With the experience you have Trevor, we're glad to have you in here, so don't worry about being 'new'.

As I've worked this particular area (it's been a sore spot since the car was converted in 96) I've come to understand that no 2 of these are the same. Many thanks to flyboy and TX for their help/pictures. Looks like I'm gonna stick with the Ford Racing shorties and make them work. I believe I'll have to cut the flange free of the ball on the header, and shift it slightly - about 9 degrees - in order that the top stud will be parallel with the frame rail. As it sits, it's angled slightly towards the frame rail - which makes the nut VERY difficult to get started as there's not enough room. Once that's done, and now that I've trimmed the control arm bracket, I believe we can snake a new pipe through there. May have to remove the header and install it from the top. May have to loosen the tranny crossmember and lower the back of the engine which might provide enough clearance around the starter 'bump' to slip the flare/fange on the head pipe in from the bottom.

I'll try and come back in and let you know how it ends up.