Full length headers for FE into 57

[JPotter57]

This is not hearsay, I actually have them on my car  now.  Hooker 6114 headers, made for 390-428 into 67-68 Mustangs fit like they were made for the car.  The motor mounts must be installed as they were on the Y block, not reversed like most people do them.  The reason is, that the pitman will hit two tubes on the driver side.  With the mounts installed properly, the engine sits close to the firewall, and the headers curve around everything like they were designed for the 57.  One thing to note, being designed for 67-68 Mustangs, they were designed with the 16 bolt pattern flange.  This means that the port is also raised a little.  This is good for performance, but will likely be a port mismatch if used with early heads.  Since I bought a set of very early Cobra Jet heads (actually W code 427 Cougar heads) from 57 Ford guy Gary Bucklew, they were a perfect match.  Finally, the headers tuck nicely up inside the frame rails, and do not hang down at all.  The clearance for a factory style z-bar is very tight.   I am using a Long style clutch, so I decided to go with a hydraulic clutch to eliminate the weak link in the clutch setup..

[59meteor]

Actually the earlier FE heads have the raised exhaust ports, so the Hooker 6114s will fit them just fine, as well as the CJ heads. I believe the lower exhaust ports came out starting with the C7 and C8 casting numbers (other than the C8OE-N and C8AE-J CJ castings).  As I understand it, the main issue with the 6114 Hookers, and most other Mustang based headers like the FPA TriYs is that the collectors dump right in the center of the transmission crossmember, so major crossmember surgery is needed. I will be installing a fresh 428 CJ and Toploader 4 speed into my 59 2 door sedan soon, I have a pair of old Hooker 6114s I will test fit, but since I already bought a set of the FPA shorty headers made specifically for the 57-59 Ford cars, that is likely what I will use. I would like to try both sets on my buddys dyno just to see if the FPAs are gonna hurt the power much.

[JPotter57]

I just used the ends of the original crossmember with the center portion of a late model crown vic crossmember welded in.  It has double humps to clear the headers.  I had already made that anyway, as I did the same basically on my last 57, so was prepared for it.  I'm running 3 inch exhausts so I need all the clearance I can get.

[JPotter57]

I changed my mind on the hydraulic clutch, amd modified my z bar with  section of 3/4 solid rod welded into the middle of the two ends of the z bar.  I like the feel of it better than hydraulic.  Also, because of soem fit issues with my 63 Galaxie steering box and rag joint, I removed it and replaced it with a 58 Box.  Everything about it fit better, the 58 box being a little more compact, and no rag joint.  That is where a lot of my interference was, the rag joint got right in the way of where the z bar was trying to be.

[E Code Randy]

Some years back I put a set of full length headers into my 57  300 tudor I had slipped a 427 dual quad engine in,  it was all pretty much a bolt in using the correct combo of original Ford parts, not crazy for big HP but cool in a couple ways. I had a set of 427 long cast iron exhaust manifolds that weren't doing anything sitting on my shop floor so I decided to run them in the 57 to get a little better breathing. I bolted in a 58 Ford steering box, used an early FE inertia starter with an early coarse tooth flywheel ( later fine tooth ring gear and early ring gear have the same I.D. so they interchange if you don't have an early flywheel) with an early FE bell to clear the starter drive. I also bolted it all to an early T10 and I used an original Ford trans mount. I had to make a 1" spacer for the trans mount and drill one hole in the mount to align with the original trans bolt holes in my original crossmember. The entire process didn't get me the max breathing --- but it sure got a lot of attention when other FE Ford 57 people saw it. I didn't tell any one I had slipped in the 58 box, thats pretty much the key to a "bolt in 427 long cast exhaust manifolds" --- and the early starter so the manifold doesn't hit the later started engagement unit on the later starters side.

[lalessi1]

I am generally happy with the FPA shorties I have, but not with my hydraulic clutch arrangement. It seems to be binding and I can't figure out why...another thread. Anyway I wish I would have used exhaust headers that allowed the use of a z-bar at least so far....

[MT]

I am generally happy with the FPA shorties I have, but not with my hydraulic clutch arrangement. It seems to be binding and I can't figure out why...another thread. Anyway I wish I would have used exhaust headers that allowed the use of a z-bar at least so far....

I was told by FPA that the FE headers for '57 cars fit with a stick.  Is that not true?  I was going to swap my engine soon and already have the headers.

[lalessi1]

My story is long... I had a set of (free) FPA Tri-Ys for a Fairlane that seemed at first a good fit and I was going to use them. The z bar did not work with them so I converted to hydraulic linkage. It then became apparant that the exhaust was an issue because of the cross member. I decided to sell the Tri-ys and bought FPA shorties. It now looks like there is a CHANCE the z bar would work. My FPA shorties are VERY (1/16"?) close to the frame on the passenger side though. All in all I am not completlely satisfied with any headers so far.

[gasman826]

So many times headers are rejected due to interference with the cross member.  I've tried several times to save the OEM cross member.  I just built 2-1/2" stainless exhaust for the wagon.  After much fitting over the original cross and under the cross with the pipes too close to the floors or hanging below the frame, I went to my cross member pile and settled on modifying a '64 Galaxie convertible cross member.  Now the pipes are not too close to the floors and are not lower than the frame.  Another plus, the transmission clears the new cross member without the notch.  The car is not stock anymore so modify as needed.  There is nothing that can't be undone!

Too bad about scrapping the hydraulic clutch idea.  I am completely sold on hydraulic clutch systems that use hydraulic throw-out bearings.  I was skeptical when the discussion turned to slave cylinders.  There are plenty of successful OEM slave systems but much like brake systems there has to be a matching of master cylinder, slave cylinder, and load.

[lalessi1]

I have a complete McLeod set up, master (Wilwood), throwout bearing and twin disc clutch. The pedal seems to be binding and moaning through my foot, just doesn't feel good at all. It works fine but I expected a little less pedal effort as well. I haven't given up on a resolution I may redo the master, I adapted the Mustang McLeod conversion which may be the problem.

[gasman826]

Yup, that was the hardest for me.  Getting the master cylinder at the right angel to the attachment point on the brake pedal and the slight arc the attachment point AND KEEPING IT THERE is very frustrating.  I have the standard McLeod Street Twin with the McLeod custom fit throwout.  I used the Wilwood master they recommended (think it is 3/4").  The pedal effort is nothing.  I can comfortably hold the pedal down with my hand.  I found the firewall is not strong enough to NOT flex.  I added a small turnbuckle to brace and fine tune the master cylinder angle.

[JPotter57]

The reason I changed my mind on the hydraulic clutch was due to a lot of reading I did on the Club Cobra website.  A LOT of those Cobra replica guys run the McLeod setup on their FE Cobras, and about 80% of them listed problems, some minor like spongy pedal, which is basically air in the system, to blown out O-rings which require the trans to be pulled to change the O-rings.  Funny, that McLeod sends a bag of replacement o-rings with the new setup, apparently anticipating it to fail and need replacement.  It just seemed like a lot of problem when the mechanical linkage is so easy to put together and or modify.  My Ram 6 paddle clutch is awesome, and pedal pressure is like a stock Ford ranger or F150 with hydraulic  clutch.  Dad couldnt believe how little pedal pressure it required to engage the clutch.  And it grabs enough to smoke street tires through 3rd gear, and chirp 4th.

[59meteor]

I also prefer the more solid feel of mechanical clutch linkage. I have the FPA headers made specifically for a FE in a 57-59 Ford car, and I did have to trim a small section of the block pivot mount, and relocate the Z bars lower lever about 1'' towards the left side. Since my 59 was originally a 332 automatic, I was lucky enough to find a Z bar and block pivot from a 58 with a 352 3 speed manual that a guy was parting out.
On my Fairmont drag car, I currently am using a stock FOX clutch cable setup, but until 2 years ago, I ran it with several different 428s, and the latest FE is a 427/428 crank combo, and I made up mechanical clutch linkage for the FE, much prefer the operation and feel with mechanical. When I put the 427 back in, I will be going back with mechanical linkage. My 99 F350 and 2010 Ranger both have hydraulic clutches, Iprefer the machanical stuff to that as well.

[gasman826]

For my 427 project, I was going to make headers.  My knees got a little weak when a found a set of '61-64 390/406 HiPo manifolds.  No HP difference between these and headers.  3" outlet diameter.