YES 5.9 Magnum manifolds work in early A bodies. Here is exactly how!

Tad said
The distance between the steering shaft and the manifold is very close. A little tiny bit of the pin barely touches the manifold when it turns. The shaft itself does not touch but it’s probably between a 16th and an eighth of an inch distance

Did you try loosening the column plate and pushing the whole plate column and all to the left? There is some room to be had there if you did not.