Passenger-side heater box not fitting onto head

[oshima]

I recently had my Type 4 2.0L engine rebuilt - they used AMC heads and accidentally put on oval port heads instead of square. Instead of sending the engine back, they sent me a set of oval heat exchangers that fit my muffler.

The driver's side heat exchanger bolted right on. Unfortunately the passenger side heat exchanger doesn't seem to fit the head. It's almost like the angle is off or something. I pulled the studs out and the heater box still won't fit. They're either hitting the aluminum fins or the pushrod tubes.

What would the problem normally be here? I used some calibrated calipers and got a measurement between the pipes of the heat exchanger of 5.5985in. Is that correct, or is there a problem with the heat exchanger? Or is the head incorrect?

edit: also, the heat exchanger surfaces are flat to each other - I put a board across them and there's no angle.
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1978 2.0L Fuel Injected

[busdaddy]

It's not uncommon for the pipes to warp and twist, a scissor jack between them, long pry bars and large pipe wrenches are often used to persuade them back into alignment. Look for cracks at the crotch of the 2 pipes after alignment, nothing sucks more than discovering a leak after it's all installed. Once you are happy with the fit file or belt sand the flange faces so they are flat and parallel with each other so they seal to the heads well, anneal the copper rings too.
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[oshima]

Right on, thanks as always busdaddy. If I do manage to crack them, should I just spot weld it?

Thanks again.
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1978 2.0L Fuel Injected

[busdaddy]

I've used mild steel wire in a MIG in the past with no issues, the pipes are made of an Inconel sort of alloy, but it welds with common materials just fine.
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Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

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[Wildthings]

How about a picture of you "new" heat exchangers.

[wildDogPizza]

The set of Dansk heater boxes I had, 1 side never fit quite right and I had to tighten them up in a certain order to get both flanges to seal. The stress on the joint eventually caused the cast iron flanges to separate from the pipes where they were spot brazed on. I braze welded the flange back on using a tig welder with phoshur bronze filler. It worked for a few years and fell off again.