I have seen where the tube was cut/notched/clearanced with the cut being re-welded/boxed to give more room at the header tube on an a-body

maybe that can be done,just have to cut/slice it the couple inches at the header tube and make a flat area on the round tube of the colum.

a small piece of the insulation with the silver backing like used unhood of some car(grab some from a JY) could be wraped and tied to the colum where the tube ends and the shaft pokes out to keep heat and air moveing up the hollow of colum.

looks may be the only down fall of the insulation wrap