It wasn't so bad really.

You just pretty much disassemble your entire front suspension, support your engine, drop your k-member, and then still have a good deal of work simply to get the good angles to torque the header bolts.

Then you put everything back together.

My only regret is that my headers are too large, so they, to this day, rub my steering shaft.. so my steering can be hard at times. I just stay out of cities so I don't have to parallel park. This summer I plan on getting a new k-member, A-arms, coilover suspension, caster camber plates, maybe even a new steering rack.. I already have a replacement steering shaft that won't even fit in (even though it was advertised for extra header clearance, it's actually much larger than the stock shaft, and gives much WORSE header clearance..aka 300 bucks down the drain, Steeda wouldn't let me return it.. thanks).
On top of all that, while the stock k-member is dropped, I'll probably whack a dent into the driver side header where it rubs the shaft, just to be on the safe side.

Just make sure you don't get JBA 1 3/4 Midlength headers.
Or JBA for that matter.. my cats blew out on my JBA H-pipe after about 2,000 miles. They were nice enough to honor their warranty, but said if it happened again they wouldn't, because "too many people are putting superchargers into their mustangs and blowing their cats, so we can't honor our warranty anymore for the cats".... like they were doing me a real favor, right.

Anyway, I learned a lot about my car when doing the header installation, so I'd recommend it. Just make sure you have alternate transportation, unless you want to try to do it in one weekend. I'd suggest finding someone to help you with it, too; I had my dad help me with pretty much all of the installation, and it still took quite some time to do the whole thing (I only had a few hours a week to work on it, though). I probbaly logged 12-15 hours or so of pure work to do the job, but spread out over a month or so. Took so long, again, because the headers really didn't fit my car. I had a really hard time getting the starter + solenoid back together. And I initially tried to install the headers without dropping the k-member, so I wasted a few hours moving the engine around and trying to fit the headers up there (the directions suggested that form of installation, but it was quite impossible).

Plus, the car sound great now, and there was a noticeable increase in performance. I get compliments everywhere I go about how the car sounds.

 

BBK shorties fit easy, just jack up engine, remove mounts from engine for clearance, still have great low end torque, car revs super easy now, got 28 MPG last week, I'm a happy camper. BTW, badsp0rk where in CT are you from? I just moved from Oxford, CT, to Virginia 6 months ago.

John

 

what kind of headers come stock on a 02 gt ? short or longtube ?

 

neither... exhaust manifolds come stock.

 

so if i want to replace my mid pip ? what type do i need, becouse looking around i see "h pipe for shorty" "h pipe for longtube " .....so on , im looking for an x pipe or h , to go alone with a cat back exhaust

 

if you are keeping the stock manifolds on the engine, get the ones for shorty or for stock manifolds. It should look almost identical to your stock midpipe but with a different merge point and less cats


George

 

If you are still bolted to the tranny, wouldnt that bend or stretch something. I mean alot of stuff is connected to your engine. I cant see how it would just freely come up 5-6 inches.

 

Thanks for all the input guys. I already have been in many arguments about short tubes vs. long tubes. If i go throught he trouble I am definantly gettin' longtubes. Not worth the time for shorties. I am either goin' supercarger or suspension mods, longtubes, x pipe, and gears (3.73) this summer. I think I mgiht just spend the extra money and get the s/c. DOnt really wanna do all the suspension mods and headers and gears for an extra 15 HP. S/C will give me 400 at the crank. [sm=jawdrop.gif] 400 HP just sounds so damn sexy...................... But anyway, I guess I am glad that the rumor I heard is true, but I just dont; know if spending 12 hours puttin' headers in is worth it.

 

yea thats what i was wondering myself, if i should buy shorties cuz, my exaust is stock except i my cats are gutted and i have flow 40's and im not good with tools, so i would need them to be installed and dont want to spend 600 on an install

 

The shorties are not that bad to install. It tookme and a friend about 5 hours to install mine. Noticed increased HP up top, some torque loss down low. Did not have to lift engine one bit. Just a lot of wrist turning tightening the header bults.