New Petcock Problems

So i bought a new petcock to replace the old one on the tank. Try to take the old one out and the damn screw heads are wanting to strip out. How can I get these out? And why do they make phillips style heads on applications like that when a normal bolt type head would be way better and would not round off?

Get yourself an impact driver like this

www.harborfreight.com/impact-screwdriver...with-case-37530.html

They are the best thing to use for stubborn phillips heads.
Other than that you can try to grab it with vice grips or grind a new slot in it (I have never had luck with the slot method), but I would just put some penetrating oil on it and let it soak until you get an impact driver.

Clearance issues with bolt head.

Thanks...That's what I've been looking for but couldn't remember what they were called.:S

I have a set of these
www.smarthome.com/89090/GRABIT-3-Piece-Drill-Set-PR-5823/p.aspx
which are also great for removing stripped screws.
I think Sears sell them under a different name.

An impact driver is also a must have for working on these old bikes.

The "phillips" arent really phillips, I think that they are JIS. If you grind the pointy tip off of a #2 phillips they wont strip (usually)