SPITFIRE HEADERS Not angry....just dissapointed...

-
G

Glow Worm

"Not Your Grandmaw's 318"
Joined
Jun 27, 2006
Messages
326
Reaction score
2
Location
Beautiful Southern Ohio
We 'dropped in" the recently purchased "MRL Performance" 318 this weekend. Big Mike (MRL) almost won the Mopar Muscle engine contest again, but his carburetor was screwed up..... anyway.....

I purchased some of "Harold's" Spitfire headers, and we had one helluva time getting them in the 66 Barracuda.

Thank God I had access to a die grinder, drill press, several pry bars, and a couple of BIG F'ing hammers, and a welder.........

I won't say I'm not happy my A-body car now has headers, and I can't complain about the price, but........before I do this again, I'll buy a car with a bigger engine bay.......

Shade tree mechanics might want to think twice about putting headers on their A-body cars if they even think they might run into the problems we had....
 
That had to be tight in a 66 barracuda. Glad you have it behind you. :thumbup:
Any busted knuckles or grinder scar's :toothy7:
 
Welcome to the world of Early A-bodies! Some call it the early a-body curse or nightmare. I call it the early a-body uniqueness and challenge. But then again, I don't have headers nor do I want them.
 
I just got mine from Harold/Spitfire, and haven't installed them yet. They sure took a long time to get, but they look very nice.
 
can you be more specific? mine were tight... and I posted install pix, i had a problem with the column shift... but what else did you have a problem with?
 
More info please! I have a set of headers that have been hanging in the garage for years. I don't even remember where we bought them...if it is going to be that much trouble I might consider the TTIs if they are easier.

...and do you have more pics of your Barracuda? It looks great.

65Barracuda
John
 
DJVCUDA said:
can you be more specific? mine were tight... and I posted install pix, i had a problem with the column shift... but what else did you have a problem with?
Click to expand...


yes i would also like to know where you ran into trouble.
 
The early a engine compt is tight I will agree, and I have cursed it more times than I can say. But, after looking at a friends 64 fairlane with a 302 in it, I'd say we have a lot of room. The Doug's headers I put in mine were not easy to install either. I thought the spitfire's looked pretty easy from DVJ's excellent photos, so I am also curious about the pitfalls.
 
Are we talking about the shorties ? Mine went right in - no nothing to it (66 dart). The down pipes will be interesting to fab up though.
 
best pix i could come up with for my down pipes...

i made them for cutouts to have the most flow, and a fishmouth to the exhaust system.

5-18-05_003.jpg
 
66dartman said:
The early a engine compt is tight I will agree, and I have cursed it more times than I can say. But, after looking at a friends 64 fairlane with a 302 in it, I'd say we have a lot of room.
Click to expand...

My 77 mustang II with the 302 was a tight fit, but the headers were a breeze. But no way even close to how tight as my early A.

They say it takes a nut to cut up their car to fit headers. Well that's why I'm hanging out here in the Mixed Party Nuts.
 
The biggest problems were . . .

#1 No room for the header bolts. I had to beat the crap out of the inside of a couple of the tubes on each side just to have enough room to insert the bolts (I ended up denting the OUTSIDE/FRONT of the front tube on the passenger side... GRRRR!)

#2 the flange on the passenger side wasn't drilled to match the heads. The inside groove on the rear tube was so far off we almost had to grind into the exhaust opening to get it to line up. We wallered out all of the holes, and added some weld to the rear tube just to get the gasket to seal.

#3 We had to saw off the front and rear manifold studs (They wouldn't come out, and I sure as heck didn't want' to break one, or both off) on the passenger side so we would have clearance to install the header.

NOTE: I have the 360 bowl ported heads 2.02 1.60 on my 318. Maybe different heads aren't as difficult. . . . .

I DO suggest you use hex head header bolts..... In order to have enough clearance, the allen wrench I used to tighten the allen head bolts was cut off so short it was all the way into the twist/bend, and didn't seat into the allen head very well. I ordered some hex head bolts, and will be changing the allen head bolts REAL SOON!

Believe it or not, the DRIVER'S side went on without much problem except for flattening the tubes for the header bolts. The PASSENGER side was the Biotch..... Whoda thunk it?

I was this [ ] close to putting the stock manifolds on the new engine..... The sawed off studs (NOW too short for stock manifolds) are what prompted (my mechanic) to NOT be defeated by the situation......I had LONG SINCE given up!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

P.S. I used the 1200 degree paint on the headers, and cured them in an oven (per the directions on the can) and after I drove the car 2 miles to the muffler shop, the headers (Which lookes BEAUTIFUL prior to installation) now LOOK LIKE CRAP.........Bubbles....dis-coloration.......

Gonna get me a can o Stove Black, and call it a day........
 
Glow Worm said:
P.S. I used the 1200 degree paint on the headers, and cured them in an oven (per the directions on the can) and after I drove the car 2 miles to the muffler shop, the headers (Which lookes BEAUTIFUL prior to installation) now LOOK LIKE CRAP.........Bubbles....dis-coloration.......

Gonna get me a can o Stove Black, and call it a day........
Click to expand...


Iv'e had great luck with the VHT Hight Temp Paint.
 
Did you take the black paint off the headers that came on them before applying your paint? Just wondering, because i'm installing a set of Spitfires shortly and Harold told me to get the black paint off before heat painting. Mike
 
YES......BUT.....I think I was given/sold the incorect PRIMER (or whatever the parts store told me to use)........

The paint is peeling, but the primer is still there! Actually looks BETTER than the paint. (You can see it in the picture)
 
I know what your talking about, I also had to go with the short hex head bolts, There is no way to get the headers over the studs unless you jack the engine up or some other creative way. My studs did not break off though, What I did was just run the bolts that were hard to get in a couple threads first then on to the easy ones and tighten them all equally until tight. Was not too bad with that technique. My exhaust flange holes and such lined up perfectly. I did go with the flaming river steering joints and a IDIDIT tilt wheel column to get rid of the stock steering linkage that is in the way. All in all I would say it definately took some thinking and time to overcome the problems but, I enjoyed doing it and have not had an issue in two yrs. I also agree with the limited space on the passengers side. Not much clearance between the fenderwell and head. I am also running 360 heads but also had them bolted up to 318 heads and there is no difference.
Definately a more complex install than say a set of headers on a 1970 chevy 1/2 ton pickup(only other set I've done).
The biggest thing is to make sure you have everything up top right before trying to attach the exhaust underneath. Now that they are in though I love them!
 
65s said:
Welcome to the world of Early A-bodies! Some call it the early a-body curse or nightmare. I call it the early a-body uniqueness and challenge. But then again, I don't have headers nor do I want them.
Click to expand...

I have the same attitude, but I also hate that huge ugly upswept stock left side manifold. I cured that with a pair of 360 manifolds off a '73 C-body, Borgeson coupler and U-joint. A 2 1/4" exhaust flared, fits perfect to the manifold. Not headers, but a cheap alternative.
 
I recently purchased a pair of Spits from Harold, but haven't had an opportunity to install 'em yet...... So I hate to sound entirely stupid - but the Spits don't have flanges on the down end. How does an exhaust pipe connect to the unflanged end?

I plan to install the headers myself, then take the car to an exhaust guy to connect 'em to my tailpipes.
 
After reading all of that I am glad I took the easy route, and installed Super comp Long tube in my 65 with the fenderwell cutting and all !
 
PolarBear said:
I recently purchased a pair of Spits from Harold, but haven't had an opportunity to install 'em yet...... So I hate to sound entirely stupid - but the Spits don't have flanges on the down end. How does an exhaust pipe connect to the unflanged end?

I plan to install the headers myself, then take the car to an exhaust guy to connect 'em to my tailpipes.
Click to expand...

Mine came with the flanges. I didn't use them though. We welded straight to the dump. The exhaust guy told me unless I was going to be pulling the engine a lot, or drag racing that it would be easier (if I HAD to pull the engine) to take a sawzall and cut the pipes, and then weld them back together.

I guess it depends on your future plans.

P.S. I'll GIVE you my flanges if you want them. You pay the shipping costs. PM me if you want them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top