'73 Mach-1 with 4v 351 with a list of issues..

I bought this car in much worse condition than it's currently in, so I'm ecstatic it even runs. First, when I start it up, it hardly idles until it warms up and then, when it's at full operating temp. It still has a choppy idle. It came with a Torker-II intake that I have just swapped for an Edelbrock Air Gap (it idles better than it did and the brakes seem to be more responsive-but not great). According to the parts list wen I bought the car, it just says (Isky cam-radical idle). When I went to adjust the carb with a vac. gauge, the best I could get out of it was 9+/- psi of vacuum. Could that be due to a lopey cam?

While it's warming up, it also smokes (from both sides of the car right in line with the wind shield) as soon as it starts to warm up but stops after 3+/- min. I was thinking the steering box was leaking but now I'm thinking the valve covers leak.

Also, I couldn't tell what headers were in the car but they hang down pretty low and they keep hitting on speed bumps (I just got the parts list from the previous owner). It says they are Hooker Super Comps. Is it true that the Comps (not super comps) don't hang down as low? Thanks..

It sounds like you might have a big cam which will produce low vacuum. I am seeing the same thing but my vacuum is around 12psi so I am looking to put in a pump. Yes super comp headers sit much lower and tend to bottom out with dips in the road and speed bumps. I am also thinking that you have a oil leak from the valve covers.

I have a set of comp headers that I am willing to let go. They have about a hours run time on them. I went with the super comp because I wanted the collectors running parallel to the drive train. PM me if interested.

Well, I'll swap the valve cover gaskets and see what happens. I would definitely be interested in the headers but after retiring from the AF two years ago, I'm still out of work and currently in a tight budget.