Get a set of ARP bolts that are 12pts. They are thinner then the standard exhaust bolt and they work great. I use to have that problem all the time where the socket didn't fit between the exhaust and the head.
Yep just recently encountered this problem myself with the Rinehart pipes. I took a ½ wrench and ground it down till I could get it to fit. Im sure the wrench isn’t good for much else now but it worked. What a pain in the .........
loosen up the heat shields, I only have experience with stock headers but after loosening the heat shields i can use a 1/4 drive 1/2 deepwell socket for every thing.