Talk me into Fenderwell Headers

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I think they look way cool if they're coated and snake around & out- as long as the hole is done neatly- such as contouring around the pipes. Kinda reminds me of the big max wedge manifolds.
I had another 68 Cuda BITD with them (because that's all there was). It was the shi*&^^%. Toss in the Indy Profile SS L-60 tires, vertigate Hurst and slot mags-- oh yeah baby early '80s!
 
Fender well headers are an iconic, bad *** speed part! Love em or hate em, fact of the matter is, they work. Also makes servicing your car much easier. My two cents.
 
I want to make the smallest cuts possible in the inner fenders and I have plans in place if I go this route to add paneling to contour to the pipes. I'm also figuring on adding a heat deflector for the master cylinder.
 
I don't have a dog in this fight. Has anyone proven at the strip that fenderwell headers out perform under chassis. Maybe a 600 HP BB but not any SB. My 360 ran 11.0's and my friends 360 runs 10.35. Tony's 360 would run fine on the street with a smaller cam. I just don't understand the reasoning? MY 410 runs 12.34 at LVMS(3500 rel alt) I think it will run 12.0's At Bakersfield with 3.23 and full exhaust and it is a heavy car with insulation and 6 way power buckets now
 
I had a '69 Dart strip/street car with a 440/727 combo in it. The car was barely street legal and was mostly used on the strip. The fenderwells were already cut out so I put a set of Hooker 2" fenderwell headers on it. Here is what I thought about them:

Likes:
1. Ease of engine/trans maintenance - spark plugs, starter, trans shifter and kick-down linkage etc all easily accessible.
2. Ease of installation.
3. No burnt starter, plug wires or trans shifter cables.

Dislikes:
1. Like others have said, I experienced tire clearance issues too. I had to run 14's on the front. Didn't experiment with different wheel backspacing to gain more clearance (wasn't smart enough at the time to think of that!).
2. With the smaller 14" front wheels the header collector flange would sometimes catch on the back edge of the trailer/ramps when loading/unloading the car on to/off of it
3. Brake lines coming off of the master cylinder were real close to the header. Had to do some creative bending and rerouting of the brake lines. Have seen where others have installed different master cylinders with the outlet ports on the right (vs stock left) side.
4. When making a 1/4 mi pass I had a tendency to keep my left foot firmly planted on the floorboard to the left side of the brake pedal. I raced in sneakers and there was no carpeting so by the end of the pass I would get a "hot foot"!

Ma Mopar didn't do anybody any favors with all of the junk (torsion bar, steering column, starter, clutch cross shaft, etc) on the left side. Would have been a whole lot easier if they had put the starter on the right side, but that's a fantasy. I do like the idea of the partial under chassis/fenderwell header (a couple of tubes inside and a couple of tubes outside the frame rail) that Brad4406 and mischiefdart mentioned. I have only seen them with big primaries on full blown race cars and have not seen them for an A-body but I do like the idea of them. Might be worth investigating as it give you the best of both worlds. Which ever way you go I also like the idea of having your headers ceramic coated to reduce radiated heat - won't have to worry about overheated tires, brake lines or "hot foot"!
 
Do what I'm going to do. Spend the cash and have a set made for your car. There is a lot of crafty people out there that can build you a set just the way you like them. And as you mention heat shield everything close. 2" headers under a car is very tight and hard to work on.
 
roughidle said:
I'm not - nor will I ever be concerned with originality with this car or any car I ever build. I know some people are and that's fine. Just not for me. This car is a 318 auto on the column car.... but no longer. So I have no reservations cutting the inner fenders as long as structural integrity isn't a concern as stated above by another member. I worry about damaging them from throwback off the front tires and the front tires themselves. What's the max tires size that can be run with 2" fenderwells?
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Yeah, I can see that... The cars I fixed were real 340 and 383 cars, and people were going back to original. If its just a fun street strip car, why not. I wish whoever had cut the inner fenders out had left a small lip by the fire wall, would have made job putting them back in much easier. You will probably never go back to under chassis headers, but maybe the next guy might. just a thought.
 
I use propart headers. 1 tube out the pass side 2 out the driver side. Minimal cutting. Plugs are fairly easy to change some will have to come out from under the car some from the top. Collectors slip on and thats nice if your doing trans linkage work you can remove them to do what you need to do. Starter went in after the headers were on and it wasnt too bad. With mine i used heat shields where needed but really not too bad.

Some photos sorry i dont have better for reference.
 

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X2 on the Pro Parts. My only complaint is they hang low.
 
Well, I have. OT heard of any complaints from tti owners when they had to do a starter. I'd also use a brand spanking new one and that would be a new MP mini. After that, I haven't heard a ***** about spark plug issues ethier.

To be honest, your all ready set on what you want and just want reassurance from the world on fender wells. Since your mind is made up, have at it and post pictures!
 
To me, there is something about spending 700 + dollars for TTI headers on an early A-Body. I don't know about you but for me, that's outrageous.

Sure, my 64 has fenderwell headers, yet that's all they had when I installed them 25 years ago and they still haven't rusted or leak and can still find them way under 500
 
Well I have run them on early "A's" They are nice for a few reasons. You can install and remove them in about 20 minutes. They don't run along the starter so that is also easy removed and installed. Same with the oil filter, makes oil changes real easy. They look bad *** inside the motor compartment and they even look cool going down through the fenders.

With all that said I'm pretty much over using them. Mostly for the reasons you mentioned like the exhaust and routing it under the frame. It hangs down low in the perfect spot to hit speed bumps. They can rattle if the cut outs are two small or you try and tuck the exhaust up to high on the drivers side. Limits the size front tire you can run. Now even though I still think they look cool in the engine compartment I'm over the looks in the fender well and the exhaust hanging down so low.

I don't think the cut outs hurt the structure of the frame if done right and not getting carried away. My car never had any problems in years of daily driving with no sub frame connectors or any other frame modifications.

If going fender well headers I recommend just doing it right and adding side pipes as well! :-D
 
the cons always outweight the pros from my prospective...

CONs....
A) restricted tire space
B) almost impossible to get anywhere close to equal length tubes for max performance
C) some tubes end up being almost 48" long....way too long for optimum.
D) header heat and interference with master cylinder and brake lines ... major PIA
E) ground clearance is a concern with the tubes having to fit under the frame-rail to reach the collector
F) major surgery required to both of the fenderwell aprons

PROs....
A) starter and clutch linkage is easy to get at.

TTi's under chassis headers are no big deal to drop in....just slide out the torsion bars for easy-peasy installation.
 
I have made my mind up to an extent...per the title of the thread. If someone offered me the tti's for the same price as I could get equally comparable fenderwells for, I'd be inclined to pick the tti's. Is this ALL about price? No. But I could think of a few other places to put those dollars, and I'm figuring the extra room in the engine compartment would be nice.

Watching the winternationals sure gets me ready for spring!!!
 
To me, there is something about spending 700 + dollars for TTI headers on an early A-Body. I don't know about you but for me, that's outrageous.
Click to expand...

It is outrageous. I'm waiting patiently for some cheapo company like Hedman to make some copies that are a little more affordable.
 
I have had both types am running tti right now , they will make you sick when they rust after the cash outlay . I would run fenderwells again . Rb motor has more tire clearance as it sets higher
 
Leadfoot said:
It is outrageous. I'm waiting patiently for some cheapo company like Hedman to make some copies that are a little more affordable.
Click to expand...

That'll never happen.... At least through Hedman or Hooker etc...
 
I bet if Chevys had this problem there's be a flood of copies. Us red headed step children just don't have it like that.
 
too many newer options over the old full fenderwell headers. just too much has to be cut out for it to look nice for the most part..

like stated above, i like the pro parts if your want any tubes out of the fender wells.. easy as hell starter replacement and plugs are easy to get to with manual steering.. power steering can be done but damn the plugs by the steering box are a real *****.

Demonmotor.jpg
 
Denny, I know we've spoken over the phone a few times so I figure you wouldn't misinterpret my feeling on this. First off, the fenderwell headers do not restrict tire space and the master cylinder and brakes lines could only be a problem for an amateur who needs a huge unit to go with their ego. I run disc brakes and a Toyota truck master cylinder which hasn't a problem stopping my Signet. The headers to the collectors are as low as the deep sump pan on the 727 trans which is used.

To top this off, I can R&R the headers w/o removing its torsion bars and with Remflex gaskets, it never leaks.. Her's a photo, even though it was jacked up on the frame at the time. 25 years without problems..
 
The primaries on my tubular parts automotive fenderwells are 34" x 2" according to the manufacturer's literature. Mine have the street collectors as they were also available without the flange.
 

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