replacing headers

[LanceB]

Been awhile since I have been on the forum. Cold weather and the kids are keeping my 81 parked! I noticed my headers have several exhaust leaks and I am contemplating replacing. The AIR tubes are busted on the passenger side and screws are bubba'd in the place to stop the air flow. I bought an original replacement header with intact tubes months ago on ebay to replace one day but think I may be better just storing the original headers and replacing with more functional ones that don't need any tlc (like grinding off the excess tube inside the header left from the factory, grinding ports, powder coating, etc.), especially since mine is a driver. I think it would also free up space under the hood since air tubes are not connected. The smog pump and most of the hoses that went with it are in storage so there is a good amount of room on top.

I have pretty good jacks to get access top to bottom and basic tools. I have a torch, pb blaster and a gorilla type extension, and various sizes and types of wrenches from replacing all of the brake calipers on mine, my bro's 77 and dads 75. I don't know what all needs to be removed to access the headers. The exhaust pipes from the headers to mufflers is already new. My biggest fear is breaking bolts in the block or something similar. The only jobs i have completed top to bottom by myself are brakes but got great results. Any advice?

 

[damoroso]

Putting headers on isn't too bad a job, and is certainly done from below. You'll have to figure out a spacer for the A/C bracket too, but no big deal there. You'll have to do something with the AIR tubes that currently go into the top of the current exhasut but you can plug them or remove the AIR (Smog) pump all together if you're not going to use the system. Getting the headers on, that's just the begining. Then you have to get it to a shop (unless you can cut, expand pipe and perhaps weld at home) to finish the job. In addition to that, most muffler shops won't touch a car that's had it's exhaust modified from the cat forward, so that could be a problem. On top of all that, I'm not sure you're going to gain much in performance of a stock engine over the factory manifolds. Those are actually pretty much the same as "shorty" headers anyway.

If you need replacement manifolds I have a set off of my car, that don't leak, I'll make you a good deal on, just PM me.