Apache......Yep, I bought the truck about 30 years ago, just as you see it now. The 307 engine had been rebuilt and the headers installed shortly before I bought it. What perplexes me is that the truck ran fine for 27 years just like you see it, with the header pipes about an inch from the starter......never had a problem, even on long trips (even one trip to upstate Pa. to trailer home a fat 55 Nash......no issues at all).
One thought is "what if" the carb is now running too lean, causing the header pipes to get hotter than in the past....maybe an added 25 - 50 degrees from the pipes would make the difference? Seeing the intake manifold under the carb looking wet makes me want to point the finger more at the carb, which then pushes the heat level from the header pipes over the edge, making the starter freak out.
