Every time I hit new posts there's header talk,some bitchin,some cryin and some braggin. I want a set of headers for this winters engine upgrade. I've been lookin and talking at car shows and have come up with nothing I want to buy. I don't even want the tti's. It's not the money thing, it's the wedging the motor up or down,z bar issues and then if I spun a bearing or something a year or so later it seems like you have to cut off the one pipe to get them off. The best thing I have seen in my limited experience are perfwelds stainless shorty's.Heavy gauge stainless,equal length and a ball socket.Install and remove without pulling engine,removing steering parts,shimming motor or cutting clutch components imho is the way to go. We have a 67 cuda with standard brakes,standard steering and a 4-speed. Let's get something going and make this a reality. I'll pay half now if I could get a set by christmas.If nothing happens through this forum I will probably go custom made through him or somebody.What do you guy's think can it happen or am I trying to milk a dead cow. Thank's Greg
Headers,headers,headers,shorty's
- Thread starter bumnround
- Start date
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You gotta link to the perfweld shorties? They are not listed on their site. I'm not payin their ridiculous prices so the shorties better be a great deal for me to bite.
green1
Well-Known Member
There is nothing that better brings out opinions and/or experience better than:
A which kind of oil? thread
A which kind of cam thread
A which carb thread
A which headers fit thread
But you get all kinds of ideas, on what actually works, and hear a lot of arguments, lol. I have a 70 340 Duster with 30 year old hedmans, that probably weight twice what they used to when new; the cheap pos's, rusted, so much welding to repair leaks, etc. Special made wrench to get to # 5&7 plugs. 1/4" shim under left mount, and shift engine to the right. But not speed bump scrapers.
My point is; I don't think anybody makes a header that fits.
A which kind of oil? thread
A which kind of cam thread
A which carb thread
A which headers fit thread
But you get all kinds of ideas, on what actually works, and hear a lot of arguments, lol. I have a 70 340 Duster with 30 year old hedmans, that probably weight twice what they used to when new; the cheap pos's, rusted, so much welding to repair leaks, etc. Special made wrench to get to # 5&7 plugs. 1/4" shim under left mount, and shift engine to the right. But not speed bump scrapers.
My point is; I don't think anybody makes a header that fits.
dgc333
Well-Known Member
The price you pay for the ease of installation of a shorty header is you won't get anywhere near the power you would get with long tube headers and they are only marginally better than stock manifolds.
FWIW, I have had Hedmans on my 68 Barracuda 4spd car since Jul 05 and almost 40k miles. In that period of time I went from manual steering to power steering and the headers fit in both situations. I orginally had a full size starter that started acting up and was swapped for a mini, didn't have to distrub the headers to swap out the full size or install the mini. The headers do not interfere with the z-bar either (the instructions say to cut off the bump on the front of lower bracket of the z-bar, I did but didn't need to and don't know why it's there anyway). When I swapped to power steering the number 7 tube comes real close to one of the power steering box mounting bolts and it would rattle occasionally but a little tug with a pry bar fixed that without denting the tube. There are no other clearance issues anywhere.
The Hedmans come with a ball socket connector on the colletors which seals nicely. I initially had some issues with sealing at the heads but once I went to two Fel-Pro header gaskets per side I haven't had a leak since. The passenger side has close to the previously mentioned 40k miles the drivers side has about 1/2 (do to the steering swap).
Yes these headers have three tubes that wrap around the steering linkage on the drivers side but that is a non issue from an installation point (takes about two minutes to remove two nuts and seperate the center link from the pitman and tie rod). In the almost 40k miles I have not touched the tubes on anything on the road (did go into the garage to fast once and scrapped one on the 4" step I have between the driveway and garage floor but just made a scrape mark, no dent).
Installing long tube headers on an A-body is not going to be a simple chore like it is on some vehicles but it doesn't need to be a frustrating hassle either. The key is to remove the steering column and unbolt the steering box (don't need to remove). This allows the header to go straight in like it does on the passenger side with no jacking ot the engine or messing with motor mounts. Removing the steering column is only a 20 minute task; three bolts under the edge of the dash, three on the floor, a roll pin to kock out at the box and out it comes. The three bolts holding the steering box are accessable with sockets and an extension.
Bolting the headers to the heads is another thing that people complain about but if you purchase a set of header bolts with a reduced size hex (the ones I used have 3/8" heads with an intregal washer). This is will make any header installation simpler. The only bolt that you can't access with a 3/8" 1/4" drive socket is the rear one on number one tube, I just used an open end wrench on that one.
The only design improvement I would like to see with the hedmans is an increase in the thickness of the flange at the head. It's only 1/4" thick and can be easily distorted if over tightened.
FWIW, I have had Hedmans on my 68 Barracuda 4spd car since Jul 05 and almost 40k miles. In that period of time I went from manual steering to power steering and the headers fit in both situations. I orginally had a full size starter that started acting up and was swapped for a mini, didn't have to distrub the headers to swap out the full size or install the mini. The headers do not interfere with the z-bar either (the instructions say to cut off the bump on the front of lower bracket of the z-bar, I did but didn't need to and don't know why it's there anyway). When I swapped to power steering the number 7 tube comes real close to one of the power steering box mounting bolts and it would rattle occasionally but a little tug with a pry bar fixed that without denting the tube. There are no other clearance issues anywhere.
The Hedmans come with a ball socket connector on the colletors which seals nicely. I initially had some issues with sealing at the heads but once I went to two Fel-Pro header gaskets per side I haven't had a leak since. The passenger side has close to the previously mentioned 40k miles the drivers side has about 1/2 (do to the steering swap).
Yes these headers have three tubes that wrap around the steering linkage on the drivers side but that is a non issue from an installation point (takes about two minutes to remove two nuts and seperate the center link from the pitman and tie rod). In the almost 40k miles I have not touched the tubes on anything on the road (did go into the garage to fast once and scrapped one on the 4" step I have between the driveway and garage floor but just made a scrape mark, no dent).
Installing long tube headers on an A-body is not going to be a simple chore like it is on some vehicles but it doesn't need to be a frustrating hassle either. The key is to remove the steering column and unbolt the steering box (don't need to remove). This allows the header to go straight in like it does on the passenger side with no jacking ot the engine or messing with motor mounts. Removing the steering column is only a 20 minute task; three bolts under the edge of the dash, three on the floor, a roll pin to kock out at the box and out it comes. The three bolts holding the steering box are accessable with sockets and an extension.
Bolting the headers to the heads is another thing that people complain about but if you purchase a set of header bolts with a reduced size hex (the ones I used have 3/8" heads with an intregal washer). This is will make any header installation simpler. The only bolt that you can't access with a 3/8" 1/4" drive socket is the rear one on number one tube, I just used an open end wrench on that one.
The only design improvement I would like to see with the hedmans is an increase in the thickness of the flange at the head. It's only 1/4" thick and can be easily distorted if over tightened.
juergen
Well-Known Member
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i used the cheapest summit headers in my ´69 dart 340. No fitting probs on the passengers side, little probs on the drivers side with the power steering. Now i´ll convert to manual steering and i´m sure they will fit without any problems. Also no probs with the riding height. You can find some pics on my blog www.dart340.blogspot.com
HemiEd
Well-Known Member
I sent you a PM. I have all the manual stuff, including the flaming river extension, I would like to trade for PS conversion.
C300
Well-Known Member
If I could get a (any kind without cutting ) 2" primary header for a 67', 440 727 with power steering today, I'd shell out $7-$800 NOW ! Any more N I'll waste two weekends fabricating some. don't even care if the K-member needs to be dropped to install them. there's a serious niche here...
that would take some serius effort to build a set like that, i have done a set of 2" primarys for a smallblock abody and i can tell you that you are good if you can make them in 2 weekends
i put effort into geting all tubes above centerlink also wish ate alot of time but it is possible.Small Block
Well-Known Member
Sometime back Prine was going to start fabing up some in stainless. Not sure what became of the whole mess but PM him and lets see.
Small Block
Small Block
C300
Well-Known Member
"that would take some serius effort to build a set like that" yup, but I cheat. I try to get some that are "close" to what i want, then modify them. would like to make jigges and make some sets, but got too many projects. I was looking at another thread and it's amazing to see pixs of different locations with the same engine/mount combos.
Are the 2" B/RB TTI's really that much trouble with power steering? I used them on a manual steer '67 Dart, and made sure I got another set for the '67 Barracuda I am doing now, also a manual steer car. I was impressed with their fit.
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