Budget headers for small block

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mshred

mshred

The Green Manalishi
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Hey guys,

im on a real tight budget for my 340 scamp and i need some headers. I have found these summit brand ones http://store.summitracing.com/partd...4294918680+4294908078+400304+115&autoview=sku

and these dynomax blackjack ones
http://www.jegs.com/p/Dynomax/744708/10002/-1/10605

I know that a set of TTi's, doug's or even hookers would be nice, but i just dont have the money for those right now....Has anyone had any experience with these cheaper brands of headers, or with other cheaper headers that im leaving out? What kind of performance can I expect, or are they not worth it all? Im really tight on cash so im trying to go as budget as possible since its only going to be a daily driver.

Thanks
 
Summit headers are made by Flowtech. They wont fit any better or any worse then the other 1-5/8" street headers out there.

No need to spend more money for the Dynomaxx. If you want coated Flotechs are $250.
 
The biggest complaints about most full length cheaper headers are, they trap no's 5&7 plugs,need mods to shift linkage (auto column shift) drag the ground and have clearance issues with power steering, but other than that they are ok.LOL
If you can swing $277 hedman tight tubes look real good.
Bruce
 
speedyb-cc said:
The biggest complaints about most full length cheaper headers are, they trap no's 5&7 plugs,need mods to shift linkage (auto column shift) drag the ground and have clearance issues with power steering, but other than that they are ok.LOL
If you can swing $277 hedman tight tubes look real good.
Bruce
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LOL nothin really wrong with em eh brucie? ha. i though i might as well be done with it and got the tti's first go around.. took 30 minutes to put both sides in and they look great.. some guys on here talk about theyre performance set backs . they seem ok to me
 
speedyb-cc said:
The biggest complaints about most full length cheaper headers are, they trap no's 5&7 plugs,need mods to shift linkage (auto column shift) drag the ground and have clearance issues with power steering, but other than that they are ok.LOL
If you can swing $277 hedman tight tubes look real good.
Bruce
Click to expand...

The $135 1 5/8" tube Hedmans do not trap the plugs. If you use the late model magnum plug (5/8" hex) you can go straight in with an extension and socket between the header tube and the head. I would route the wires for those two cylinders under the header tube with a 90 degree boot.
 
I dont have the money for TTI's and i personally think they are a huge ripoff...I will never pay more than 300 bucks for headers unless i was building a race car, and i wouldnt even buy tti's if i was racing...i'll probably just go with the coated flowtech headers
 
Read an article a while back about a guy who ran super stock cant remember what class he said in article that the cheapo headers worked just as well as the high dollar ones performance wise and anyone that can get 400+ plus horse power out of a fairly stock 318 I would pretty much listen to! Kevin.
 
agreed...the TTI's might have better workmanship and be a better quality product, but i could never bring myself to pay 600 bucks for a pair...thats ridiculous...i'll stick with the cheap budget stuff8)
 
The cheap headers will perform well if you can get them to seal up, don't have to dent them half closed to get them to fit, and don't crunch them because of the poor ground clearance. And the cheap ones are usually very difficult to install and trap the starter. Once you go through the grief of cheap headers you'll wish you paid more for some better ones.
 
even if there are problems with the cheaper ones, its better than paying 600 bucks for a set...id rather save money and have a few headaches then spend it on a product that is quite better but way overpriced...besides, i have a real tight budget, so even if i wanted something like the tti's i dont have the money
 
So you just need to find out which cheapies fit the best. Hopefully someone can suggest a set.
 
I used the sumitt headers before...what Adam said.
The did fit my E-body very well. I don't know how they'll fit from car to car, but there the same header for any small block car.

Do NOT over tighten the center header bolts with a 5/16 flange. Purchase a Mr.Gasket Ultra Seal set of gaskets. Well worth the money spent on them!
 
My duster has a set of the old school black jack hedders on it. Been on it for 10yrs. & they are completely burned up. Almost burned through up top. My car is just a weekend car so I can imagine what they would have looked like if subject to daily driving. Cheap hedders dont last too long, drag the ground, & make it hell to change the plugs. I have seen guys with the flotech coated hedders as well as all the other cheapie coated hedders & after about a year they have all started to rust. As far as im concerened, For an A body, TTI is the only hedder company on the market.

You guys sound like your buying hedders for an old feed truck!
 
340sFastback said:
The cheap headers will perform well if you can get them to seal up, don't have to dent them half closed to get them to fit, and don't crunch them because of the poor ground clearance. And the cheap ones are usually very difficult to install and trap the starter. Once you go through the grief of cheap headers you'll wish you paid more for some better ones.
Click to expand...

I can only speak for Hedmans:

I didn't need to dent anything to make them clear every thing (I have heard people complain about needing to dent the tubes of TTI's to clear auto trannies). I also swapped from manual to power steering a couple of years ago and there still was no clearance issues. I have over 20k miles on mine now since installing the 360 in 05 and have never had them touch anything in the road way, I am careful going over speed bumps but I am careful with all my vehicles going over speed bumps.

I had the full size starter crap out on me in 06 and I was able to remove it without touching the header. I did disconnect the center link and crank the wheel left to move the pitman arm toward the passenger side and the full size starter comes right out. I replaced that starter with a mini starter, no clearance issues and that can be R&R'd without dropping the center link.

I have installed quite a few headers over the years and they all have been a pain to one degree or another. The passenger side Hedman goes in as painlessly as any header does. The drivers side is also relatively painless if you first remove the steering column (20 minutes) and unbolt the steering box (5 minutes). If you do that there is no need to jack the motor up.

The Hedmans use a ball socket on the collector verse the more traditional flange. This is by far a superior way to mate your exhaust system to the headers, they seal with no gasket and will accommodate some mis alignment of the pipes. The thickness of the flanges is the only down side to the Hedmans as far as I am concerned. I did try several different gaskets to seal them up before settling on double Fel-Pros with high temp silicone sealer. It's been over 20k miles now and I just now have a small leak starting but it's quite easy to get at the fasteners if you use reduced head size bolts so it's only going to take me 20-30 minute to swap in new gaskets.

The TTIs are a nice piece but you could purchase 5 sets of Hedmans for the cost of a set of TTIs. If some one was to give mea set of TTIs tomorrow I would likely sell them purchase a set of Hedmans and use the profit to get some else I need.
 
LOL, old feed truck. Well, on a budget, they'll do. All the 1-5/8 headers are 3 under the steering links. Even a bunch of super comps are like that.
 
Here is a picture of mine with a set of Flowtechs. I don't have the motor installed yet

Here is the link.

To my post. http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=28764

MotorH1.jpg


MotorH2.jpg
 
has anyone heard of jr headers? ive got 2 sets, (one set came with a motor i bought, the other with the car i bought, not installed) had them half installed in one of my darts and they hit (just) on just about anything they could, dont really want to bash the hell out of them to give me clearence. so will probably go with the tti's eventually for the fitment issue. What are the jr's worth up your way?
 
IF THE JR,S ARE THE ONES WITH THE ONE TUBE THAT HASA 2 BOLT FLANGE ON THE TUBE THEY FIT PRETTY GOOD,,BUT FOR 1967 AND UP a BODY ONLY
 
nasty69 said:
LOL nothin really wrong with em eh brucie? ha. i though i might as well be done with it and got the tti's first go around.. took 30 minutes to put both sides in and they look great.. some guys on here talk about theyre performance set backs . they seem ok to me
Click to expand...

I put the sumit brand headers in my duster about a month ago and id say they work great for the price, spending more on hedmans or hookers is a waste of money, it only took us about 15-20 minuets per header. didnt scratch them or dent them. i guess i dont have power steering though, then it might be a different story, not sure. really good bang for the buck
 
The real ***** is the drivers side header with steering linkage removal (or semi removal) and ground clerance when sliding them in. Gettin that car/engine up high enuff is a PITA.
 
rumblefish360 said:
The real ***** is the drivers side header with steering linkage removal (or semi removal) and ground clerance when sliding them in. Gettin that car/engine up high enuff is a PITA.
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oh yeah, i forgot the steering linkage, but it went right through. had to lift the engine up about 2 or 3 inches with the cherry picker on the passenger side header. dropped right in, didnt even have to lift it up any for the driver side, just had to get the steerign link through it. 5 and 7 cylinders are kind of a pain for changing plugs and burning plug wire boots.
 
rumblefish360 said:
The real ***** is the drivers side header with steering linkage removal (or semi removal) and ground clerance when sliding them in. Gettin that car/engine up high enuff is a PITA.
Click to expand...


Disconnecting the steering linkage is only a couple of minute operation hardly worth even mentioning. Also, if you remove the steering column, about 20 minutes, and unbolt the steering box from the K-member (couple of minutes) getting the header on the drivers side in an out is as easy as the passenger side.
 
ill sell you a new set of super competition headers gasket collector all for 150.00 plus shipping they list for499.00 summit part #hok-5116hkr 931 788 2873
 
If i use conversion mounts on a /6 k member for my 340 in my scamp, will the flowtech's still fit easily, or will i run into problems?
 
I have two sets of the TTI's and love them but if you are on a budget the Hedmans are good for the money. The next set my street car (74 Dart Sport) gets will be Hedmans. They are a bit of a pain to install but not as bad some people make them sound at least my last two sets were not. You may need the 90 degree oil filter adapter which is not cheap now days. Good luck.
 
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