Gary, if my memory serves me correctly you might try a Fram FL-300
oil filter. It has the same mount as the standard FL1A but is approximately one inch shorter in height. If you are running an electric fuel pump Ford makes an adapter that rotates the filter towards the front of the engine rather than sticking out to the side. This adapter also has 1/2NPT female threads tapped to allow fitment of remote
oil cooler lines as well as a bypass valve built in. This adapter will not fit if you are running a mechanical fuel pump
On my cobra I run a Mocal sandwich adapter with a built in
oil thermostat along with a FL-300 filter. The adapter restricts oil flow to the oil cooler until the oil temp reaches 180*. Fortunately, I have no clearance problems at all and will return to using the FL1A filter at my next oil change.