1 3/4" Headers Verses 1 7/8" on a Healthy 408....Is There a Big Difference??

I'll just tell you this. When running examples through pipemax, the trend is that the more efficient the engine (VE) the smaller the pipes needed, all other things being held the same.
The other thing to look at is where the power band is. The higher in the rpm range that the engine runs, the larger pipes it will prefer.

There was a good thread on Speedtalk a while back:1 5/8” headers and 500hp? - Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

This quote was interesting:
"Chris at C & S Performance "radically detuned" our best / fastest SBC442cid that made 816 HP @ 8200-8300 RPM
to around 670's to 680's HP with 1 5/8ths Headers + less Cam , i think less Comp Ratio , Carb CFM "


He later states its 640 HP