Is it possible to flip a SBC exhaust manifold? My weird engine swapped project.

Is it possible to take a SBC (350 in this case) passenger's side exhaust manifold and bolt it to the driver's side with the exit facing forward? I know this sounds weird, but I've just recently acquired an incomplete project for a good price where there isn't enough room for the original steering box and the driver's side exhaust manifold to coexist. The previous owner spent a lot of money, but gave up after trying to install a rack and pinion ahead of the crossmember - which bent into a pretzel as soon as we started moving the car around.

OK OK I'll just say it... It's a 350 Chevy with a Turbo 350 trans swapped into a '63 Dodge Dart. Lots of new parts, custom radiator, fully finished custom exhaust, all wired and running with nice intake, ignition, custom drive shaft, etc. The steering is the only big snafu. I'm on a limited budget, so pulling the SBC and dropping in a Mopar motor isn't gonna happen.

Will a front exit exhaust manifold like the one used on the 55-56 Corvette work on a 350 even though it was originally designed for a 256?

Thanks!

 

Flipping the exhaust would be too easy and look like a Y block, make your own headers.

 

so, post some pics of what you are working with.

 

No reason why you can't run the passenger side manifold on the driver's side - give it a try and if it doesn't fit maybe the '55 style one will.

 

yes

 

Yes you can, and it's probably an easier fix than most of those suggested above. I think some of the folks think the manifold exit is going to stick UP, when what you're describing will exit down and forward.

 

The ports in the 55-56 engine are tiny.

 

Easy... maybe? But is it possible? I don't really plan on opening the hood as I'm leaving it a sleeper for now. It would be tough to fit a center or rear exit manifold in there along with the original steering box. I've looked at a lot of possibilities and putting the steering back the way it came seems to be the best option. I'm trying to avoid cutting up the inner fenders and installing headers if possible which is why I figured I'd start by asking about flipping the cast iron manifold first. I will try to post some pics when I get a chance as the car isn't at my house.

 

There are lots and lots of sbc manifold designs. For example, it is very common to see a late '70's pickup left side manifold used on the right side. This puts the outlet further forward and makes lots of room to clear the starter or other frame issues.

 

There's a neat early 80s truck manifold that would probably work good, but it requires using a head from that era that has the extra bolt at the end (arrow)

 

I was wondering about that myself.

The early Vette manifold is the only forward exiting manifold I have found, but now that I know you can flip them it opens up a lot more possibilities as it seems like a lot of late model SBC cars and trucks had a very flat passenger's side manifold that exited high and to the rear, which seems like it would do the trick if it was flipped the other way.

 

here's the 81-84 truck manifold

 

You can't flip the manifolds upside down, because of the spark plugs, as well as the fact that most manifolds go in towards the engine a the bottom

 

If you mean, by flipping, can you put a passenger side on the drivers side, yes. If you mean can you flip it upside down, then no.

 

Now we're getting somewhere! I'm very tight on money, so I'm trying to think this through. The body on this car is very solid and it's loaded with new and expensive parts like Edelbrock dual plane intake, new cam, new timing gears and chain, Lokar shifter, Strange axles, Holley 750 carb, new gas tank, new quarter panels, etc. The previous owner just kinda got stuck on the steering part so it has just sat for the past two years - but the engine runs strong.

 

That's one of the manifolds I was thinking of.

Just to clarify for everyone, I mean putting a passenger's side on the driver's side so it exits forward and down.

 

265 manifolds.

 

Man those ports ARE dinky. I'm thinking a truck manifold may get it done.

 

Make sure the head has the extra bolt hole. They started adding that hole in the late 70s I think.

 

Pictures of the drivers side engine compartment would help.

 

I drove a Dart today, I think I know what he's dealing with....but yeah, it would help

here's the manifolds that fit a 340 into a Dart

 

The engine is out of a '71 El Camino, but I'm not sure if its the original mill. I'll have to double check for that extra hole.

Thanks!

 

If it is a '71 mill, it won't have the extra hole. I have, in my younger years, when cash was tight, run heads with broken off exhaust manifold bolts. I put in a good quality header gasket, and tightened up the remaining fasteners to the top-end of the torque range, and checked them regularly. Never had a problem. So, it is possible that you could run the truck manifold, just without the offset bolt, possibly. Might work for a temporary solution, until you can figure out a set of proper headers.

 

a common solution on 35 -48 Fords back in the day. This is the 67-72 pass side truck manifold. ChevyIIs work too but they got real pricey.

 

a camaro or 68-72 nova will work we put one on a friends 48 chevy to clear the steering box looks weird but worked

 

on stock cars i put LH manifolds on the right fliped and run exhaust out the rh door
using camaro exhaust manifolds and also chevelle will work

 

if you dont care what it looks like then why not. the right head is the same as the left. so i guess if it fits and clears steering, crossmembers and everything else and you dont tell the manifold whats going on it probably wont know what side of the engine its on.

 

That won't work in the Dart he's building, the steering box is quite a bit foward of where it is in that ford.

 

After playing with early Darts and Valiants for years i do not believe it is going to work as the K member will still be in the way. Their is a reason why the stock manifold had a radical curve to it. squirrel, That manifold is for the later 67 up A body, they are wider than the 63-66. I think you are going to end up with fenderwell headers.

 

How about ram horn style they go on either side