Cleveland, Windsor header questions

[84LX89GT]

Alright, this is a weird question so hopefully someone knows.

I'm building a 400 modified cleveland for my '85 LX mustang, i'm going to be adding spacers between the k-member and body (1" - 1.5" depending on what works best) for hood and header clearance since the deck height of a 400 is 1"(if i remember correctly) taller than a cleveland.
Here's my dilemma,
What header should i use and where should i buy it from? They are 2 barrel cleveland heads. Will a large diameter 351w tube header (1 3/4") bolt up to a cleveland with little/no modification or is there no hope for a budget header for this thing.
since the body will be higher up off the engine, 351c swap headers should work but i've only found expensive ones. I could try buying cheap 351m/400 headers using the flange/part of primary pipes and welding 302/351w header pipes to it for the correct shape back but i don't know/think this will work.

Anyone have any ideas? i don't feel like paying $600 for custom headers for this thing, it's being made out of junkyard parts and i can't exactly get this off a stock '78 thunderbird, truck or other 70's land yacht.

[84LX89GT]

......no one......
......crickets in background, tears gently stream down my face ......

[vristang]

I can't help directly but can atleast give you a bump.

As far as shimming the body off the k-member, I wouldn't do it.
There are other ways to gain hood clearance. Custom weld some solid motor mounts to drop the motor about 3/4 inch. Cut the interfering bracing free from the underside of the hood. Machine down the upper intake manifold (I am assuming efi).

good luck
jason

[84LX89GT]

I figured out that the patterns are way different between the two heads....hmmm

[83GTMUSTANG]

Look On Ebay....

[~The Jester~]

I might be wrong on this one, and for your sake I hope I am. But I was always under the impression that the Clevelands used a "FE" style header, where the flange is more "under" the exhaust port than on the "side" of it.

I attatched a pic of my Fairlane when it still had the Cleveland in it. Not the best pic in the world for what we're talking about, but doesn't it look like the exhaust ports are pointing "down"???

The other thing that popped into my mind whilst typing this, if you're building ANY kinda horespower from 400+ cubes, it's not gonna like the little pee-pee 1 5/8" headers you find for a Fox body to build your own.

That's a tough swap to do. What in the world posessed you to undertake such an animal?

Me thinks you're gonna end up with a local guy making custom (read as: PRICEY) headers for that beast.

[84LX89GT]

Originally Posted by ~The Jester~

That's a tough swap to do. What in the world posessed you to undertake such an animal?

One word: BEER

Actually, i've always liked cleveland engines and C6 transmissions, i owned a 1978 F-150 with the choked 2 barrel 400 and knew there was alot more in that engine that what come from the factory (4* retarded crank sproket, small cam, 350 cfm 2 barrel, exh. manifolds with 2 or 2.25" single exhaust). Not only that but how many people are dumb enough to try and pull it off
Now most people would try a 460 with a plethora of swap components for a fox body and would make more power for equal maybe even less money.....but......hmmm......
anyway, it'll be a fun swap if i'm able to follow through with it, since i also have my 5.0L GT as a project.