March 08, 2005
| This morning I was really looking forward to. I get to bolt on some BIG shiny pieces. I started out installing the headers on the passenger side, just installing a few of the bolts, to check clearances, when I hit a snag right off the bat. Underneath was a bolt head that would not either go in farther or come out. So I broke out my die grinder and that bolt head isn't there anymore. After that, with a little wiggling and squiggling, it went on. |
|
| I moved over to the driver's side and hit two obstacles. The first of which was the tip of the motor mount bolt. Time for the die grinder again. I just had to shave a small amount off before it cleared. Then underneath it was hitting on a small hump in the casting of the block. It wasn't doing anything there except protruding, so out came the die grinder again. Finally I got it to clear everything except... | |
|
|
... the motor mount itself! After I got one of the center bolts in, the front bolt hole was too low. |
| In trying to get a bolt in the hole in the rear, it was too high. Yep, the only thing left down below is the motor mount. I can't use these headers. I even tried swapping sides and nope. I can't use these headers. |
|
| Well my only alternative now
is to use the stock exhaust manifolds. They're pretty rusted, and have
plugs in them where I removed the inoperative air lines. They are going to
need plenty of attention and a few coats of paint and then just maybe. But
before I dug into that task, I thought I'd send an email off to the people
I purchased the headers from. Hopefully they will come up with a solution
to my problem. Not knowing for sure what I'm going to do with the exhaust, I decided to clean up and go for a walk. It was sunny and 66F, and I still needed new radiator hoses so off I went to AutoZone. |
|
I'm currently looking for sponsorship, so if anyone of you or these fine merchant's would like to contribute please let me know.
