The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 350 - headers - original column & steering box

Helo everyone. I am new to this site and this is my first post. I have learned a great deal as a visitor and appreciate everyones generous spirit. I just bought a 54 panel with a 350 small block out of a early 70's camero, automatic conversion into a non original mystery rearend, and a later tilt steering column. Everthing else is original. The 350 needed to be rebuilt so when the engine went I decided to to a frame off. I descovered that the rearend is bad with leaky seals and badly cracked drums. So I need to replace it. I got some great info on donors on this site and will look into it further. Don't be surprized if you hear from me again about the rearend selection. The question for this post is about using headers on the 350 with an original column and steering box. I understand that 67-69 Camero headers are what I should get but will there be room for an original column and steering box mounted in the original spot?

Welcome to the Stovebolt Page. Sounds like a cool project. The traditional wisdom is that you cannot put a SBC V8 in a 47-55.1 Advance Design truck without moving the steering box out away from the frame rail at least an inch or two. Are you sure this steering box has not been relocated? Most V8 transplants in these trucks with original front axle and steering use 55-57 265 exhaust manifolds or "some" 305 manifolds that exit at the rear. In 99 I bought a 50 Chev 3/4 ton pickup that already had a 307 V8 with the original 4-speed, front axle, steering, etc. The steering box was spaced out from the frame about 1.5" and the pitman arm was bent a little to restore the alignment of the connecting link. This is the truck . Good luck with your 54!!

You asked about headers and I don't know anything about them in this application. Maybe somebody else will jump in here. I found a picture of the manifolds like I had on my truck. I hope this link works.

Thank you Frank50, When I got this panel the exhaust pipe was 1/8" from the steering box. It had an original box and a welded on buick tilt column. That got us thinking about using headers to give us a little more room. I took off the steering box just yesterday and found that it was moved back on the frame about an inch and the drag link was lenghtend. I have found an original column and will be trying to use it. I suppose after the engine goes back in we can mess around with the placement of the steering box.

The Camaro headers won't clear,I used early 59-62 Corvette headers (Hedman)and had plenty of clearance on my 54.Also early Chevy vans used a simular shape,the vette headers even cleared the wide sump Moroso pan.

YOU COULD OFF SET THE MOTOR & TRANNY