Exhaust header installation issue

What engine did you purchase the headers for? Maybe the deck hight is diffrent? Like between a Windsor and a Cleveland?

It was ordered for the correct engine, which is a Cleveland.

One of our members from Hawaii had a problem with his header install - maybe he will post up about it.

They were brand-new too.

Update. The driver side has the same issue. The header wants to hit the frame at the upright where the upper a-frame attaches to.
The passenger side has a lot of weld at the point where it hits. I'm sure that would be ground but not sure on what effect that would have a the headers since they were ceramic coated.
Also looks like the headers and or the frame at that point would have to flattened to allow for clearance.
I'm surprised a product sold by vendors would have an issue, I'm told the vendors all use the same supplier.

Has anyone else had an issue?

would different heads account for this?

This is the oem engine and heads according to the id numbers. I don't think the problem is there.

I was sent a wrong set of 180's by one of the vendors, then I had custom ones made, frustrating.

Mike can you post some Photos? Could it be that your engine Mounts are swapped? They are not symmetrical you know. And what about your old Headers, did they have an issue also?

Highest probability that I can caculate is that the headers they sent you are for Cleveland heads on a 9.5" Windsor block.

The turn down angle on a 9.5" high block would be sharper. Too sharp for a 9.2" block.

When put on a shorter block, 9.2, the angle would be too steep leaning the headers into the chassis.

Scientifically there is no way to tell for sure unless you had the two sets there for comparison and they were verified.

The original fit on the GTS headers doesn't look that tight but in reality it is very tight and they need to be right on.

When they are off the car, one set looks like another and it is very easy to get confused on them.

When I first got my 180's the flange was cut for the wrong bolt pattern. Seems that the A3 head bolt pattern had been revised and I had the early pattern?

Do what I do. Call Dougala. Dougala fix.

Engine casting number shows it to be the Cleveland engine, the head is stamped with the original number as well as having the 4V in the casting.
The engine mounts are in the correct position.
I don't want to bolt it up tight enough to take pictures at this point until I talk with the vendor. The headers will not, can not, sit flush to the engine due to the clearance issue.
The headers that were on the car when I bought it are 2V headers mounted to the 4V heads, no clearance issue, just when the gaskets finally blow out you get the typical sound.

All the bottom end appears to be original, I've had the pan off. The car, other than being repainted, sadly, appears to be an original 26k mile car.