help please

[wkubug]

my first but and i have some questions. can somebody please help me?
I'm working on a 68 bug (stock right now), i just installed a full flow oil pump cover the old stop muffler pre-heater pipe is in the way of the oil filter, should i have the pre-heater pipe re-routed to make room for the filter or replace the stock exaust with a header without the pipe ( i was thanking of the merged exaust or the Tri-mill),will it be ok without the preheaters? and if so what kind of header will still work with my heater boxes. and if i do replace them what do i do about the open preheater pipes.

sorry to ask so much but there is nobody around who knows about vw's to help me with this and i'm not a very mechanical person.

Thank you for any help