Which Headers...

[quickjagg]

When I go home on summer break, I'm going to put on a new exhaust, with the mad dual kit, and Delta 40s. My question is, which of these headers would you guys recomend:
FlowTech
or
Dynomax
or
Patriot

Do the dynomax headers have more shine to them or is it just the picture? I'm a sucker for chrome, so that is kind of important =)

I decided to go with the bluckhugger style because I can't sacrifice any more ground clearence (Maine roads aren't exactly top quality).

Just as a ballpark guess, what would your guess be on the HP gains I would see from this on a Stock 81?

Thanks for the help guys!
-Chris

 

[Dave L.]

Be prepared for some cutting and welding if you are going to try to use headers with that Mid-America true dual set up. Thats designed to bolt up to your stock manifolds only. If you are going to use headers I'd be talking to some custom exhaust/muffler shops in your area for some direction.

Dave

 

[1BA93Vette]

You should really go with long tubes...These kind of headers, along with "shorties" are usuless pretty much. With long tubes you will see much more of a HP gain than using these kind of headers. Go ahead and sacrifice your clearance for long tubes, youd be so much more happy with them.
Josh
_______________________________________________________________
"Whoever said money can't buy happiness, obviously never bought a Corvette"

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Most people seem to recommend ceramic coated over the others. Contains the heat better and looks good longer.

 

[Dave L.]

I agree with Josh. If you are going to go with headers go the whole way with full length. One of our members here (Nut) has them on his 1981. I took a look at them last weekend and he has plenty of clearance. I will also be going to full lenth headers when I install my crate engine in the next couple of years. I feel shorts arn't worth the trouble.

Dave

 

[quickjagg]

re:

Cutting and welding is no big deal my family owns a garage, and I figure with the block hugger style there wont be much if any cutting since they look as though they are the same length as the stock manifolds. As far as ground clearence goes, is any ground clearence at all lost? because if there is a half inch lost I wont be able to get out of my driveway with out rubbing. I have about an inch clearence right now, and with the Mad exhaust wich is 2.5inch I'll only clear the tar by half an inch.

What kind of hp difference is there between the full length, and the shorty?

Oh, and btw, I will only get headers that have the ceramic coating.

THanks for the suggestions guys.
-Chris

 

[Dave L.]

You will also find collector outlets diameter(3") and Mid-Amer inlet pipes diameter(81 style 2.25",82 style 2.5") different.
Check out this site....
http://www.centuryperformance.com/sanderson/index.asp
they have the most complete info on shorty headers I have ever found. Note the different block to header dimmensions they offer.

Dave

 

[quickjagg]

re:

So what you're saying is these shorty headers wont just bolt up like I think they will?

As far as ease of instilation goes, with he Mad true dual exhaust, which would be easier to install the shortys or the full length... I'm mostly getting the headers for the looks, and partly because of the hp.


Thanks for the info guys, keep it comming.
-Chris

 

[Bob Chadwick]

When I was looking into exhaust last year I vaguely recall exhaust systems that were made for headers. You might want to look around and see what else is available.

 

[Nut]

Chris... go with the long headers, Ceramic if possible to 3" collectors. I cut nothing putting mine in. They are over 15 years old and look very good. Plenty of clearance underneath. I also run 3" stainless pipes back to DynoMax Ultra mufflers where they neck down to 2 1/2" at the muffler. With the smog gear removed, K&N set up I went from 190hp to 239hp at the rear wheels 4 runs on an in ground Dyno. I tested her last fall. Good luck.

............ Nut

 

[quickjagg]

re:

Thanks nut, you think these should fit ok?
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=1283&prmenbr=361

A lifetime warranty on rust can't be beat.

Does anyone know how much is involved in making this work with the MAD true dual exhaust? I can't believe these went up 50 bucks in the last few months, thats crazy. I don't have much choice though, since it needs a new exhaust (there is a hole in the old).

Thanks for the help guys.
-Chris

 

[Nut]

Chris... really hard to say from the pictures. I'll have to dig around my files and see if I can remember who I bought them from. I know I didn't pay more than $100 for them 15 years ago. Sorry.

........... Nut

 

[quickjagg]

re:

np, 15 years is a long time. I still need to talk this over with my dad since I'll be "letting" him do most of hard stuff he was the one who suggested the block hugger since he thought they would be easier to put on. I hope I can talk him into the long tube.

Thanks again,
-Chris

 

[quickjagg]

Just wondering...

how hard would it be to install those dynomax headers? has anyone else installed these headers? do they just "slide right up" like I've read about some header installations? or are they going to need to be dented, and end up as one of those horror stories that my uncle tells me?

Thanks for the help guys,
-Chris

 

[SLICKMAN]

I like the Dynomax.... I have a question for everyone, I have been thinking about instaling headers too. I have been told that headers increase the under hood temp, is this true?

In my past years of hot rodding, I saw a lower temp under the hood but my engines back then were not stock and the engine compartment was not as tight as it is on our Vettes.

What do you guys find or think about this?

 

[quickjagg]

re:

From what I've been reading, although I'm not 100% on this, but the ceramic coated headers lower the temps under the hood, and even cool to the touch in around 10min. This is just what I've read though, I don't know for sure.
-Chris

 

[resto75]

I have ceramic long tubes on my 75 that go into perf cats and then into series 40 flowmaters. I dont have any complaints with this other than it needs a crossover pipe. Where I live did have emissions testing at the time the exhaust was installed so that is why the cats are there. This system is probably about 7 or 8 years old and still looks new.

 

[sscam69]

I like the Dynomax.... I have a question for everyone, I have been thinking about instaling headers too. I have been told that headers increase the under hood temp, is this true?

Nope they don't increase underhood temps. I have mine wrapped, regret not getting them coated, and noticed a BIG difference when working on the engine bay after running the engine.

Before, with the stock setup, my face would get scorched just from standing close to the engine. Now I don't even notice it anymore.

Frank

 

[cruisin-davey-g]

Hey Guys: About all of these headers (with so many different brands & types out there, it can drive a person nuts). If you go with a ceramic coated header, just make sure that they are coated inside & outside. They'll dissapate heat better & last longer. I really don't have the brands mentioned here in this thread. I have a pair of "oldies but goodies". Mine are "Eagle" brand (ever heard of 'em?). They were a spin off of Doug Thorley headers. When I got 'em, they were Chrome, but the chrome just plain wore off. Since these headers were such a great fit & had very good clearance of the starter (important), I decided to have them ceramic coated after I bought & installed a set of "hookers" & put 'em on. The "hookers" fit entirely different than the ones I had. After installing 'em, they were way too close to the starter & the fiberglass floor boards (another important thing to consider). Heck, I even had a hard time getting the oil filter off. (the hookers were considered to be "block-huggers") So I sent the "eagles" off to HPC in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They did a fantastic job & after many years on the vechile ('72 Vette), they still look like new. Also, because the "Eagles" were chrome to begin with, they were the heavier 14 guage steel tubing (still another important thing to consider when buying headers). So, if you get headers...1) make sure that they have good clearance of the starter. 2) enough clearance of the floorboards (if you have a C-3 with fiberglass floorboards) & 3) make sure the tubing is of heavy steel (they'll last longer). Thanx for readin' this all.................Dave

 

[Evolution1980]

Re: Just wondering...

how hard would it be to install those dynomax headers? has anyone else installed these headers? do they just "slide right up" like I've read about some header installations? or are they going to need to be dented, and end up as one of those horror stories that my uncle tells me?
Thanks for the help guys,
-Chris

Chris, I have the Dynomax equal length headers in my car. They fit with no problem. They are a tight fit for sure, but they do fit without any mods.
You can see pics of the installation at my pics site http://photos.yahoo.com/EvolutionCAC. Look under the "Exhaust" folder.