Help me plan: My first intake swap ... EVER.

Because I have them and they are useless for the driver's side rear manifold bolt. The kickdown bracket is in the way on one side, the distributor is in the way on the other side. The bolt holds the bracket, so to get to it the distributor has to come out. I'm sorry, that's just how it is. Maybe some brackets are different. I don't know.
Then why don't you just tell us that like you did instead of pissing everybody off by giving them a red X. I get tired of clearing reported posts. You have posted your opinion now go back and shut off the X's.