So I bought a ton of stuff since I had no vacation plans for what will be a 4-5 day weekend for me and a friend whose weekend I am ruining. Just wanted to know if there is anything to be wary of with any of the projects I have planned:

Exhaust
- going from original manifold on a mild 302 to hipo manifold 2 1/4 dual exhaust with dynomax VT muffler (I do a lot of highway)
- I have the 289hipo manifold & mounting hardware, H pipe, mufflers new in box
- do I need some gaskets for in between manifold/h pipe/intermediate pipe or do they just bolt???

Steering (power steering)
- replacing all inner and outer tie rods, pitman arm, idler arm
- will have to get an alignment afterward

Wheels
- current some meh Futura 2000 LTE 215/70/14 on Cragar wheels that the previous guy drilled to fit (explains vibration)
- installing 15x7 Magnum 500 on Firestone Indy 500 215/65/15

Suspension
- replacing stock original front spring, insulators, perches, rear 4 leaf springs, sand theyhackles, etc
- progressive front spings, mid eye 4.5 leaf springs, all rubber bushings

 

Why did you pick hi-po manifolds over headers?

 

Couple reasons:

1) my car is mildly tuned with a few minor perfomance upgrades, original iron heads, and c4 auto so she is no speed machine
2) I rarely spend anytime in the upper rpm range
3) hipo manfold was a little over $200 where it seems a nice set of headers that wont have fitment issues would be significantly more

 

if you're gonna rip apart the front suspension, install roller perches since you're already in there.

 

Do I need these or will an exhaust shop have them?

http://www.cjponyparts.com/exhaust-m...973/p/EX31400/

 

Seems like you go from $20 for rubber replacements, $30 for poly, and $360 for roller....what kind of improvement would I notice in handling for 10x the price?

http://www.cjponyparts.com/1964-1973...es/c/10170040/

 

My kinda vacation, I'm envious.

 

should be done in 1 day with help 4-5 hrs. Done in time to watch the hockey game. Try and challenge yourself by doing a do it yourself alignment. I aligned mine and when I took it to alignment shop it was damn near perfect. just needed a little more toe in.

 

I don't know about anyone else but I had a heck of a time with the leaf sping bolts. I ended up cutting with an angle grinder/sawzaw. Good luck. Sound like a good time.

 

jgemperline is right on. Have a sawz all and a crap load of blades for the leaf spring bolts. It took me about 4 blades and 2 hours per side when i did my rear leaf springs.