I like where you're going with this. If you lost the AC and put in an electric hydraulic pump for the PS, you'd have all the room in the world for the exhaust manifolds to wrap around to the front. I have a spare front engine/timing chain cover if you want to start mocking stuff up. You'd need to loose the AIR pump mounting tab to get at the front of the engine but I think you'd gain a lot by routing it in the manner you're talking about. One thing I'd stay away from if possible though is stuffing anything too deep in the "V" of the block that has air running through it. You'd be able to fit one heck of a nice sized water air IC in there though. Feed in through the top, drop through it and come out the bottom. I like it alot. Let me know what you need and I'll see what I can do to help.