lxman1

I run a set of nickle plated MAC shorties that I installed in 1990. They turned a little blue, but have never leaked. I ran the gaskets that came with them (white paper type) from 1990 until last year when I pulled the engine. Even though the bolts backed off a few times, they never leaked.
I run the new 170CC Trick Flow heads. They do have the raised valve cover rail as mentioned above. I run the black TrickFlow valve covers. They cleat my screw-in studs and roller rockers. They are a very close fit to the throttle linkage when running the TrackHeat intake. Maybe a 1/16" to 1/8" clearance.
I guess the stock aluminum covers will fit with the baffle removed as mentioned above, I have never tried it myself. I have a stage 2 cam on the shelf until I can save up the money to build a 331 stroker with the proper pistons to clear the valves. Curently running the Stage 1 cam.

tinman

Forgot to mention that you need to use 'anti-sieze' on any threads that go into aluminum heads.
Don't forget to the sparkplugs either........

Missmy5.0

Always a good reminder!

Thanks to all for the info- I think I'll pick up a set of salvage covers to trim and plan on using those. In a worst case, I can buy a set of Trick Flow covers. I fully admit to being goofy about this- trying to keep it low profile underhood- but I always thought the stealthy mods were the coolest. Of course, if I do go with Spintechs, I can't hope for this to be a Q ship....

As far as the headers go, I am torn now between the long tube and (unequal) shorties. The equal shorties sound like more trouble than they are worth. Tinman, you are making me feel guilty for thinking shorties for ease of install! As I have been shopping headers, it seems prices are all over the board- I see polished stainless in the $600 range, silver ceramic coated stainless shorties stainless in the $300-400 range, and FRPP stainless "natural" about the same. It also sounds like any name brand header is going to be a good choice and pretty straightforward. Dawson1112, your experience with Chinese "precision" makes me wonder what those problematic 6 speeds in late model Mustangs will be like in 20 years when today's 5.0 will be like a Fox....

reldla1996

On headers, the BBK long tubes weren't that hard to install. The principal drawback to long tubes is ground clearance - you will lose some - and the H/X pipe must be changed to match your long tubes. On the plus side, long tubes will make 10-20 more hp, plus the sound will be more primal. After having had ceramic coated headers, I will never buy another set that are not ceramic coated. The heat difference is amazing, and they stay looking like new for a long time. I've got long tubes on my 89 Mustang and 67 Cougar, and the factory manifolds on my 04 Cobra.