TTI headder Install Article from Mopar Muscle....
65ChargerDart said
I read the article and think it was one of the most poorly written articles I've ever read in Mopar Muscle or any other Mopar magazine.
If they really wanted to write a decent piece it would have addressed the 3 non-fender-well headers available for early A bodies; TTI's, Dougs, and Spitfires and compared ease of installation, issues with starters, power steering and transmissions (904/727/833), how well each work with 273/318/340/360s, 10.5" clutch concerns as well as a performance comparison. I mean, if performance wasn't an issue, why invest $1,500 in an exhaust upgrade?
Now that would be an informative article that would provide owners of early A bodies information they could actually use in making decisions about which performance exhaust system to use for their particular application. It would have taken some time to research, knowledge of the subject, and an understanding of the needs of the end users of the products being discussed. What we got was an obviously quickly cobbled together article that's only real purpose was obviously to kiss one of their advertiser's asses and provide as little useful information as possible.
Personally, I think they owe their readers and subscribers an apology for that poor piece of journalistic crap that would have received a failing grade in any first year journalism class!
I don't think you are being fair with them. If you read the article, you would see that they were just trying on a set just to see how they fit, the car was going to be restored and did not look like it was even running.
I think you are being a bunch of whiners. The magazine is covering a subject that would probably not even have been ever considered if TTI had not offered them a free set of headers, which they probably had to really look around to find somebody with an unpopular (no offence) Mopar body style who was willing to let them do a quick (probably one day) photo shoot and install.
Mopar Muscle is not a big-bucks operation, they will not fly halfway across the country, spend a week installing and testing these headers. Most of their articles are based on local cars, or cars the writers own. The writers are not very well paid, nor do the magazines have unlimited budgets. If you think they are, then maybe you should quit your job and become a magazine writer.
If you think you can do better, then buy a set, do a writeup with testing and photos and submit it to Mopar action. I'm sure that they would be happy to publish your article, and if they pay you a premium, you might make $800. I don't know about you, but I sure can't afford to do that.
You guys should be grateful that TTI made headers for you, that you don't have an even more unpopular body style, and that a national Mopar magazine actually aknowledged the early A-bodies. I used to fart around with Dakotas for many years, I did not have half the selection of parts that you guys have, nor ever seeing any articles in magazines. Remember that the magazines do watch these forums and if you insult the guy who wrote that brief article, what do you think the chances of him doing another early A-article will be.
Stop being whiners and accept a gift when you see one. You should be thanking them for aknowledging the pre-67 A-bodies.
