Headers for Circle Track Race Car w/ 351C 2v

[jdwest711]

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm looking for some help in buying a new set of headers.  I run a 72 Mustang with a 351C 2v at the local circle track.  I won the Bomber Championship with the car in 2015 and let me daughter drive it in 2016.  In 2017 I stepped up from the Bomber division to ProStock and damn they are fast...

 

So this year my car is getting a lot of work done to it.  New suspension, It will be much lighter, and lowered.

 

I have the car at good stance at 5" but I still might want to lower it to the minimum which is 4"

 

The problem is, the headers.  My current headers drop below the frame rails about 2 inches which leaves me very little ground clearance.  I haven't track tested it yet to see if it scrapes but I know I am going to have trailer loading issues.  Also, If I want to lower it to 4, it will be out of the question with these headers.

 

Does anyone know for certain, which headers I can buy that will tuck up nicely?  Any help is greatly appreciated. I know for a fact that not to many people try to run circle tracks with a car like this but I am die hard Ford. I am the only Ford on the track in this division, I bet you can guess what I'm trying to beat.

Like I said, any help is greatly appreciated.  Here is a picture of the car when it was a Bomber.




 

 

[Canted 393]

http://www.fordpowertrain.com/

Probably will not find any that tuck up better, ask for Stan.

 

[427heaven]

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm looking for some help in buying a new set of headers.  I run a 72 Mustang with a 351C 2v at the local circle track.  I won the Bomber Championship with the car in 2015 and let me daughter drive it in 2016.  In 2017 I stepped up from the Bomber division to ProStock and damn they are fast...

 

So this year my car is getting a lot of work done to it.  New suspension, It will be much lighter, and lowered.

 

I have the car at good stance at 5" but I still might want to lower it to the minimum which is 4"

 

The problem is, the headers.  My current headers drop below the frame rails about 2 inches which leaves me very little ground clearance.  I haven't track tested it yet to see if it scrapes but I know I am going to have trailer loading issues.  Also, If I want to lower it to 4, it will be out of the question with these headers.

 

Does anyone know for certain, which headers I can buy that will tuck up nicely?  Any help is greatly appreciated. I know for a fact that not to many people try to run circle tracks with a car like this but I am die hard Ford. I am the only Ford on the track in this division, I bet you can guess what I'm trying to beat.

Like I said, any help is greatly appreciated.  Here is a picture of the car when it was a Bomber.




 

 

[427heaven]

I wanted to respond to your post of looking for headers for your car. It warmed my heart to see my trusty old race car still alive! I spent a few years behind the wheel of that car, last I heard it had hit a wall and was totaled. Great to see its still alive. I drove it mostly at Irwindale now Toyota speedway could let go of the steering wheel at almost 80 mph in the corners and it would track like it was on rails. I will see if I still have some headers that came with it when I purchased the car. I was not allowed to run headers because it ran in what was called Classic Stock supposed to be stock, 351 c power, it was and a little more. The car is actually a 72 COUGAR... I will let you know.

 

[427heaven]

I still have the internally modified 2v cast iron intake that we had to run,with a SPECIAL 500 cfm 2v carb that made 45 hp more than any other 2v carb at the time. It was the ONLY Ford in the bunch, and left the CHEBBIES in the dust lollerz  No one would protest because they didn't know what they were looking at! :angel:

 

[jdwest711]

I wanted to respond to your post of looking for headers for your car. It warmed my heart to see my trusty old race car still alive! I spent a few years behind the wheel of that car, last I heard it had hit a wall and was totaled. Great to see its still alive. I drove it mostly at Irwindale now Toyota speedway could let go of the steering wheel at almost 80 mph in the corners and it would track like it was on rails. I will see if I still have some headers that came with it when I purchased the car. I was not allowed to run headers because it ran in what was called Classic Stock supposed to be stock, 351 c power, it was and a little more. The car is actually a 72 COUGAR... I will let you know.

Sorry to disappoint you but this car is a 72 Mustang.  I built it in the year 2000.  I did sell it once but I bought it back when I saw it hit CraigsList 2 years later.  I knew the people who owned it and it never left Arizona.  If you know of a set of headers that don't hang lower that the frame rails, I would be real interested.

Thanks for looking and replying!

Jim

 

[jdwest711]

I still have the internally modified 2v cast iron intake that we had to run,with a SPECIAL 500 cfm 2v carb that made 45 hp more than any other 2v carb at the time. It was the ONLY Ford in the bunch, and left the CHEBBIES in the dust lollerz  No one would protest because they didn't know what they were looking at! :angel:

What kind of Carb was it? I'm only allowed to run the Holley 4412.  If you know any internal tricks, I'd be interested to hear them!  Most people like to keep that info to themselves.

 

Jim

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Gosh wish I had taken a picture I took a set off a 72 vert and I do not remember them being low. The ones on my 73 vert are also up tight. I will see if I can see a name on them I did not install them so do not know brand. The car is on lift so I can get a pic.

David

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I got some pictures of mine on a 73 vert with 351 C 2-V. I could not see any name or marking probably on the face of the mounting flanges where you cannot see. They are about 1" below the cross member under the engine. Put a level under it to see. Car is up on 2 post lift.

I have had a couple people that came to buy parts comment that they are way higher than theirs. One said he drags on everything. These do not appear to have hit anything yet, knock on wood.

Is it possible that there is a different set for vert? I have also been told that 73 verts have different engine mounts 1" different from other models. I do not know that. That is also a C-4 which never came with 351 -C.

David

 

[427heaven]

Jim- You must have been the guy I purchased it from in the mid 2000s. I purchased it from someone near the Tucson area it was sitting on a old rusty super heavy duty trailer of some sort possibly for construction equipment. IT was light blue with a white stripe left to rot in the Arizona sun. It was a dirt car that I needed to convert to a pavement car because I was moving to California and all tracks are paved in So. Cal.. Let me try to describe some items on the car and then I will try to post some pictures you will get a kick out of them. The roll cage was built by what looked like heavy gauge water pipe and stick welded the corners protruded the windshield area in the top corners making running a windshield difficult because I had to run one on the pavement, as a dirt track car it didn't matter because it ran a steel mesh which I cut out. The battery box is located behind the driver seat and is what appears to have been a large AMMO box and was painted white. The center stripe was changed to yellow and there is a patch panel to the upper drivers side quarter panel where a guys bumper actually got into the car missing my shoulder by inches. I sold it to a family of racers that were three generations kid,dad gramps. KId crashed it in Tucson and must of rebuilt it. I live in Scottsdale so I know it left the state with me for approc 6-7 years. I can fill in some of its timeline, and I still own the carb! Dennis

 

[jdwest711]

Jim-   You must have been the guy I purchased it from in the mid 2000s. I purchased it from someone near the Tucson area it was sitting on a old rusty super heavy duty trailer of some sort possibly for construction equipment. IT was light blue with a white stripe left to rot in the Arizona sun. It was a dirt car that I needed to convert to a pavement car because I was moving to California and all tracks are paved in So. Cal.. Let me try to describe some items on the car and then I will try to post some pictures you will get a kick out of them. The roll cage was built by what looked like heavy gauge water pipe and stick welded the corners protruded the windshield area in the top corners making running a windshield difficult because I had to run one on the pavement, as a dirt track car it didn't matter because it ran a steel mesh which I cut out. The battery box is located behind the driver seat and is what appears to have been a large AMMO box and was painted white. The center stripe was changed to yellow and there is a patch panel to the upper drivers side quarter panel where a guys bumper actually got into the car missing my shoulder by inches. I sold it to a family of racers that were three generations kid,dad gramps. KId crashed it in Tucson and must of rebuilt it. I live in Scottsdale so I know it left the state with me for approc 6-7 years. I can fill in some of its timeline, and I still own the carb! Dennis

I don't want to offend you but this is definitely not your car.  Attached are pictures of when I built it in 2001 and the roll cage is definitely not made out of water pipe.  It was built by Fisher Engineering.  Only 2 people owned this car during the short period that it wasn't mine and their names were Don and Jason.  Don was the person I sold it to and Jason was the person I purchased it from. Both from Tucson and the car never left Tucson.

I'm am definitely interested in seeing your pictures thou.  You don't get to see too many Ford Circle Track cars.  In your case I guess Mercury

 

[jdwest711]

I got some pictures of mine on a 73 vert with 351 C 2-V. I could not see any name or marking probably on the face of the mounting flanges where you cannot see. They are about 1" below the cross member under the engine. Put a level under it to see. Car is up on 2 post lift.

I have had a couple people that came to buy parts comment that they are way higher than theirs. One said he drags on everything. These do not appear to have hit anything yet, knock on wood.

Is it possible that there is a different set for vert? I have also been told that 73 verts have different engine mounts 1" different from other models. I do not know that. That is also a C-4 which never came with 351 -C.

David

 

Dang. I wish we could see a part number or something.  It definitely looks better than mine from what I can see.  I know there were some differences for the Vert but I'm not sure what.  I will definitely keep that in mind during my search.  THANKS!!!!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

More info. I got the ceramic coated headers out and they were on a 72 vert with 351 2-V Cleveland. I got out a set of 4-V header gaskets and you can see the difference in shape and size. The part numbers are plainly visible on the header flange on the coated headers. They were also tucked up nicely under the car and the car was also a Power Steering car with 3 speed manual transmission. It was one of only 32 convertibles in 72 to get the three speed.

So I am positive they make 2-V headers that fit with Power Steering. This car had a Pypes 2 1/2" Stainless exhaust system behind the headers.

I had hoped to use on my CJ Q code vert but looks like the head exhaust ports will not match the headers.

David

 

[73pony]

David. Those are Patriot Headers for a 351c 2v. Run about $450 for a set new. I looked at those before deciding on the headmans.

 

[Studdley]

Heat and a hammer are good for clearance issues

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

We probably all put too much mileage into not having restrictions in the headers. I think those crazy Roadkill guys did a show where they had an engine on the dyno and totally mutilated the headers and tubes and it never changed the HP or torque curves on the engine. You would have to google or have where you can get old episodes.

As far as those headers go that parts car was the best I have ever bought I think. Lots of expensive stuff on it and lots of original parts going on my Q code. I started cutting the filler panel out between the rear window and trunk today on the Q vert and will use the one in the parts car to replace. It is totally rust free even more than my California vert. It was a Michigan car all it's life so do not run from where a car comes from. Depends on how the owner took care of it.

To end it I have two PS cars 351 2-V that have headers so they do make them.

David

 

[jdwest711]

More info. I got the ceramic coated headers out and they were on a 72 vert with 351 2-V Cleveland. I got out a set of 4-V header gaskets and you can see the difference in shape and size. The part numbers are plainly visible on the header flange on the coated headers. They were also tucked up nicely under the car and the car was also a Power Steering car with 3 speed manual transmission. It was one of only 32 convertibles in 72 to get the three speed.

So I am positive they make 2-V headers that fit with Power Steering. This car had a Pypes 2 1/2" Stainless exhaust system behind the headers.

I had hoped to use on my CJ Q code vert but looks like the head exhaust ports will not match the headers.

David

Thank you! That is exactly the information I'm looking for.  So the part number H841-1 looks like a real nice set of headers.  When they were on your 72 were they tucked up nice like the other ones in your pictures?  The ones I have hang down 3 inches. It's ugly and I want to get the car lower.  I'll put those patriot headers on my list as a possibility, of course I'm hoping on finding something cheaper but I might not get that choice.  I wish I knew the part numbers of the headers that are on your carr now.

Thank you for the information!!!

 

[jdwest711]

We probably all put too much mileage into not having restrictions in the headers. I think those crazy Roadkill guys did a show where they had an engine on the dyno and totally mutilated the headers and tubes and it never changed the HP or torque curves on the engine. You would have to google or have where you can get old episodes.

As far as those headers go that parts car was the best I have ever bought I think. Lots of expensive stuff on it and lots of original parts going on my Q code. I started cutting the filler panel out between the rear window and trunk today on the Q vert and will use the one in the parts car to replace. It is totally rust free even more than my California vert. It was a Michigan car all it's life so do not run from where a car comes from. Depends on how the owner took care of it.

To end it I have two PS cars 351 2-V that have headers so they do make them.

David

I've seen that episode.  It was an episode of Engine Masters.  I was amazed on how much they crushed the tubes with no real difference in power.  I wish all I had to do is crush a tube a little bit.  Mine hang down so low it would probably kink all four tube if I tried something.

 

[jdwest711]

Here is a picture finally. This is how bad mine are. There has to be something better. I just don't want to shoot in the dark.