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By MarkMontereyBay - 13 Years Ago
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Interested if anyone here is running the FPA's in a 57 Bird and what, if any, fitment problems came up.
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By Vic Correnti - 13 Years Ago
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I have them on my 1955 Tbird that has a standard transmission for the last 10 years. I had to change the grease fitting on top of the idler arm to a shorter one because the 90 degree one did hit the header. The reconfigured stabilizer works with no problems. I was concerned that they would break under launching torque at the drag strip but no problems as of yet.
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By bird55 - 13 Years Ago
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I also have them. Without any issues. I flipped the heim joints on the the steady rests.
If Vic's not breaking them-you'll be fine!
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By Noob - 13 Years Ago
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I'm about to pull the trigger on some FPA's for my `57 bird, but I hope it's ok if curve this topic abit... toward ceramic coating. If aesthetics or radiant heat werent a concern, wouldnt it be sufficient, if not preferred, to ceramic coat ONLY the insides of the headers? Also, have done a search of the archives but find no discussion on HEADER WRAP. I personally like the look of it properly applied, but have seen extensive debate on it's deteriorative affect on the headers themselves... though I think the problems have to do with the wrap applied with adhesive rather than the stuff like Thermo-Tec that is water soaked before application so it conforms and "shrinks". Coat the inside and wrap the outer? Cheers... Brian
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By charliemccraney - 13 Years Ago
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Noob (2/28/2011)
If aesthetics or radiant heat werent a concern, wouldnt it be sufficient, if not preferred, to ceramic coat ONLY the insides of the headers?
If you're looking strictly for performance, I don't see why not. If you want them to last more than a few years, coat the outside with something. Headers rust quickly without any protection.
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By 55Birdman - 13 Years Ago
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Got them on the 55 for about 5 years now. Fit like a glove. NO issues installing . Well made products are made to fit properly. These do!
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By Duck - 13 Years Ago
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Been just dying to ask, what's it like "on the other side" any way?
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By Noob - 13 Years Ago
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Just ordered a pair today from FPA... says they're pretty busy, but within 2-3 weeks... I should check with Ted and see if his mule will still be in header test mode or if he's on to other experiments... Still debating coating, but now about color rather than versus wrap... thinking how cool and retro white would be (especially after seeing pics posted here of gold motor with white ram's horn manifolds)... they dont offer white, only bright "chrome-ish" or a "resto-silver", the latter having less aluminum-oxide in it and so its suppose to be more durable. Anyway... its a bit of a splurge but since I cant get JM heads or intake manifold for months or longer, I had to do something with my beans and koolaid savings. Cheers... Brian
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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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This note involves the coatings - I decided to stick with the iron manifolds on my outfit - but I mostly wanted the heat control feature of the coating. I got it done by JetHot in Tempe, AZ - and because I was coating one of the "hard to come by" ECJ driverside T-bird manifolds, I asked if there could be a problem if some future owner wanted the original cast iron look. I was told they could simply recoat the outside with the cast iron grey if that was desired - all it takes is money. Incidently - the inside and outside coating of the iron manifolds dropped their surface temperature by 225°F as the car sat at idle. After a quick check of the temp of the raw castings (to be sure they were the same side for side), I put a newly coated manifold on the RH side and ran my test again - 550° on the raw side - 225° on the coated. I'm absolutely sure it has a beneficial effect on the underhood temperature. 
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By Noob - 13 Years Ago
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Good input... I'm such a knucklehead sometimes, but having come to my wits it's pretty clear that scavange isnt the only bennifit, and if I can lower the temp of the air she's breathing, not to mention any heatsoak opportunities on nearby components, the better call is coating inside AND out... duh!?! Moving on now to the "trivial" matter of color... Cheers... Brian
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By Ted - 13 Years Ago
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GREENBIRD56 (3/2/2011)
......the inside and outside coating of the iron manifolds dropped their surface temperature by 225°F as the car sat at idle. After a quick check of the temp of the raw castings (to be sure they were the same side for side), I put a newly coated manifold on the RH side and ran my test again - 550° on the raw side - 225° on the coated. I'm absolutely sure it has a beneficial effect on the underhood temperature.Steve. I suspect that the lower temperatures being generated with the coatings would also extend the life of the manifolds and at the very least, slow down the propensity for breaking or cracking. Good info and thanks for sharing.
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By Noob - 13 Years Ago
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Vic/Alan... to you specifically since I suspect you've both got a few ponies under the hood... a non-forum owner of a cammed E-bird with FPA's says he had to do some additional reinforcement work to "keep the motor from twisting outta the car on launches"... referencing he had posi-trac and manual tranny. Did either of you find the alternate steady rest design from FPA to be insufficient or have to add reinforcements anywhere? I'm working with a 3.52 posi, a T-5 tranny, and a warmed 312, so his input is giving me second thoughts... Brian
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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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try out this link......... http://birddropnz.blogspot.com/ 
These Heim joints were never intended to be side loaded............easy to fix though.
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By bird55 - 13 Years Ago
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Noob, My bird has about 310-hp with an AOD trans with an open rear gear standard. Vic's bird probly makes more with a traction loc and for certain he has the guts to launch his much harder than i do. Seen him, wheels up numerous times. In fact I saw him last year break at Columbus on launch. But it was the trans tailshaft or driveshaft related as I recall So…with all that happening the engine was apparently anchored down pretty well or else those steady rest/engine mounts could have gone somewhere instead. Just my thoughts.
the issue is you would never want to ever let them run loose, just like you wouldn't want a loose motor mount or steady rest.
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By Vic Correnti - 13 Years Ago
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Noob, I questioned the steady rest design from FPA but after trying to find a good way to come up with something better I gave up and thought I would fix it if there is a problem. As Allen said I like to leave hard and if something brakes I try to fix it better so it won't break there again. With both wheels off the ground and more nitrous then a 312 cu in Y-Block was ment to have the steady rest design from FPA has never failed me. I have broke everything else though. I have come to the conclusion that nitrous and a clutch should not be in the same car but don't worry about the steady rests.
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By Noob - 13 Years Ago
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Thanks Steve, Vic, Alan... I'll proceed... I like the idea of re-orienting the heim joint as suggested. Cheers... Brian
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By Pete 55Tbird - 13 Years Ago
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Steve Your JetHot coated exhaust manifolds look great. I have a question for you, did you ever consider using a grinder and doing a mild "clean up" before having the manifolds coated? Or would that have effected the value and was that part of the decision making process? Just idle curiosity. Thanks Pete
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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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Hi Pete - I did "sort of" dust them off a bit with a sanding disc to take away the worst of the casting divots (actually suggested by Ted years ago). I'd say that if you did a careful (and complete) job, it would really make them spectacular. 
I mostly just was looking to get the top surfaces a bit more reflective and let it go at that...... Between the coating and the truck style heat shields, the rocker covers are staying pretty cool now. Next polishing project is the set of groady T-bird aluminum covers i accumulated a couple of years back.
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By skygazer - 13 Years Ago
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Greenbird, that's a clean looking engine compartment! Tell me about the CAI/air cleaner... is that your own design?
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By NoShortcuts - 13 Years Ago
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Regarding using a wrap on your headers, if you check the Sanderson exhaust header webpage (I looked at the page for early 'Bird headers) Sanderson states in their disclaimers:
Wrapping your Sanderson Headers with ANY thermal tape voids your header warranty. The best thermal protection for your headers is our Aluminized Ceramic Coating that is available for every Sanderson Header.
The Ford Powertrain headers are more expensive than the Sanderson units. Unfortunately, when Ted Eaton did the extensive dyno testing of exhaust header, the FPA units seemed to be the only ones he did not have a set of to test. 
From an exhaust header design standpoint, I believe that the FPA units will outperform the Sanderson headers particularly above 3,000 rpm. My thinking is based on the detailed info provided in David Vizard's SA book How to Build Horsepower. Without the dyno tests, my opinion is merely speculation.
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