Zanador

Do not waste time on shorties- if you do not want Longtubes, get yourself a nice catted midpipe. Helps uncorck the crappy stock cats, and if you get something like a prochamber it will sound awesome.

GT03 TJS

To the origional poster. 99% of people on this website will tell you to "screw shorties....go longtubes"..... for some people longtubes are a great add-on. Some people dont need to worry about emissions testing. Some people on this site are after the maximum horsepower possible.

Then theres the people who live in states that need to worry about visual inspection/emissions testing. Then theres the people who want to lower their car more than an inch and not worry about bottoming out. Then theres the people, who want an improvement over stock manifolds, but dont necissarily care about getting 10-15rwhp over 2-5.....

Heorigionally said thathe was happy withhis horsepower/tourque numbers. Everyone should lay off with the long tubes deal. Its not the best solution for everyone. Hell, half the people that respond to these questions with "go longtubes or go home" still have stock manifolds....

I have Ford Racing Performance Parts shorty headers on my gt. I live in a state thats pretty strict on emissions, and i havent found any garage thats ready to lie about anything for 'under the counter' money....so i went the legal route and have a catted midpipe and shorty headers.

you know what? i didnt notice much gain when i was N/A....after putting on a KB, i bet I got a few extra ponies out of it than i would have with stock manifolds....i noticed a slightly meaner sound after having the shorties installed than stock manifolds....I have no experience with BBK shorty headers, but they have a strong reputation as a company so i dont imagine that any product they put out would be of poor quality.

my best recommendation to you, no matter what you get, is to use locking header bolts....the last thing that you want to do after ANY header install, is to go back into your crowded engine bay and re-tighten your bolts...or even worse, replace burnt out gaskets....

and f/i means forced induction.....meaning a supercharger or a turbocharger, or a nitrous oxide system..... there are a lot of people on here that can really give you a lot of first hand experience....and alot of others who will frankly speak out of their ***...not thinking about all sides of questions....just be careful and judgemental of any and all advice you get.....

Zanador

You will actually lose some down low torque with shorties- Personally, I think the stock manifolds are more than enough for an N/A engine, and if you are happy power wise, why waste the money? Shorties won't really change your sound much, but an aftermarket midpipe can and WILL change your sound, as well as give you a bit of a boost power wise.

Plus, be a lot easier to install.

vinson581

i went with shorties for the sole reason the car is going to be lowered and my mid pipe already scrapes alot of stuff and the roads by me dont help, i only went with shorties becasue i had the motor out for a new long block and didnt feel like dealing with rusty parts on a new powertrain, or broken bolts for like 300$ or w/e it was for shorties it was oh i get 5hp or so and i save the headache of rusty parts also for the 10hp more im going to get from LT's i can just up the boost if i really want more power, but as of right now im getting towards the limit of the trans and 10hp isnt going to make a difference to fork out 700 or so dollars for ceramic l/ts

so if your going to lower your stang i say stay with shorties it was a hard decision for me but as i thought i already scrapped i didnt want to go even lower with the exhaust/

stock height and non fi i say go with LT's if you have patience, there is no doubt they are better sounding, (to some) and produce more power.

GT03 TJS

i will tell you, that i did spend a couple hours pre-install, cleaning up the welds on the inside of the headers to hopefully let it flow a little better. I cant speak for all shorties, but FRPP had a couple sloppy looking welds.

and to Zanador....

whats easier to install? lol...stock manifolds? I think you mean its easier to leave it stock than to go through the trouble of a header install...which i do understand....and agree with....I happened to have a friend with a lift in his garage that made it much easier to do standing up than on your back....and you MIGHT lose a few low end tourque numbers with shorties...but you lose even more low end with longtubes....or an o/r midpipe for that matter....the gain is all up top in horsepower....so wheres your arguement?

Shanehead89

i love torquie, how much would you guess that i would lose, probably around 5 lb?

I dont think that i would want to screw around and do this job myself, did anybody or does anybody have an estimate on how pricey this could get for the installation(In a Shop)?

Zanador

It is easier to leave the stock manifolds on, and just put a new midpipe on. Then you do not have to deal with header bolts. Plus, you do NOT lose low end torque with L/T's- unless you leave it untuned. The majority of the gain will be at the top end true, but you will still gain a bit at the bottom.

Shanehead89

Can i get away with doing that and still have a more aggressive sound?

GhostRider02GT

yes, I would still go with LTs as I DO have them installed on mine and I would not have it any other way. BBKs dont not hang much lower than stock. I got my LTs installed, o/r x, and weld in cut outs, for 350. Some places wanted 500, some 800, just shop around. Either which way I still would not bother with shorties. My perf shop even told me that. They saidif your not going to get long tubes, just leave it stock and get a new midpipe, that IS easier. With F/I the LTs will allow you to gain much more over the shorties anyway. I did not notice one ounce of power with my car after getting the LTs installed until I had it tuned.