Paintman, how are block hugger or any other headers closer to the valve cover gaskets than stock manifolds? I'm having trouble understanding the problem.
As for cooked plug wires, simple cable clamps from Home Depot, also called "P-clamps" and "Adels" can be used to hold the plug wires away from the headers. There are fancy, expensive billet cable routing devices to do that but the inexpensive hardware items accomplish the same thing with a cool, aircraft look. If you give me your email address, I'll send you a photo of what they look like.
There are also short versions of spark plugs from the major plug manufacturers to create more clearance between the plug boots and the headers. For example, my street rod is a '32 Ford roadster with a SBC Chevy engine equipped with Edelbrock heads and block hugger headers. After a lot of experimentation with different heat ranges I settled on short spark plugs that are the same part number as used in my wife's 2005 Honda Accord. There is no need to buy expensive "Header plugs" because a profusion of identical length plugs already exists for stock applications.
