im looking into getting some headers and ihave decided to go with long tube for my 69. but i was wondering if i could get some opinion on what brand is the best or with brand you guys have and how its faired for you... problems and stuff???

second part... im pushing around 400-410 hp out of my 351w ive donesome serch on what size to go. 2 1/2 or 3 and from what ive gathered 2 1/2 is good up to around 400 hp well im right at that number should i just go 3 inch or maybe just make the 2 1/2 work?? thanks

 

I dont understand the obsession with long tubes in the US...they are better for full revs = drag strip, but not as good for streetable torque as a tri-y. the other issue is the 4 into 1 collector makes for lower ground clearance which may or may not be an issue on your car.

in terms of brands, none seem to bolt up quite as they should. I think this is because welding the pipes to the flange plates always causes some distortion.

a key question for you will be what heads you have and what the port size/ shape is. Most windsor headers are 1 5/8" vertical rectangular port. Depending on your heads you may have a kidney shape port or a squarer port. You wanna be sure the flange is cut to suit.

there is always debate about exhaust size. Again, it will come down to fitment and clearance. 3" is harder to fit over the diff to go out back if your car is or is to be lowered. its not impossible, just more difficult and more expensive. 2.5" x 2 pipes should be ample.

good luck

 

personally, you get what you pay for. I encourage a good ceramic coating for heat dissipation, and the tri-y configuration for torque. I've found over the years thatgood headers never have exhaust leaks. Once their on, you'll never have to muck with them again. I've had excellent results, fit, and clearance,with doug's headers or thorley headers. I'm sure there's others out there for less but you'll be very satisfied with the results. BTW, they're an excellent header for the hp you're running. 3" will lose torque over the 2.5" but will gain hp and top end, so. . . streetability or performance is the question? I agree with the clearance on the rear end. Remember, it's only money..

 

i read on a thread a little while back, a guy was saying something like "" i thought they where the same.??

even with 400+ hp ill still lose torquewith the 3"??

 

the best way to explain it is by the seat of your pants feel, you'll notice the hole shot will be less responsivefrom a dead stop, but the top end will feel greatwith the 3". The 2.5 will be the reverse. The difference is sutle but noticable, especially with a straight through muffler. This is why you see allot of guys throwing on expensive exhaust systems on their Expedition and wonder why they can't get outa their own way at a stop light unless they've got it floored.

 

I'm a believer in the tri-y system for street cars...look at all the exhaust manifolds on the new performance cars...most are tri-y designs. With this you eliminate the need for a cross-over pipe to get even pulsing in the system and this frees-up the underside of your car somewhat. They arevery good in the mid range (I'm talking mid-range as 3500-6000).
I feel as though I must disagree with Aussie on the high-end statement...dyno runs I've seen show long tube to be better EVERYWHERE in the rpm range than shortys but not quite as good as tri-y's in the mid-range.
I ran HOOKER's on my 1970 BOSS 302 and liked them a lot...no p-s issues, no clutch issues. I would not recommend them for a 65/66 due to the lack of room.

 

You don't 'loose torque' with the big pipes....you just move it farther up the rpm band....that is why I preach the matched component sermon all the time...no sence using an 8000 rpm header on a 6000 rpm motor with a 4500 rpm head. "Corba Kits".....all matched parts to work in a given rpm range. We may now all bow to Mr. Shelby.

 

If you actually have 400hp then consider the 3" mandatory. What header you buy will be based on how it fits, what you can afford, and if its available when you need it so you dont have to wait 6 months for it. At the 400hp level things are different than they are at a stock 250hp. To get tht much out of a 351W that isnt stroked, you will have aftermarket heads, a sizeable cam, a good flowing intake and around a 750 carb. Also you will need to spin it over 6000 rpm to get that power.

You can run 3" back to the mufflers and then 2.5" tail pipes provided you use mufflers. They act as an expansion chamber and change the gasses velocity, the small tail pipes wont hurt performance as much as a full 2.5" system.

A 2.5" system will work insofar as it will get the exhaust out the back. A built 351 will need a sizeable exhaust system, whereas a stock 302 wont. To move the gasses you need to have a larger pipe. Consider an X or H pipe as well, it will tone down the sound and may free up some more power. 2.5" pipe just wont do it, and if you have a high RPM engine a smaller pipe will choke everything you are trying to get from it.

Why are long tubes prefered over tri Y? Usualy price. The difference in performance is minimal, a couple HP here or there at a different RPM range. So we go with the cheaper parts because they work similarly and they work vastly better than stock manifolds do.

I say "If you have 400hp" simply because most people guess, or just add up the advertised gains from all the parts they put on, rather than actually finding out what it makes. Not saying you dont, but it is the inernet and there are a bunch of arm chair quarterbacks and people with 5.0s who would stomp a mudhole in John Force's behind, if you ask them. So if you got it, cool, if you dont, well thats cool too..

 

I am not sure about your particular setup, but I had only one choice for manufacture when buying my headers that would fit my car and options. I have a 351C with A/C and PS. This limited me to Hooker headers. They are full length and do create some ground clearance issues, but it was that or no headers for me. You might do some research on who makes headers for your setup before asking who to look for. I love my equalength headers by Bassani for my 351W in my Bronco. You might start there. As for size of pipe, if you are going to stay with dual pipe all the way, I would go with 2.5". 3" is a huge pipe and it will affect your torque. I tend to error on the side of going bigger, except on carborators and exhaust pipes. Then I choose the smaller option for lowend torque.

 

well i have headers now. long tube hooker comps but they are real old and about to be wear through, ive already had to get them cut and welded cuz of a bad spot, they were on my car when i bought it 5 years ago, and when i rebuilt my engine i decided to keep them cuz i didnt think they where that bad and i had no funding for some new ones after the rebuild...i cant really say im satisfied with them... or i guess a better way of putting it is i dont know if i am satisfied becuase ive always had headers on it and i didnt go from manifolds to header jump. thats more so why i was asking about brand performance..

hey cowboy you also wentwith hookercomps because you whereforced to...is that cuzof a cleaence issue or a mounting issue ontoyour cleveland heads