Why did the exhaust pipe on the Ford Y-block V8 cross over in front of the engine?

My first conscious memories, up until just past 6, were our Ford coupe, I forget what year, about a 51. It had had a two way radio, I remember "it came" with a big spring antenna mount and antenna which would have been low band VHF, IE 30mhz and above. Police, power company staff, I don't know.

Dad had lots of trouble with it vapor locking. He always carried some water to dump on the fuel pump in "balky times." Three speed overdrive. I can remember Dad operating the control cable and passing a car "see if I can get it to kick down"