Long tube headers on my 72 duster 318

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Smittysduster

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I'm making the move up from my old exhaust manifold into some headers and I'm really lost on what to get. I want good quality but I'm on a pretty right budget. I'm hoping to get some for less than $250. I'm looking at some Hooker Comps but I'm really lost. Any suggestions on what to get?
 
For a budget of $250, you won't be getting much more than the standard headers that trap the center link and hang a little below the K member.

That said, I've been running either Summit or Jeg's (can't remember which) cheapie headers for the last several years with no problems, after massaging them to fit, other than scraping them once or twice.

I think they go for around $100 and you'll need to invest in a ball peen hammer to get them to clear some of the tighter spots. Give yourself plenty of time to get them put in, like a whole day.
 
Besides TTI's and Doug's, they are all of the same design, 1 size fits all type header. They all suck big time to install. You will invent new cuss words while doing the job unless you save up and purchase the Doug or TTI headers.

I have had the more expensive Hooker headers which needed a hammer to make it fit while the cheapest ones from Summit racing fit best.... Go figure.

There all poor quality controled same design headers that have 3 tunes under the steering linkage that sooner orater get slammed and crushed by the road or speed bump. Except Doug's or TTI's. So do yourself a favor and save the money on a quality header that will last.
 
headers are about the best thing you can do to a stock 318. they dont rob mpg and increase hp. with pretty much any full length header and a decent flowing 2-2 1/4" duel exhaust i would bet its worth 20hp over stock manifolds. then when you step up the cam and intake/carb it will all compliment each other.

tti, dougs and now schumacker all make high quailty headers that fit nice. they are going to cost you some money though. you do get what you pay for. if your really trying to do it on the cheap i would buy them raw steel and spray bomb then with the VHT header paint and be done with it.
 
A lot depends on the level of power you have or looking to gain based on the engines specs. Typical gains of just plain old headers on a 340 are around 25-30 HP, less on a stock 2bbl. 318 though the addition of a good manifold and 4bbl. Provide similar gains like the 340.

A small cam, headers into a 2-1/2 exhaust, manifold and carb on a stock low compression 318 can produce 270+ HP while running on 87 octane. It can have the ability of turning high 14's with ease. I did it with a 8.5-1, 318 a split duration cam and the above mentioned mods with 3.23 gears and a stock tire. Adding 4.10's & a 4spd brought me into the 13's in my Cuda.

The engines respond well to modifications and respond really well to a group of mods matched for RPM and purpose. Good mileage can be retained with small camshaft sizes and reasonable gear ratios.
 
Oh, PS, I'd do the exhaust at 2-1/2 even on a stock 318.
 
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