6 cyl Inline header question

[hucklburry rev2]

I have searched, and google searched Classic and can't find a good answer, may post at fordsix if I need too.

I have a 66 with a 170, and I have a 250 to put in it at a later date - probably keeping the column shift.

The 170 is getting the head redone so I can drive it, the 250 swap is not scheduled, it could easily be 2 years+

Since the exhaust manifold is off, I am thinking of getting a header for it.

Is there a good header that would fit the 170 high mount starter, and still work well with the 250 low mount starter? I really don't want to buy 2 headers. I know the actual mounting to the head is fine, its the frame and starter clearance I am wondering about.

Thank you

 

[bmbm]

I don't know if there is a definite answer to that question. One of the Mustang vendors, possibly several, has a Ford six header for 170/200 not too expensive I can't remember which one right now.
If you can find a Hooker 6602 it should fit the 250 as it was a 250 Mav application but don't know if it would fit a 170 and they are hard to find. I went with a mini starter on mine hoping it would help when time for a header for my 66. Pace maker in Australia makes some but would have to pay high shipping costs. Not much help but maybe something you could use.

 

[rguest3]

Try Clifford Performance for Headers and Inline Six parts. They have 170/200 Headers available for the Bronco. Call to confirm, but they should also fit the 250 as well.

144, 170, 200 and 250 are the same family of Inline Six. A lot of parts inter change.

 

[bmbm]

headers

Also any new header available now as far as I know is the shorty style and it might work fine on either 170 or 250. The problem areas apparently are the 250 block being a bit taller and limited space between the starter and frame. I remember jimmyv65 having his Clifford headers modified by an exhaust guy for his 250 Bronco. You could get some feedback from him.

 

[norm02]

Try Clifford Performance for Headers and Inline Six parts. They have 170/200 Headers available for the Bronco. Call to confirm, but they should also fit the 250 as well.

144, 170, 200 and 250 are the same family of Inline Six. A lot of parts inter change.

+1 for Clifford Performance header. I just had my 170ci shortlblock and cylinder head rebuilt and I am semi kicking myself for not having it rebuilt with a more of an emphasis on performance. In retrospect I should have had the head ported and polished and a larger cam installed than what I had.

Have you thought about building up a performance 200ci instead of getting the 250ci in there? I'm willing to bet that you could get some decent power out of a 200ci if you bored it out slightly, bumped CR a little, got some really good cylinder head work done, a nice cam from Clay Smith, and threw on a 2v. That would give you some great power and you wouldn't have any fitment issues.

 

[rguest3]

Getting a lot of power from a 200 can get expensive for what you end up with.

I did one a few years back with the Classic Inlines Head and 4B intake, added a 390cfm carb, Clifford Header and a Comp Cam. Ran VERY well for a little 200, but only got a little more than 302 power in the end.

 

[hucklburry rev2]

Since this is a grocery getting, run to lowes Bronco, for the wife to go back and forth to school in the summer with the doors off, I don't see much in the way of 250 fitment issues. I'm going to run it with the stock oil pan, drill down the motor mounts or try the mavericks or something. It has stiff rancho coils 3.5" on it with 31s, looks good, if I put duffs coils on it, it will get some stiffer shocks/sway bars. I don't know yet obviously, but I don't see it being too bad from what I've read. So I will stick with the 250, and do the cam and head work etc to it. Maybe EFI, but I got stuff to do before that. When I went to get the engine, I was expecting a 200, but it turned out to be a 250 from a 80 fairmont wagon, so its got one of the better/bigger heads on it already, and I have a bellhousing to keep the stock 3speed/column shift it has now.

The big question is, how can I make a 4 speed overdrive or a 5 speed be a column shift so I don't cut the tunnel? That is what I really want (I don't think I'd ever cut this tunnel)

 

[bmbm]

rebuild

+1 for Clifford Performance header. I just had my 170ci shortlblock and cylinder head rebuilt and I am semi kicking myself for not having it rebuilt with a more of an emphasis on performance. In retrospect I should have had the head ported and polished and a larger cam installed than what I had.

Yeah you could have done a mild cam, 200 carb and Pertronix for probably an easy 25 hp more. If you are going to keep that one for a long time and have extra money you could still do it.

 

[bmbm]

Since this is a grocery getting, run to lowes Bronco, for the wife to go back and forth to school in the summer with the doors off, I don't see much in the way of 250 fitment issues. I'm going to run it with the stock oil pan, drill down the motor mounts or try the mavericks or something. It has stiff rancho coils 3.5" on it with 31s, looks good, if I put duffs coils on it, it will get some stiffer shocks/sway bars. I don't know yet obviously, but I don't see it being too bad from what I've read. So I will stick with the 250, and do the cam and head work etc to it. Maybe EFI, but I got stuff to do before that. When I went to get the engine, I was expecting a 200, but it turned out to be a 250 from a 80 fairmont wagon, so its got one of the better/bigger heads on it already, and I have a bellhousing to keep the stock 3speed/column shift it has now.

The big question is, how can I make a 4 speed overdrive or a 5 speed be a column shift so I don't cut the tunnel? That is what I really want (I don't think I'd ever cut this tunnel)

I miss my column shift. Somewhere I read about using reverse for a four speed and cable pull or lever under dash for reverse.

 

[Hillman]

I had a Clifford header on my 170. When I swapped in my 250 the header dumper directly into my starter. I ended up using the manifold flange & completly building a new header from scratch. I have pictures of you are interested.

 

[jimmyv65]

Hey! I saw I was mentioned in here. Some picks of my header are in this thread over on Ford Six. https://fordsix.com//viewtopic.php?f=36&t=70194

My header was the classic inline header. We did remove one collector and angle it slightly.

I can't speak to it fitting both the high and low starter. My sense is that it would and it would be a matter of pipe bending to fit.

 

[NYLES]

Join classic broncos on Facebook....There was a post on this yesterday, looked like his header fit pretty good (lil tight at the starter) he was just lookin for a mini starter to fix his.

 

[markw]

Hey jimmy thanks for posting that link. I just picked up a complete 250 for a future build. Thank you to the OP for this thread, I eat up anything I can find on 6 cyl. Mark

 

[norm02]

I had a Clifford header on my 170. When I swapped in my 250 the header dumper directly into my starter. I ended up using the manifold flange & completly building a new header from scratch. I have pictures of you are interested.

Did you notice any seat of the pants performance gains with it?

 

[NYLES]

Join classic broncos on Facebook....There was a post on this yesterday, looked like his header fit pretty good (lil tight at the starter) he was just lookin for a mini starter to fix his.

I found the post again he was using a Clifford header.

 

[broncofjg]

I had a Clifford header on my 170. When I swapped in my 250 the header dumper directly into my starter. I ended up using the manifold flange & completly building a new header from scratch. I have pictures of you are interested.

Can you post some pics of your scratch built headers?

 

[jim3326]

When I picked up my '66 in '88, it had a 250 stuffed in it. The PO did some funky stuff to get it to fit, cut hood braces out, used the Maverick rad. I think which was too tall so he trimmed an ear on the rad. cap. Don't remember how the oil pan fit. You would be better off with a 200, fewer mods. needed.

 

[CraigS]

"Stuffed" in it? It's the same engine except for 1" additional deck height and a different bell housing pattern.

 

[73azbronco]

My single biggest improvement to my 65 van which had the 170, was to put in a bone stock 240 rebuilt. Can't ever go wrong with cubes.

240 is a bolt in isnt it? 250 is first gen 300 right?

 

[jim3326]

"Stuffed" in it? It's the same engine except for 1" additional deck height and a different bell housing pattern.

I would call it 'stuffed' when you remove body parts to get it to fit. JMO