Mike...love your build.
For some 1.5" headers, take a look at the Flowtech #11108's. Thery're a 'shorty' but not a block hugger style. They are long enough to get past the crossmember and with a few pieces of tubing could be lengthened. I'd try them first out of the box with a nice long collector extension.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Flowtech/387/1...rentProductId=