FE exhaust manifolds in 57 fairlane

[progoat]

Ok guys I need some advice. I need to know what exhaust manifolds will fit my 57 fairlane 500 with a FE and C6 transmission. I do not care for headers. I have a high dollar set of ceramic coated shorties on it now that was suppose to work with my z-bar but they do not. I am changing out my 4 speed to a C6. I know that seems crazy but it is what I have decided to do. What part# manifolds will work for me? No power steering and manual disc brakes. Thanks for any help. Bo Eagle

[Ford Blue blood]

The 57 Ranchwagon I had had a mid 70s 360 F100 engine in it with stock exhaust manifolds.  I would think any FE exhaust manifold from a 58 or 59 would work as the chassis are real close to identical.  Many later manifolds should work, just need to pay attention to the drivers side outlet.

[lalessi1]

Basically you have a couple of choices. You can use the standard box type manifolds, they were designed for the frame. Depending on the heads you are using you can use the newer Cobra Jet style manifolds too. I THINK some truck manifolds do not work (with the driver side outlet in the middle). I do not have experience with 406 type cast iron manifolds but my understanding is that they will work. I think the 427 manifolds are essentially the same but they may need a little grinding. There are a couple of other headers that will work, but given you don't care for headers looks like the box type is what you will wind up using, the other manifolds are as rare as hens teeth and priced accordingly. I THINK any factory manifold will work with a C6. Repop box manifolds may be available (I have seen them somewhere). I have bought used ones before and had them resurfaced. I am using FPA shortys on mine but I moved the collector closer to the cross member and had them "Jet Hotted". I have a Toploader now but I have given thought to a C6 and even an AOD as well.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-FORD-FE-Full-Size-Car-Exhaust-Manifolds-58-70-352-390-428-w-gaskets-donuts/113933516242?epid=1323408183&hash=item1a86f77dd2:g:MNgAAOSwzCZdr6zc

[81TTA]

I have, what I think, is a 1968 F100 360 in the '57.  This has a 4-speed toploader behind it. 

I'm assuming the manifolds were what was on the truck the engine at the time.  There were some cracks in one of the manifolds and neither one sealed up very well.  So, I replaced them with these.  With the exception of some markings, these were identical to what was removed :
https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-16176-674-240.aspx
https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-12167-674-241.aspx

Had a custom exhaust installed not long after the manifold replacement.  One snag was that they couldn't run 2 1/2" pipe all the way to the DS manifold.  There wasn't enough room to get anything larger than 2" past the Z-bar.  Obviously, this wouldn't be an issue with the automatic trans.  Had the exhaust shop run 2" to just past the Z-bar then open up to 2 1/2" for the rest.

[Tom S]

... I do not have experience with 406 type cast iron manifolds but my understanding is that they will work. I think the 427 manifolds are essentially the same but they may need a little grinding.

You may already know this stuff & it may be fairly common knowledge here but gonna toss it in anyway.
There are two versions of the 406 cast iron headers.  The 'shortys' that I believe only came on the 1962 406. Someone here claimed they fit & he used them in his '57. Got to be hard to find these days though.
The longer ones came out with the 1963 406 & are the same as the 1963-'64 427s.
The 1963 406 in my Roadster has the longer ones.
Just learned something new to me. I see from this site that the '65 to '68 long ones are a bit different. 
http://www.fordfe.info/Exhaust/Exhaust.htm

[RICH MUISE]

That's the first reference I've noticed to a '63 406. I thought it was 390's and 427's in '63

[Ford Blue blood]

I believe the shorties are re-poped.

[SkylinerRon]

There were quite a few 406's built early in the 63 model year, 427's started around Christmas of 1962.

The flat logs are repopped, Mac's sells them. Haven't seen the shorties done yet though.

Ron.