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Several months back I decided I needed to do some detailing under the hood on my 69 Velle. I pulled the intake mainly to repair a small leak at the rear of the intake and clean up the older eddy intake.Well I did all of that painted everything, bought me a corrected dizzy cap for the HEI, new plug wires and wire hold down looms. I put it all back together in a day and I was ready to fire it so me and the moose could head out to the local cruise night. I was like a proud papa under that hood looked better than ever all clean and a shine like a new penny. Well I hit the switch and the old 427 fires right up and then all of a sudden it starts knocking like a rod is coming out the side of the block. I go what the %$^&$ is going on all I did was replace an intake gasket. I shut it off in disbelief and tried to figure the situation out. So I said what the heck fire it up again and pin point the rattle, knock whatever it was. So I did and it rattled like before and then all of a sudden it stopped, now this is weird so I let it idle and as it idled I noticed it started skipping slightly and then it started the rattle and the engine would stumble and quit. Bingo a lifter I said it has to a collapsed lifter. So away I go and tear it down and start pulling lifters out one by one. On number 4 cylinder I find a dry push rod and a lifter plunger that looks like it was being abused so I say there is the problem. Well Jegs is great so in a few days I have a nice set of new Crower hydraulic lifters so I am ready to put things back together. Well before I start I better pull the plugs out so I can rotate the engine easier for valve adjustment; when I pull number 7 plug out the inner and outer electrodes are both bent so I say rut-ro I have a real problem. Out comes the breaker bar and sockets this head is coming off now. Well all was going well until I could not access the lower row of head bolts due to the header flange on the Hooker Super Comps. So I unbolt the header and it will not budge due to clearance issues with the steering shaft and whatever else is in the way. Now it is time to unbolt the engine mounts jack the motor up for clearance; wrong I can't even get to the bolt on the engine mount due to the dang headers in the way; now this is really pissing me off. Well I got mad put the tools away for another day, since then I have tried again without success mainly due to working alone so here is where I am at. I will get it apart but I think the headers are history I have the factory BB exhaust manifolds which I am going to reuse; I have them being bead blasted and powder coated and I will buy some new down pipes and plumb them into the existing exhaust. All this of course will happen after I find what the heck went on in the engine I still don't have a clue. The funny thing is that the car was running great before I started to work on it. This is not my first rodeo and I am not careless with a missing intake I always tape all the ports up but I am beginning to think something made it's way into number 7 by the way the plug looked. Do you guys think I will even notice the power difference without the headers and by tossing them it will make life a lot more simple inside the hood and under the car not to mention ease of tune up etc. This is a very mild 427 with a mild cam, intake 4 speed with 3.73 rear gears and it is not a race car. Give me some opinions guys I would greatly appreciate your input maybe some of you guys have done the same. I am about to my wits end with headers. 
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