Most Reliable Starter for Big Block in a 69' Cuda with Chassis Exit Headers

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Hemioutlaw

Hemioutlaw

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Seeking advice from the FABO Experts:

After a pretty big year long redux, I'm getting real close to putting the 440 back in the 69' Cuda that sported fenderwells for many, many years. I've gone to some TTI Chassis exit headers and often hear concerning talk of fried starters due to the proximity of the headers.

The Starter is about one of the last item's I need for this buildup and I see many choices out there available so hoping to lean on y'alls experience in helping me choose a starter that hopefully won't be problematic.

I guess that a Mini-Starter is a given and I was figuring on wrapping it with a thermal blanket so long as there's room to do so. I know it's just a starter but if there's any other related parts or Tips, by all means Bring Em On. The motors gonna be pushing about 10:1 compression and Starter Longevity will take precedence over cost so $$$ ain't an issue.

Please help point me in a direction from your personal experiences both Good and Bad and if you can provide an actual Part# for the Starter and Blanket that'd be awesome!
 
I'll second the RobbMC starters. Great starter with adjustability for header clearance. My 383 with TTi small tube shorty headers. Been running this starter for 5 years and have never had any issues or problems with it.

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I think they're all pieces of ****. If I had something with a V8 in it and headers, I'd get the cheapest POS starter from a junkyard, clean it up and rebuild it myself. That way, you know what you got. Anything else is a crap shoot, total chinkesium piece of ****, IMO. But with a slant 6, the starter almost changes itself out.
 
Chinesium....
Not Mopar, but Pontiac, but I'll bet the same. I have had a $100 Chinese starter next to a $300 MSD side by side on the bench. Only difference I could see was...MSD sticker on MSD starter...& price tag.
 
Bewy said:
Chinesium....
Not Mopar, but Pontiac, but I'll bet the same. I have had a $100 Chinese starter next to a $300 MSD side by side on the bench. Only difference I could see was...MSD sticker on MSD starter...& price tag.
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Both roll down the same line in China, I can just about guarantee it. .....and all these people who still think and swear Edelbrock is still made in USA, they're delusional. I don't believe it for a second.
 
If heat is your concern they make a heat shield for the mini starter. 65'
 
I run a 470" low deck in my 69 B'cuda with CPPA chassis headers(very similar to the TTI) I have a NAPA starter from an early 90's Dakota.......been in there for years....works perfect.
 
Lefty71 said:
Did you guys see the huge auction going on at the Edelbrock plant??? Someone posted the other day, even included Vic's personal Vette.
Tool auction this week | For A Bodies Only Mopar Forum
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And there you have it. WHY on EARTH did they sell that corporation? I haven't a CLUE! If I had my name splattered all over all kinda high performance auto parts, no way in HELL would anybody get that company, ESPECIALLY if I had grown up in it like those two girls. I just don't get it. Now, "whatever" can happen to that company WILL, and there's nothing they can do about it. I have Christi as a Facebook friend, so I see her posts and whatnot. She still hits the car show circuit, but now I think "Oh, there's Christi Edelbrock at some car show" and then immediately think "SO WHAT?", what's the significance of that "NOW"?
 
Hemioutlaw said:
Well thank ya, trying not to overthink this.
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You need to be careful here with the late model starters. I've recently run into an issue that seems to be growing. There are evidently two different styles of starter drives for these. One style throws the gear all the way to the inside of the nose and has gear teeth all the way to the end of the gear. That's the one you want. The other style only throws the gear about 2/3 the way out and the gear teeth don't go all the way to the end and leave a "button" on the end of the gear. This latter style seems to be the one that's getting stocked in parts stores everywhere and it doesn't work for most of our stuff. The gear doesn't extend far enough, plus, with the gear teeth not extending all the way to the end of the gear, some people are having issues with the starters not even hitting the ring gear when they engage. They just spin, so make sure you get the "right" one, because not all of them are the same. "I THOUGHT" at first maybe one style was manual and one was auto, but that got argued down here a while back, so I don't know what the difference is.
 
RustyRatRod said:
And there you have it. WHY on EARTH did they sell that corporation? I haven't a CLUE! If I had my name splattered all over all kinda high performance auto parts, no way in HELL would anybody get that company, ESPECIALLY if I had grown up in it like those two girls. I just don't get it. Now, "whatever" can happen to that company WILL, and there's nothing they can do about it. I have Christi as a Facebook friend, so I see her posts and whatnot. She still hits the car show circuit, but now I think "Oh, there's Christi Edelbrock at some car show" and then immediately think "SO WHAT?", what's the significance of that "NOW"?
Click to expand...

The Truth About Why Edelbrock is Moving Its Headquarters

Face it folk's were fricking dinosaurs and they Bwaaa Haaa Haaa call these mergers and aquires Fkn progress but I'm STILL more concerned with my starter needs than what's going on @ Edelbrock----Lol!
 
RustyRatRod said:
You need to be careful here with the late model starters. I've recently run into an issue that seems to be growing. There are evidently two different styles of starter drives for these. One style throws the gear all the way to the inside of the nose and has gear teeth all the way to the end of the gear. That's the one you want. The other style only throws the gear about 2/3 the way out and the gear teeth don't go all the way to the end and leave a "button" on the end of the gear. This latter style seems to be the one that's getting stocked in parts stores everywhere and it doesn't work for most of our stuff. The gear doesn't extend far enough, plus, with the gear teeth not extending all the way to the end of the gear, some people are having issues with the starters not even hitting the ring gear when they engage. They just spin, so make sure you get the "right" one, because not all of them are the same. "I THOUGHT" at first maybe one style was manual and one was auto, but that got argued down here a while back, so I don't know what the difference is.
Click to expand...

There we go Rusty, outta the weeds and back on thread target..Lol
 
Appreciate all the responses and as usual ask a question and get really conflicting answers. As of right now I'm leaning towards this one though for a lot less money I'd love to be able to just buy an off the shelf Early 90's Dakota that seems to have worked for some.



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