header question(again)!!!!

[SHADY80]

Hi guys!!!! I'd like to throw a set of HEADERS on my VETTE(1980 stock 4-speed,with air) My questions are? what type?(brand) long or short?Is the installment difficult?Do I have to move anything in the engine compartment?get rid of anything? With the long tubes is there a ground clearance issue,and last I think, is it worth the effort,(power wise?) Thanks for the time guys!!!! :confused

 

[Bob Chadwick]

This should help you get started.

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42527

Consider changing the motor mounts while you have the manifold off. I am looking at changing mine and it looks like the header is in the way and will have to be loosened up to get the long bolt out.

 

[80convertible]

Where about in PA do you live? I'm just outside of Allentown. My experience with headers has been a love/hate relationship. I love the look and sound of headers. I added vortec heads so the headers probably help in power. If you are running a stock engine headers will not add much power. If you are running a mild or more street engine then headers will add to overall power.

The single biggest complaint I have is leaking at the heads. Most of the affordable headers, including the dynomax ceramic coated which I have, have thin flanges that mount to the heads. The price was right but the overall quality is marginal. You get what you pay for. If you want cheap, Dynomax are probably the most popular. Others may commet of the quality of other brands.

Since you are running a manual tranny, the z-bar may get in the way. I had to notch the z-bar to clear the driver side header... not difficult. I have no ground clearance issues and installation was not difficult. I installed the headers in my garage and then drove the car to the muffler shop to get new exhaust pipes from the headers to the mufflers.

 

[81 Corvette]

81 w/ auto

headers took an afternoon put on. i only had to remove the dipstick. rumor has it, w/ a manual, you will need to remove the z bar.

i have the dynomax ceramic. If i was to do it again, i wouldn't waste the money on ceramic. My finish looks horrible at the collectors. I drive it daily so that could be part of it.

no matter what header you choose, make sure to get some stage 8 header bolts and some high quality gaskets

 

[lucky76]

Z bar ?

What do you mean by "z bar"? I have a 4 speed 76 and may want to install headers some time soon. I'm familiar with most of my car but I don't know what you mean by z bar.
lucky

 

[80convertible]

The Z-bar is part of the clutch assembly. It mounts on a ball stud on the side of the engine block and to a bracket on the frame on the driver side. If you have a manual transmission, you will see it near the exhaust pipe on the driver side. It also has springs attached to it. When you depress the clutch pedal you are actually rotating the z-bar. Here is a pic below although I don't believe this is an actual corvette z-bar. They all look functionally similar. My driver side header hit the z-bar, so I took the bar to a machine shop and had him dimple it just enough to create clearance between the bar and the header when the clutch was depressed. May I also suggest painting this with hi-temp paint. I used regular rustoleum and the paint flacked off due to heat from the header.