I got a little too lazy for paint for the moment, so the measuring tape will give an idea. after taking a look at teh on the spare engine (as close as I could get without any cutting or drilling yet) I think I am going to route out the back and come back up front as I first intended. sorry batteries in the camera died during those pics. Also when I cut the flange off I think I will have the engine out and aside so I can cut the runners down about 1/2" at a time to decrease the width and make sure I dont have issues where the collector joins. It looked like the inner most part of the collector was getting close to the widest part of the tranny's body.
Outside collector flange distance
See the runners that are closest to one another in this pic that nearest point
on either end is where the tranner concern is. ie there very well could be some
cutting to spec hopefully just at the ends of the runners.