I seem to be having bad luck with my latest repair and the parts I've ordered from FcP Groton

I've had my sedan garaged for many months. I am now trying to do a bunch of remedial maintenance on it, to make it: a) inspectable and b) fully repaired. It needs new brakes and pads; timing belt,front seals, and water pump; tranny mount; fuel filter; and exhaust replacement from the manifold back.

I put together a big order from FCP. When it arrived everything was checked off and initialled by the "picker" but a new TB tensioner was missing. I called FCP. They sent me another one, no questions asked. When I finally got around to the brake work last week. I started with the rear brakes first---no problems. When I got to the front brakes, I realized that FCP had sent me a pair of FWD rear rotors instead of the vented front rotors I had ordered. The part number on the boxes did not match what was circled and initialed by the "picker" Another call to FCP, and they sent out the correct rotors that day. Again, no questions asked. I should have them by tomorrow afternoon.

While waiting for the brakes, I've started with the badly needed exhaust work. I had already bought a stock exhaust kit a few months ago from my local dealer (at a significant discount). My big FCP order included a Bosal header pipe and Bosal cat. I spent today cutting off the old exhaust. The bolts came off pretty easily. I fit up the new exhaust, starting with the header pipe and working my way back. I then began to go over everything for fit adjustment and tightening. That's where my real trouble started.

The Volvo stuff fits as expected, including the over-axle pipe rubbing on the triangular "brace." That issue has been discussed thoroughly here. I am sure I can make some easy mods to fix things.

The Bosal, stuff on the other hand, is problematic. First, the cat seems to be sitting to high. The oxygen sensor is about 1/8' away from the floor pan. The old one didn't seem to be so close as I remember it. I'm worried it hitting or rubbing there. Second, the pipe attached to the cat and leading to the resonator looks like it is bent to follow the general contours of the floor pan. It's not lining up right for me. The last bend in the pipe doesn't match the floor. It sits too far towards the engine and brings the pipe very close to contacting the floor. Where the pipe is necked down to fit into the resonator seems to be an inch or two further away from the end of the resonator pipe than it should be. I tried to adjust as much of the misfit out as I could, but I am worried that it is going to rattle or radiate/conduct too much heast to the floor. The whole cat and its pipe seem to sit much much farther towards the engine than they should be.

I wonder whether my header pipe is bent at the wrong angle (causing the cat to sit to high) and is also too short (causing the cat to sit too far forward). I know that others have had fit problems with sub-standard Bosal stuff.

I need to get this car on the road ASAP. Should I roll the dice and exchange it for another one from FCP while my car sits on ramps and jack stands for another week? Like I said, the FCP folks have been pretty cool about all the anomalies with my order so far. Or should I have the header pipe modified, by having the single pipe lengthened and having it's angle dropped a little, while going through the additional hassle and expense of trying to find a competent welder who isn't going to do something stupid like burn through my pipe or misalign the fixed flange in the process. (I used to weld for a living, but I don't currently have access to a machine or I'd do it myself.)

I'm also considering trying to bend the header pipe down using the old 4x4" and floor jack system. I'd leave the length alone and just have to hope that the forward-sitting cat wouldn't pull the mufflers and other pipes too far out of alignment like it has for some others.

Any thoughts?