I'm running stock length 302 flat tappet pushrods. Obviously if you have a roller cam you have to use the shorter pushrods for the roller lifters. Things can change if the heads are milled, block decked, etc. You have to measure to know for sure.
Thanks I'm Going to leave it to the builder, I think he wanted to save the work but it cant take that much longer to figere out I can buy whatever it needs .I didn't think there was a short cut to a trial assembly. Thanks for the feedback.
I just found a deal on some GT40-P heads. I searched the archives for the long tube headers that will work and found some info but I want to make sure I'm correct before buying the headers. bmcdaniel in the pictures you posted which headers are on the car? Blackjacks or Hooker 6901? Is the Blackjack header you mentioned part number wlk-85112? Is the Hooker part number hok-6901hkr? I got these part numbers from summit. On the spark plug wires did you buy a kit or just the new ends? Do you have part numbers? Thanks Chad
The headers are Blackjack, don't remember the part number. I bought them in 1988 (easy to remember because my wife of less than 1 month bit*hed at me about buying them, she's been gone for 9 years but I still got the headers!) and they were the only Blackjack listing for a V8 Maverick. I got the 90* plug wire terminals and boots from Jegs, MSD 121-8848 I think. I would think NAPA or someplace like that would sell them, too. I put them on a set of spiral wound Ford Racing 9mm wires I had just bought. The boots and wires end up close to the pipes so you have to secure them to make sure they don't move and get burned.
how restrictive are the exhaust manifold on these cars, and how much power is gained from a set of headers?
manifolds are extremely restrictive and headers are almost a requirement if you're planning for more than stock power. The single best upgrade available for a small block Ford.
Bought some Jet-Hot headers for Mav's directly from the company to replace my Competition Hookers. Wanted to wait until my Hookers rotted away before installing the Jet's. 3 years later I pull 'em out of the box and....boom! Wrong headers....probably for a Galaxie or some other wider engine bay. All my fault though...I should have checked their fitment right away. Brand new..not a scratch on 'em and the company wouldn't take them back. Had to sell 'em through the Auto-Trader "Buy & Sell" mag. I'll probably buy headers only from speed shops and have them coated from now on. PS: I'm still running the Hookers despite their now ratty appearance and warp on one side. Sheesh!
Back in the 70s they used to figure on a stock small block Ford headers were good for about a 10% increase in power and another 10% or so if you add a good dual exhaust system. Like 74merc says it's the first improvement you should make. Carbs, intakes, cams, heads won't do squat with out a good exhaust.
gt40 headers manifolds really rob the air. fordpowertrain makes a shelby cobra 66 tri y that almost fits. You need a drop bracket for the power stering slave( shock looking thing) and there is a clearance problem with the pitman arm but you can roll the tie rods (both) more to the driver side of the car just make sure it dosn't eat up all yor right turn radius.Then you can put 1/8 to 1/4 inch spacers under the two bolt part where the motor mounts sit. if you go the 1/4 inch its recomended you space up the tranny 1/8 to keep the geometry tru. There high like $400 from stan but there pretty hard core and they really wake that motor up. I wasted a set of hookers at $200 trying to "dimple" clearance and poked a half inck hole before i lay down the 400. Other 66 mustang tri-ys might work but I dont know.Comet has alot of shelby dimentions.
