MAC Equal Length Headers Fitment

[DRRummel]

Okay, I should just quit right now. They are still just shorty headers. Why bother? They are not long tubes.

I thought that my nice shiny fairly new stock headers for a 1995 5.0 were a bit small in diameter and had a lot of dimples. Someone I knew had a set of used MAC Equal Length shortys for sale. So I jumped on them.

I have to say, having shortys is like trying to be a doctor. At least the part where you work 12-24 hours on and then get a off for a few hours. I mean there is really no reason for this, but all the established doctors say, I had to do it, no reason to change the system now. It has always been that way. Maybe it is a badge of courage, their own secret club initiation.

These headers are a PITA. First take anything remotely in the way and remove it. Fight the headers in place. Bend the clutch cable mount 1.5 inches out of place to clear runner #6. Try to get the bolts in. Bend the clutch cable mount a little more. Get the bolts in. Reattach the steering shaft. The runner still rubs the clutch cable.

Now the passenger side. Remove every thing on that side. Try to slide the header in. Jack up the motor and try to slide the header in. Take a crow bar and try to persuade runners 2 and 3 just another 1/16 of an inch. ‘Adjust’ the AC line mount on the inner fender skirt so the header drop in place. Now the bolts go in and POW. How in the world does that bolt fit on runner #3. And having that HOT runner against the AC line can’t be good.

They are just shortys. I think I am going back the stock headers. I little less flow. A lot better fit. I never really wanted to be a doctor anyway. An all you guy that have Equal Length headers, yeah, I never wanted to be in your club either.

</rant>

[jaa55]

i had equal lengths and i think they were macs. my a/c line hit it as well so i took a zip tie and pulled it tight to the frame rail. the bolt in the runner your talking about was a pain. i had to take an old wrench and grind it thinner to have a tool to tighten them. good luck with the install!

[95riosnake]

I have to say that after reading that description, my mac longtubes were FAR easier to install. Tim did the install but I was there the whole time... they literally slipped right in for the most part. Shorties are really not worth the trouble IMO, unless you just want a different sound.