan on using the accufab swap headers. I've heard most people don't have any fit issues. Some have had to do a little hammer work (dennis 112). With this mod I figure I'd eliminate any need to do any hammer work, what do you think dennis based on your setup? I don't have the motor yet and I want to paint the car. If I do this I won't have to worry about hammering on fresh paint on the shock tower when I put the motor in. Also, it should give me some more room to change plugs and such (Even with the 302 is was a tight fit).

 

[mr-fixit]

You will get more room to change plugs. But if you look at the pictures, the shock tower isn't cut where the header clearance on a windsor is needed the most, down low where the upper control arm bolts. That is where most people need to hammer in the corners of the tower.

 

[dennis112]

Mrfixit hit it right on the nose. The tubes are closest in the vicinity of the upper control arms and that is where I did my clearancing. You will gain a better access to the plugs, but you still won't be able to get a ratchet on all of them since the tubes themselves can get into the way.

Plug access with the Accufab's really isn't horrible if you use a short, thin 5/8" spark plug socket AND it has a head for a wrench. I need to remove 6 of my plugs that way because I can't get a ratchet on them. I can R & R a cold set of spark plugs in about 20 minutes, including setting the gap. I can also do them hot (obviously not quite as fast,) but I need to wear the proper protection to keep from getting burned by the headers.

Since it sounds like you will have the engine out, I suggest mounting the accufabs to your motor to test their fit. This is the best time to check if you can install all the header bolts (may need to enlarge the dimples) and to make sure that you can install your spark plugs. I am certainly glad that I did this step first!!!

Good Luck!

 

[blown65]

Funny this post came up.

Right now I'm putting a set of Accufab 1 3/4 headers on my 347. They do interfer with the passenger side motor mount, which was fixed by a little grinding, and also the touch the shock tower slightly, which really isn't a big deal. While the weld quality isn't what I'd call excellent, its good enough for the 500 paid. I had a set of custom headers that came out like works of art, but at 1600 bucks you'd expect them to be that way.

The pluses over my old Hooker/Hedman (cant remember what ones I have) is the ground clearance difference is HUGE. These just clear the ground so much better. Also the radius out of the heads is way better. Instead of a sharp bend, they take up the entire room to the shock towers to turn down. I'm sure flow will be substantially better with them just for that fact alone. I plan on just painting mine during the winter, since I just don't like ceramic coating all that much. Sure is a pita to install that passenger side though. Jack the engine up to sneak it up, partly cause my head studs stick up a tad and cause some clearance probs.

Well worth the 500 bucks IMO.

Ill try and snap a few pics when I'm all done.


oh, and for the plugs and wrenches. I always just used the socket with a wrench. My old headers were just as much a pain to change as these look to be. Actually i might have a little more room to change plugs with this setup. 351W swap headers I dunno bout.

 

[mtaqua]

so looks like there is no need to do this, it wouldn't acomplish what I want to do. I don't have the engine/tranny right now. I am trying to paint the engine compartment prior to getting the motor/headers for a test fit.


Could I just hammer the shock towers in some around where the UCA bolts up? Then paint and hope it fits. I'd rather do that than have to repaint (if possible). I'll try to find someone with a V8 stang in the area and look at where the headers would be (I've seen a few driving around). My engine has been out for about 8 years now, and I am finally getting to work on the car again.

 

[dennis112]

I am afraid that you will only be guessing if you do it it in advance and it won't be right anyhow. My headers were first installed without any dimpling and they just touched the shock towers. Hard drag runs starter to ding the headers and that is why I decided to just go ahead and ding the shock towers to prevent more crushing of the headers.

The Accufab swap headers need installed after the motor is in the engine bay. You will need to raise the motor somewhat to slide them in place from underneath. Do not install the starter until after the headers are installed. Also don't be surprised it you need to move on to a mini starter like I did because it was very hard to install the factory unit.

I had no problem with the passenger side motor mount, but needed to trim the driver's side. I then built a heat shield to protect the rubber. The passenger side was a little harder to install, maybe because I did the driver's side first. If you have a manual tranny and want to use the factory Z-bar it is doable with a couple of tricks. Otherwise it will seem impossible to install.

Here are a several pics of my swap headers installed:

You can see some of the dimpling of the shock tower for the front tube in the following pic:

Pics if the headers by themselves can be found here: dennis_8047/Accufab Headers and Exhaust - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

 

[mtaqua]

thanks dennis, seems like I won't be able to dimple prior to getting the engine. I'll probably just paint and hope for the best. A little touch up painting won't be bad.

 

[blown65]

Well after finally getting the pass side to fit, now the collector area is going to hit the trans cross brace. PITA.

Dunno, it looks like just shortening the collector area and doing a small offset will work, but they should of fit better than this IMO. Not overly impressed with the fit quality of these headers TBO.

 

[dodgestang]

Wow....looks at all the space. You could park a CRX in there.

 

[dennis112]

Well after finally getting the pass side to fit, now the collector area is going to hit the trans cross brace. PITA.

Dunno, it looks like just shortening the collector area and doing a small offset will work, but they should of fit better than this IMO. Not overly impressed with the fit quality of these headers TBO.

Shortening the collector and doing the offset will work--that is what I did to mine. I don't know why the driver's side rides so high. Some people heat the pipes and bend it down slightly.

I am not here to defend the Accufabs as they do tend to have their problems. I no longer "openly" recommend them due to the same problems that you are finding. Still, I have yet to find a tighter fitting full length header that gives great ground clearance and are easy to install. Once you get them installed, you will be happy with them as I am.

It is hard to get a great fitting big swap header for a 65/66'. The shock tower are just too close together compared to the later years and there is no room to get a nice sharp turn with a 1 3/4" tube. I've used a few different headers on my 65' over the years and I have yet to find one that will slip right in and fit like a glove with out any issues. The worst set I had was $500 25 years ago (super expensive at the time) and they were so low they hit every thing on the road--SUCKED!!!!! I wanted to drive up north and chuck them through their store window!!!

 

[dennis112]

Wow....looks at all the space. You could park a CRX in there.

Yep, compared to your Cleveland install, I have tons of room!

 

[Opentracker]

Wow....looks at all the space. You could park a CRX in there.

No kidding. They worry about the windsor fitting.

The Cleveland will go it with no shock tower work so what's the deal.

 

[Opentracker]

Pics if the headers by themselves can be found here: dennis_8047/Accufab Headers and Exhaust - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

A roller idler arm will help a lot with the steering. Those rubber bushing units are horible.