Headers not fitting after engine removal

Hi there,

We've been rebuilding our 360 in our 1974 Dart all winter. This weekend was time for reinstall. The engine is seated in the mounts properly and 904 transmission is all lined up straight and the yoke is attached.

I have Hooker Competition Headers, beat up, but they were installed. For the life of me I can't get the drivers side on now. It's hitting the steering linkage and stopping about a quarter inch from the front mounting stud. The back stud is hanging fine. I've tried swapping and hanging the front end first but even with the back end hanging free, I can't get it on front stud. It's so close, I even tried a pry bar with no luck. Even stuck a jack under the tube that's hitting the steering linkage. No dice.

They were on the car before we pulled the engine. Never left the engine bay, just tied up out of the way. Any ideas? Could the engine be somehow sitting higher by a quarter inch? I don't know how that could be on the drivers side because the bolt for the engine mount went in fine on that side. Nothing seems to be twisted or sitting higher or lower than before.