'75 Charger 318 header/steering issue

[OneSicSRT]

Hello all...new to this forum but not new to the Mopar community. I just bought a builder B body car; 75 Charger, 318, auto, p/s car.....previous owner apparently didn't know how to work on cars. ....He put some headers on and the steering box had beat the crap out of the headers so bad that one tube is almost completely flattened......could they be for a non power steering car?

 

[1toolguy]

It could be that but most b-body headers I've seen don't make a distinction. Could be a couple of other factors too:
1) Poorly designed/manufactured "el-cheapo" headers
2) Bad motor mount(s) killing the clearance (either lowering the engine completely of allowing it to one side).
3) He replaced the steering box AFTER installing the headers and discovered he needed more room to get it out.
4) Any combination of these three.

Honestly this is why I was so glad to start with a slight rough, but unmolested car (mine even had the original, non working, factory radio in it) if anything is done wrong I can only blame me.