The Motor Has Landed

[1BIG67AC]

I hope thing are well with all of you. Well the motor is in and all bolted down, including the trans. I might have to tilt the trans and motor down just a little in the rear but all seems to be fine. Now to my header dilemma. I have been working with Dana from Shell Valley and he has been a great help. But the issue that I'm having with the headers is that the Diver side is not fitting quite right. The passenger side is fitting really nice, it the driver side that dose not seem correct. Here are some pictures of what I'm talking about. The driver side seems to be twisted and is pushing into the frame. Now the first driver side header was super bad and twisting back toward the chassis, actually going under the frame of the car. Called Dana and and he sent me a different driver side header and its not as bad as the first but it dose the same thing, but now its out side the chassis. Now at least I can put a piece of 2x4 on the fame to keep it out, but once you remove it its pinned up against the frame. So is it the side pipe or I'm i getting another header that not quite right. I was thinking of getting a torch and heating up a few spots to see if it can be bent into place or not. just don't want to ruin a set of headers. I do have another set of different headers and side pipes and they fit fine. Just that they are a single 3in and out instead of the 4 out onto one. Any way your help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ct_Cobra]

I think while dropping the Tranny down I would move it toward the driver side 1/2” or so

[Ct_Cobra]

Maybe slide the driver side side pipe off the header 1/4” too.

[olddog]

In the next to last picture you can see that the header pipes are not straight like the other side is.

I believe the problem is the header. I'm no expert here, but it might be possible to heat the header pipes at the last bend, but you would have four to heat. Trying to heat four pipes and pull it into place might prove to difficult. If you are paying for a new header, then let them make it right. Just be as helpful as you can.

I would also do away with the slip joint fit and have flanges welded on, unless you enjoy the smell of exhaust fumes on you clothes. If you are going EFI with O2 sensors, it is an absolute must. IMHO

PS

You should also check to see if these headers are going to align with the body cut outs for them. One is mine is a tad too close and melted the body slightly. If I ever repaint the car is will open the body cutout about 3/16".

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by olddog

In the next to last picture you can see that the header pipes are not straight like the other side is.

I believe the problem is the header. I'm no expert here, but it might be possible to heat the header pipes at the last bend, but you would have four to heat. Trying to heat four pipes and pull it into place might prove to difficult. If you are paying for a new header, then let them make it right. Just be as helpful as you can.

I would also do away with the slip joint fit and have flanges welded on, unless you enjoy the smell of exhaust fumes on you clothes. If you are going EFI with O2 sensors, it is an absolute must. IMHO

PS

You should also check to see if these headers are going to align with the body cut outs for them. One is mine is a tad too close and melted the body slightly. If I ever repaint the car is will open the body cutout about 3/16".

I concur. It sure looks like the headers are angled. All parallel to each other but angled backwards. At least that's what it looks like in the photo.

[H-Rod]

I`ll third what olddog and twobjshelbys said.

Looks like where the sidepipe assy. meets the header is wonky.

Send those pics to Dana and give him a call.

[1BIG67AC]

I thought the same thing as well. This is my second driver side header from him. I’ll send them back and hope that the third time is the charm. I also thought of moving the tail shaft over just a bit as well. But it pretty much in line with the rear end. Here a picture of the transmission tail shaft with the rear end yoke. Let me know what you think.

[saltshaker]

do you have adjustable control arms on the rear?
jon

[1BIG67AC]

No I don’t, but I don’t have any weight on the car yet in the rear either and the coil over are not adjusted either. I still need to bring the rear of the trans down a bit as well. What are your thoughts. You must see something?

[1795]

If you move the transmission tail a little towards the drivers side it will free the driver's side header up a little, but at the same time it will pull the passenger side header closer to the frame. The transmission yoke seems fairly well lined up with the yoke on the differential You want the two yokes in a parallel plane and the tail of the transmission slightly higher than the diff. It looks pretty good right now Don't start changing things as that will compound other problems. As previously said, if you change the alignment of the transmission tail, then it might move the headers to the post that the side pipes do not line up correctly with the cutouts.

[olddog]

You do not want 0 degree angle on the u-joints as the normal operating position. If there is 0 deg, the needles will not move, and they will wear flat spots and fail. Typically they recommend a minimum of 3 deg.

Some auto manufactures off set the engine and transmission to achieve the minimum angle. I think a few off set the differential. The pinion and the transmission have to be in the same plane length wise of the car. If they are not in the same plane or if the joints are not 90 degrees out of phase on the shaft, the sine wave oscillation of speed at the shaft is not canceled (adds to 0).

A Cobra has such a short drive shaft that minimal movement in the rear springs causes quite a bit of angle at the U-joints.