Headers for a A body

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They can be made to fit, but like I said, you have to be willing/able to do fab work to modify them. Remember, these are designed for later ('67 and up) A bodies, the early As are quite a bit more confined.
The passenger side fits fine, however the driver's side needs a bit of work.
Stock:
View attachment 1716190275
Modified:
View attachment 1716190276
Note that the #1 tube has to be cut and rerouted so it joins the #3 tube, and the collector needs to be reworked after #1 has been removed from it. Since #1 and #3 don't fire at the same time, sharing the #3 exhaust tube has minimal effect on the performance of the shorty header.
63 dart v8 swap

Somewhere on here there’s a thread that shows the head pipe on the drivers side, even on the 67+ cars the corner you have to make from those Hedman’s to get around the center link is ridiculous.
 
I used to use a spark plug socket with a hex on its top and an open end wrench back when I ran the cheap headers decades back. Also ran a 90 degree spark plug boot on rear two drivers side spark plugs. Never had spark plug wires burning issues. So the headers that have a tube that run over the rear two driver's side spark plugs can be made to work without issue
 
Somewhere on here there’s a thread that shows the head pipe on the drivers side, even on the 67+ cars the corner you have to make from those Hedman’s to get around the center link is ridiculous.
Very true. But we've all been known to resort to some ridiculous things when we have to. :lol:
Even the factory 340 manifolds require a somewhat severe bend to them.
 
Very true. But we've all been known to resort to some ridiculous things when we have to. :lol:
Even the factory 340 manifolds require a somewhat severe bend to them.

Oh I agree, gotta do what you've gotta do.

I wish I could find the thread, it's more that a custom head pipe has to be made and it's such a tight fit around the steering that it requires some skill to fabricate, especially if you want it to perform with any reasonable expectation of being better than a set of manifolds.
 
Oh I agree, gotta do what you've gotta do.

I wish I could find the thread, it's more that a custom head pipe has to be made and it's such a tight fit around the steering that it requires some skill to fabricate, especially if you want it to perform with any reasonable expectation of being better than a set of manifolds.
Found it!
1704914903220.png

Removing stock exhaust manifolds
 

Yup, that's exactly the one I was thinking of! That one's on an early A, so really tight on that one.

I found a couple more, these are 67+. Not quite as extreme, but still pretty tight

'72 Scamp-not really a "restoration"

scamp-exh02-jpg.jpg


And this one...

Hedman tight tubes

20190508_174606-jpg.jpg


Bottom line for me is anything you gain on the install of the shorty headers you lose in fabricating/installing the head pipes. Might be cheaper in outright cost if you're doing it yourself, but only if you don't consider what your time is worth.
 
Yup, that's exactly the one I was thinking of! That one's on an early A, so really tight on that one.

I found a couple more, these are 67+. Not quite as extreme, but still pretty tight

'72 Scamp-not really a "restoration"

View attachment 1716190350

And this one...

Hedman tight tubes

View attachment 1716190351

Bottom line for me is anything you gain on the install of the shorty headers you lose in fabricating/installing the head pipes. Might be cheaper in outright cost if you're doing it yourself, but only if you don't consider what your time is worth.
The nice thing is @Rapid Robert 's '63 Hobby Stocker may not require hooking up to a full exhaust (?) and can get by with just a slight bend in the dump tube... otherwise I think I'd seriously consider pie-slicing and reclocking the collector outlet.
 
What I mean by a project car is one that needs major body work, sorry I didn't explain that. I don't mind a little engine work but what you said I agree with you 100%. I may very well enjoy the car as it is. Once the car is home is to go over it, brakes, exhaust, etc. You guys have been very helpful and patient with me and I thank everyone.
we'll hold you to that, lol.
 
From what experience that I have had with putting headers on a car it seems that mopars are the most difficult because of their small engine bays and steering linkage.
 
"From what experience that I have had with putting headers on a car it seems that mopars are the most difficult because of their small engine bays and steering linkage."

Not by a long shot, the 65ish mustang/fords with their linkage style power steering, or 429 big block ferds.
Mopars are a picnic compared to some .
 
can confirm on the challenges of headers in an early narrow body. anything but tti/dougs full length and you'll need to be sharp in the tubing and fab department. when i built the headers for my dart i dumped the collector down the back by the firewall. while better than the mid-block location of shorties, that presented a whole 'nother list of problems what with the 4spd and all.

anything 67 and up is a breeze comparatively speaking, and in some applications even the lo-buck summit headers aren't too awful of an install.
 
dan the man said..... ''From what experience that I have had with putting headers on a car it seems that mopars are the most difficult because of their small engine bays and steering linkage''.

nah! try hooker super comp's on a 66 fairlane with an fe big block :poke:
neil.
 
Just a question. Is there shorty or midlength headers available for the A body mopar with a small block?
Yes there’s Shorty Headers but I was told the shortys don’t do much just like factory exhaust manifolds n Long tube make more power. Call the Girl at TTI exhaust she had a lot of good info on Shorty vs Long tube headers She told me what fit my 71 Duster n I got to talk to the Engineer too. I’m running a Borgensen PS gear box thats smaller n he says the headers will fit better cause there’s more clearance. Also using a small Dakota starter and because I’m running a Silver Sport 4 speed Auto which routes the trans lines down passenger side there’s also more clearance Happy Moparing
 
"From what experience that I have had with putting headers on a car it seems that mopars are the most difficult because of their small engine bays and steering linkage."

Not by a long shot, the 65ish mustang/fords with their linkage style power steering, or 429 big block ferds.
Mopars are a picnic compared to some .
I had a 428 cj in a 69 Ranchero (factory). I couldn't get a hand between the exhaust manifold and the shock tower. I sold it before I had to put plugs in it.
 
I had a 428 cj in a 69 Ranchero (factory). I couldn't get a hand between the exhaust manifold and the shock tower. I sold it before I had to put plugs in it.

lol. Yep, those things were a real mother bear to work on. That’s when I knew I wasn’t working on junk like that to make my house payment.
 
I'm been reading on how to improve the volumetric efficiency. Don't good heads help along with a good exhaust system, what about the intake manifold and air cleaner housing. I know that the car isn't home yet so I thought I would take this time to learn how to improve its overall performance. Improving the volumetric efficiency is a good idea even if it runs good? The first thing to do is to make sure it's safe to drive. Thanks everyone for your help
Those all comprise a "system" and need to match your desired end use. It really starts with the exhaust ports and manifolds or headers. Diameter, length and design are important. Long tube or shorties and 4 into 1 or tri y provide different tuning. Mazda for example, when designing their Skyactiv G engines found that a tri Y header contributed to lower cylinder temperatures at intake valve closing by about 60° and about 160° at the time of ignition. This contributes to detonation resistance. With conventional log manifolds the high pressure exhaust from a just opening exhaust valve gets pushed into the just closing exhaust of another cylinder. This causes the heating of the intake.
Tri Y separate the exhaust pulses contributing to improved low and midrange torque. 4 into 1 are long enough that the high pressure is not able to dilute the other cylinder. V8 exhaust works somewhat like a V6 with one big block cylinder on each bank causing the higher pressure pulse, which is what causes the distinctive V8 sound. Separating the two cylinders on each side that create that high pressure pulse is what tri Y headers do.
For proper tuning the diameter and length need to match cylinder volumn and expected RPM use.
When the exhaust valve opens there is about 70 to 120 PSI left in the cylinder that rushes at supersonic velocity out the barely open exhaust valve. This exhaust velocity combined with the weight is high energy. It roars down the pipe until it gets to an area of essentially atmospheric pressure at the collector. This positive pressure is then turned into a negative pressure that roars back up the pipe. When tuned properly about the 3rd or 4th time it gets to the exhaust valve, the valve should be almost closed and creates a negative pressure in the cylinder at the time the intake valve opens and the piston is still rising in the bore. This aids in initiating intake flow into the cylinder.
On the intake side we get pressure waves as the high velocity intake hits the closed intake valve. Remember that air has mass and moving air has energy, inertia. When it hits the closed or almost closed intake valve it builds pressure and sends a high pressure wave back up.the intake port. When it gets to the intake plenum the high pressure is converted to low pressure and travels back down the port. You do not want that low pressure arriving at the intake valve just as it begins to open. This causes reversion, sucking exhaust out the intake and fuel standoff over the carb.
For an air filter you are best with a closed filter housing with one or two hoses that bring in cool air from in front of the radiator support.
New vehicles that have those goofy "cylinders" off the side of the intake pipe are employing helmholz generators. These create high pressure pulses going into the plenum to aid the high pressure pulses going back to the intake valve just as it opens. For this a V8 functions like two 3 cylinders.
 
that's what hole saws were invented for...
The Sunbeam Tiger engine installation was very tight, even with the small SBF 260/289 engines. Most of these cars have holes drilled via hole saws through the inner fenders to facilitate plug changes.
390 GT and 428 Mustangs had three exhaust bolts per port, due to the tight fit between the shock towers. Full size cars had just two bolts, one above and one below because there was enough room.
 
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I don't mean to be disrespectful but what's the downside of them? The car I'm trying to go look at ( weather is the problem ). Has headers on it but they have one of the tubes that's close to number 5 &7 spark plug. Doug's headers don't do that but I really don't want to pay $900 for a set of headers, I think they are ceramic coated too
You are trying to arrange going to look.at a car, weather permiting, and worrying about headers. Quit trying to push chain. Go look at and inspect the vehicle. Once you drive it a bit you may find maintenance items that need attention first. Down the road after driving it for a while, decide what you want to change.
 
They can be made to fit, but like I said, you have to be willing/able to do fab work to modify them. Remember, these are designed for later ('67 and up) A bodies, the early As are quite a bit more confined.
The passenger side fits fine, however the driver's side needs a bit of work.
Stock:
View attachment 1716190275
Modified:
View attachment 1716190276
Note that the #1 tube has to be cut and rerouted so it joins the #3 tube, and the collector needs to be reworked after #1 has been removed from it. Since #1 and #3 don't fire at the same time, sharing the #3 exhaust tube has minimal effect on the performance of the shorty header.
63 dart v8 swap
For this I would get a copy of
Scientific Design of Exhaust and Intake Systems. Written by Philip H Smith and John C Morrison. Fair technical. One header manufacturer read it and marketed a header using a described technique which relocated on primary tube per side into the collector instead of up stream of it. This modification may work for fitment and considering 1 and 3 fire 270° apart should not harm power, but not aid it.
 
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I'm been reading on how to improve the volumetric efficiency. Don't good heads
I wouldn't get to worked up about it and a engine fairly forgiving, cam is generally where you can go overly wrong, heads you'd have to put something crazy on it before you overly F it up.
help along with a good exhaust system, what about the intake manifold and air cleaner housing. I know that the car isn't home yet so I thought I would take this time to learn how to improve its overall performance. Improving the volumetric efficiency is a good idea even if it runs good? The first thing to do is to make sure it's safe to drive. Thanks everyone for your help
Don't mix efficiency with streetability, the highest ve and tq per cid engines are generally straight up max effort race engines.
 
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