1965 Valiant LS Build

JDMopar said

@JGizmo Any updates? I got to wondering about exhaust for your car. Are you gonna make headers, or will maybe some of the LS swap manifolds on the market work? If whatever you do gets too close to the steering column, you can cut the tube off close to the firewall and gain a little room there in that cramped up space. There is a thread here somewhere about how to install a bearing in the end of the column housing for the steering shaft.

When you have to upgrade the rearend, you can put a Ford 8.8 out of an Exploder in it pretty cheap, and most of them are positracs. Then you can call the car "Big 3" - Chrysler body, GM power, Ford axle! :)

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Unfortunately I haven't had very much time to work on the project the last few days. I started college last week so that's taking up much of my time. I have started ordering parts though (clutch kit etc). I couldn't find any LS swap manifolds that fit around the steering column, no luck for headers either. What I decided on is an S10 swap manifold that I'm going to flip upside down and send the pipe down the front of the engine (it'll also set me up for a turbo in the future lol). As for the rear end, one of the previous owners installed an 8 3/4 LSD which I think should hold up to a good amount of power. I was considering the Ford 8.8 though if it ever blew up.