Does anybody have a max wedge clone car where the hood bracing is not cut out and the crossram air cleaners clear when hood is shut? I am probably going to just cut my bracing out just to be safe. But thought I would just ask to see what others have done. Any pointers in doing this would be helpful.I am working on a '64 polara 500. Also where is a good place to get head gaskets>I am going to be running 286 heads on a 440. Original gaskets for the max wedge were stainless steel I am pretty sure. Are they available still or what is the next best thing? Need max wedge exhaust manifold gaskets too? And how thick of gaskets should be under the 3447 carbs. Thanks everybody

My 1st car was a 63 Dodge 330, original MW car.The hood was trashed on it at the time(1971)but the X-brace was cut out of it for air cleaner to hood clearance at the factory. I also currently have a hood in my possession from another 63 330 MW. The whole car was cut up by its' original owner to turn into an altered wheel-base racer in the mid 60s and was never finished. The body got scraped and most of the body parts survived including the unmolested hood which I have. Same thing,X-brace was cut out.

I've seen lots of Maxie clones with the hood bracing, voltage regulator, brake line, etc. still in the original place; evidently the factory engineers had minimum clearance policies that were pretty wide.

To my knowledge the original stainless head gaskets are no longer available, regular steel shim gaskets have always worked for me....Cometic would be the best choice if you can afford 'em.

Cometic. I will check them out. Thanks