Are the TTI shorties really my only option?

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ValiantOne

ValiantOne

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Hey All,

Car is a 68 Val, currently 273 but getting a 360 magnum, power steering, A/C, stock type suspension (upgraded torsion bars, sway bar boxed lca's, etc) stock pitman and idler, but the killer is that it is a 4 speed as well.

I wanted to run the stock 340 manifolds (now on the 273) on my 360 magnum, but that is a no go without making some sort of adaptor plate for the mismatch between port and manifold.

So I got to looking at header options and the only one I could find that works with my combo is the TTI shorties. I do want quality and really don't want to be pulling torsion bars, and snaking suspension components through the pipes and/or smashing pipes on the ground when I drive.

Anyone else know of another?

Thanks,

CE
 
I just put a set of Doug's on yesterday, yes, they take a little effort, and you do have to suck it up and drop a piece of steering gear, (whooaaa, scary stuff), and a mini starter made it convnient. I did have to loosen the mounts and lift the pass side a little, (whooaa, more scary stuff), and I did have to shift the engine a little, then file the driver flange a bit too, to get a bit of clearance to the t-bar, but I check/file every flange since the 60's, prob about a hundred sets..

They fit beatifully, no dings.

Will be installing another set in another car next week, looking forward to it.

I usually sawsal the tri-y's outta there.

Why anyone would mess with the torsion bars, I have no idea, they stay put.

hope it helps . . cheers
 
actually - I searched this "mopar 360 shorty headers" in Google and then went to the images area - - and just started clicking on the ones that looked interesting..
 
ScampMike said:
not sure but it's something I found- FOR CHRYSKER/DODGE/PLYMOUTH SMALL BLOCK 318/340/360 V8 HUGGER POLISHED STAINLESS STEEL SHORTY EXHAUST HEADER
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Those are for street rods. The collector on the d.s. will be pointing right at the steering box on any stock Mopar chassis. Who knows what else will be a major interference.
The TTI shorty hheaders are fine, I have them. Just make sure you get TTI's connector pipes and bolt them to the headers before installing into the chassis. Actually, if TTI makes long tube headers for your combination I would recommend them over the shorties.
 
Might be worth mentioning so everyone understands that the source of your problem and why you need a different header/manifold option is the issue of aftermarket Magnum heads not having enough meat around the exhaust port to seal the early freeflow manifolds. OEM heads seemed to have more than enough meat to seal, but the EQ and MP R/T heads don’t.

One option I have toyed with (since I have the MP R/T heads and 340 freeflows, too) is to swap in a passenger side Magnum large port manifold (I prefer the Jeep one) and port a driver’s side 318 manifold to match and flow better. The 318 manifold matches the head exhaust ports pretty well, just needs to be opened up to match. The only unknown (for me) is whether or not the outlet could be opened up to flow enough, or if the interior of the manifold is more restrictive than the freeflow and if it would be a choke point.

I will say that I am running adapters between my exhaust manifolds and heads, and they seem to work fine. No issues so far and it has been a couple of years. I am concerned about dropping in my .99 TBars as the current .87 bar on the passenger side seems to be almost right up against the exhaust pipe, even after I dimpled the pipe a good bit. Might find out soon, though as I am itching to get the suspension upgraded.

Worse case, I go to a Magnum manifold on the right only, and leave the left alone with the adapter plates.
 
A '68 A body with PS will easily handle a 60s or 70s 340 driver's manifold. It will also handle the large hole 360 magnum passenger's manifold. I sell these manifolds as well as the 340 driver's down pipe to clear the torsion bar. I make the 340 down pipe myself. I had to make one for my '69 Barracuda (318, see pic) and I started making and selling them to FABO members after I had numerous request. I also sell the 360 magnum (bell flared) down pipe:
DSC04073.JPG
DSC04079.JPG
DSC03458.JPG
DSC03465.JPG


treblig
 
Treblig said:
A '68 A body with PS will easily handle a 60s or 70s 340 driver's manifold.
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It's not the chassis that is the issue with the 340 driver's side manifold, it's the fact that the EQ and MP R/T heads don't have enough meat around the exhaust port at the bottom for the manifold to seal to the head. That manifold works fine, if you use an OEM head, but if you want the better heads (like an EQ), you run into problems getting them to seal.

I'd link you to pictures, but lunch is almost over. You could search on my user name and you should be able to find more posts I have made about it.
 
I looked at your other posts under your user name and really didn't find anything that related to this issue but I''l take your word for it. I always thought that after market heads had bigger exhaust ports (not smaller) so it made no sense when you wrote that the exhaust ports didn't have enough material to seal...unless the EQ and MP R/T ports are so large that they are bigger than 360 magnum head exhaust ports??
I understand that you can't respond....I'll wait til later for your response.

treblig
 
Treblig said:
I looked at your other posts under your user name and really didn't find anything that related to this issue but I''l take your word for it. I always thought that after market heads had bigger exhaust ports (not smaller) so it made no sense when you wrote that the exhaust ports didn't have enough material to seal...unless the EQ and MP R/T ports are so large that they are bigger than 360 magnum head exhaust ports??
I understand that you can't respond....I'll wait til later for your response.

treblig
Click to expand...

It's not so much the size of the port that is the issue, it's the material around the port that the gasket seals on and where it is. The 340 manifold port drops far enough down that the EQ and MP R/T heads don't have any material for the manifold to seal to along the bottom.

Sorry about the search, I knew what I was looking for, but I could see how you wouldn't know what I was referring to.

10 Day Magnum Swap - '65 Dart 270

The above is a recent post, but has a link to a thread with a picture or two that should help some. Read beyond that post, too. Might give more info.

Didn't you open up some 318 manifolds? Seems like I remember you showing pictures where you ported the outlet or something.
 
DionR said:
It's not so much the size of the port that is the issue, it's the material around the port that the gasket seals on and where it is. The 340 manifold port drops far enough down that the EQ and MP R/T heads don't have any material for the manifold to seal to along the bottom.

Sorry about the search, I knew what I was looking for, but I could see how you wouldn't know what I was referring to.

10 Day Magnum Swap - '65 Dart 270

The above is a recent post, but has a link to a thread with a picture or two that should help some. Read beyond that post, too. Might give more info.

Didn't you open up some 318 manifolds? Seems like I remember you showing pictures where you ported the outlet or something.
Click to expand...


No, I've never opened up 318 manifolds because there's not enough metal to remove to make much difference. Even the 340 small hole passenger's manifold (1 7/8") hardly has any material that can be removed. It's hard to believe that they put such small exhaust ports on those EQ heads?? I think you would have been better off with some (home ported) stock 360 heads with the larger exhaust ports but you gotta work with what you have.

What about a header flange:

Percys 66037 Seal-4-Good Header Flange Gasket

or:

Small Block Mopar 318, 340, 360 Exhaust Header Flange

Would either one of these flanges give you enough material to get a good seal??

treblig
 
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Treblig said:
No, I've never opened up 318 manifolds because there not enough metal to remove to make much difference.
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Disappointed to hear that. I was hoping to hog out a 318 manifold, swap that in with a large outlet Magnum passenger side manifold, doing away with the adapter plates and putting $400 in my pocket. :rolleyes:

Oh well.

I do have a plan to square the steering column up to the car which might in the end clear up enough space to put a driver's side Magnum manifold in, but that is so far in the future that it might as well be a pipe dream.
 
I sell the driver's side Dakota 360 magnum (large hole) manifold for only $110. I open them up to 2 1/4" just like the 340. But the Dakota manifold has the larger ports just like the 360 magnum passenger manifold.


Good luck with your build!!!
treblig
 
DionR said:
Might be worth mentioning so everyone understands that the source of your problem and why you need a different header/manifold option is the issue of aftermarket Magnum heads not having enough meat around the exhaust port to seal the early freeflow manifolds. OEM heads seemed to have more than enough meat to seal, but the EQ and MP R/T heads don’t.
Click to expand...

Well, that coupled with the power steering and 4 speed set up. Most of the TTI's, Dougs and the Schumachers won't work with the 4 speed, etc. from my reading.

C
 
Huh?

I have Doug's 453's on the 340 in my Duster. Later 308 heads, 4 speed and all the linkage. I have manual steering but they clear power as well. The z-bar has to be modified, but it's not hard. I converted my own because I'm cheap and can weld. Or you could buy the one TTI sells for their long tube headers. Which also should fit.
 
72bluNblu said:
Huh?

I have Doug's 453's on the 340 in my Duster. Later 308 heads, 4 speed and all the linkage. I have manual steering but they clear power as well. The z-bar has to be modified, but it's not hard. I converted my own because I'm cheap and can weld. Or you could buy the one TTI sells for their long tube headers. Which also should fit.
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Yeah, I could use 'em. It was the modified Z bar that put me off. Maybe it isn't a big deal, but I just wanted a drop in. Bummed already b/c I spent all the $'s on the 340 manifolds and the Accurate Exhaust............ ouch........
 
ValiantOne said:
Yeah, I could use 'em. It was the modified Z bar that put me off. Maybe it isn't a big deal, but I just wanted a drop in. Bummed already b/c I spent all the $'s on the 340 manifolds and the Accurate Exhaust............ ouch........
Click to expand...

I would suggest you try the plates then. I can give you my layout and you could look into getting a set cut, if you want.
 
ValiantOne said:
Yeah, I could use 'em. It was the modified Z bar that put me off. Maybe it isn't a big deal, but I just wanted a drop in. Bummed already b/c I spent all the $'s on the 340 manifolds and the Accurate Exhaust............ ouch........
Click to expand...

The Doug's I installed in my foster son's car, he did the Z-bar conversion after a 30 second explanation of what's needed, the car was a shell 8 mo's ago, we fired it today, his 30th birthday, he drove it in and out the shop, then left for his B-day party..

I hate deadlines,, but it was good.

Pix tommorrow.

That tight 110-120* bend tight to the tri-Y and cast manifold is THE reason to do a long tube.. plus the H/P increase is the cheapest horsepower you're ever gonna get.. jmo.

Next Dart .. Next month
 
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Those headman shorties are JUNK !

I know a 71 RR that had them crack in a few years use. Flanges are thin too. The headpipes need to be custom made and are really tight. And a lot of labor $$ to make.

Owner bought a second set in ~7 years after repairing cracks once. Second set had the headpipe flanges completely different plane and clocking. Had to make whole new headpipes again. A complete ugly and costly mess.
 
ValiantOne said:
Do you have some sort of drawing?
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I have an AutoCAD drawing and a .dxf file, from which I was able to get a complete set cut on a plasma table. I used 14 gauge plate (I think) because that was the thinnest they would cut (thinner can spring up and damage the cutting head). I wanted 16 gauge, but couldn't get them to do it. I would suggest looking around your area for a water jet place and see what they would charge.

It really wasn't that bad to assemble either, despite the fact that I cut all the gaskets down so they don't show (only saving what is under the manifold/plate). Don't like the gasket showing. :) This included a Magnum gasket on the inside of the plate and an LA gasket on the outside.

I can get you some pictures tonight and post them tomorrow, if you would like. And I will dig up the files, too.
 
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