Shock Tower Clearancing

[pmangelos]

Hi All, I am new here, but have been a longtime Mustang owner. I have a 1965 FB that I am building a new engine for. The engine is a 351W stroked to 427 with Canfield heads. These heads have raised exhaust ports (by about .200") and I can find no headers that are listed to fit these heads in my car. I am considering going to a tubular style upper a-arm and then removing the humps in the inside of the shock towers where the stock a-arms pivot) along with also cutting back the raised brace that the engine mounts bolt to, and then re-welding everything back up to hopefully gain about 1" per side which should give me room for headers and some spark plug access. Has anyone done something like this and do you have any pics? I am not lookin to spend tons of money on a MII, coil over, or strut supension setup. Do you have any suggestions? I am just trying to gain a bit of room.
Thanks for the time.
Paul

 

[rusty428cj]

Specialty Auto Parts For Sale - Crites Performance Parts - critesperformanceparts.com

ENGINE COMPARTMENT

Shock Tower kit for extra clearance for big & small block engines (detailed instructions included) - $125

This kit is for a 64 Fairlane but I think you can use it on your Mustang check with Crites.

 

[D.Hearne]

You don't have to do any of that. Just cut the towers back about 2" Start shallow at the top under the firewall braces, then curve the cut deeper to about 2" all the way down to just above the upper control arm bolt points, leaving enough to allow upward movement of the arms. Same headers for stock heads work. I did all this on my 77 Comet with the 331 & Canfield heads with raised (by .500" ports) The Comet's engine bay is almost identical to your 65. Go to Pictures by baddad457 - Photobucket I've got pics in there of what I did on page 4

 

[pmangelos]

Thank you both for the answers. I spoke with Crites last week and was told that they do not offer anything for Mustangs as far as shock tower clearancing. I was thinking more along the lines of what you(D.Hearne) have done with your Comet, the problem that I think I am going to run into is that the place that I need more clearance is right where the upper control arm bolts up, that is where I need to gain room. I think that there is some room to be had, I am just trying to go about it in the most simple way.
Thanks once again
Paul