Hi,

What is the difference between short and long headers exactly? What kind would you recommand?

Would it be a good idea to start upgrading my engine with this kind of product:

http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/ite...sp?T1=H6111+01

Once again, I cannot do everything a once (afr heads, carb, cam, etc.) so my question is really is it worth it now?

Thanks.

 

Short are best on a street car long tube are more for a race car or something with high power.Also long tube can drag over speed bumps.Do you have the afr head now if you do those headers won't match your exhaust ports better to go for http://www.fordpowertrain.com/FPAindex/headers1.htm stay away from the chrome ones they are a little pricey but fit great and they can make them to match any heads you use.

 

I agree with Andrew, Long tubess will make more power, but in my experience they are a PITA for a street car.

IMO they are a drag hazard, and they are in the way of just about everything when you have to do anything under the car.

For me it is like "screw the 10 or 15 HP"..... but I have no issues with folks who decide to use them,there is a compromise that must be made whichever way you decide to go...

 

Yeah, long tubes = more power but interfere with stuff/ground. Shorties = less power but less trouble. I run long tubes, and eventually went to hydraulic clutch because I was tired of the LT's being in the way. Maintaining stock ride height helps also, LT's are a PIA in a lowered car. That being said, at basically stock height, I don't really scrape. Occasionally on some insane dip or bump I will, but for my setup they're worth it.....once I went to hydraulic.

 

I had a 1970 fastbackin the early 1990'swith long tube headers and they were scraping all the time. It did ride a little low though.

I'm now trying to re-live my youth by restoring yet another 1970 fastback. This one came with long tube headers which I will promise you will not be used on the car.I will use either shorties or mid-length headers.

Thelong tube headers also created all kinds of fun when I picked it up trying to get a non-runing car on and off of my trailer because ... you guessed it... the collector flanges got hung up on the trailer.

 

Some rack and pinion won't work with long tubes too so if thats on your list of later mods double check with the company if those headers will work.

 

Will long tubes hurt performance with a fairly stock engine? My car came with longs, but not much else performance wise.

 

Hi Remi,

you say you want to improve performance but can't do all at the same time.
But when reading through your posts it really sounds like you're itching to spend some money now to do your car some good.

If I have that misunderstood, forgive me. But I'm the very same.

So If that's true I have a few recommendations:
- get HEI ignition if you don't have that already (the pertronix flamethrower II distributor and coild do nice value for money)
will get rid of all power lost due to misadjusted dwells and lots of other things. will give youy better gas mileage and power. the worse your old ignition system was the bigger the difference.
- maybe a different exhaust ? high flow exhaust that makes loads a noise and will help the engine breathe a bit better ?

both won't do any drastic HP gain, but it will do your car good and it will match whatever you'll decide on doing later.

(someone correct me if I'm wrong ....)

Kalli

 

I don't think long tubes are going to hurt you performance wise, but that depends what you are comparing to. Long tube vs. stock cast iron manifolds, no contest long tubes are going to breath better across the rpm range. Long tube vs. mid or shortie headers, the long tube are going to breath better here too, but you have to weigh what you are looking for. As said before long tubes might not work for some R&P setups, are more prone to drag and might have other issues that the other style can solve. It also depends on where you want the power to be. Long tube are good for higher rpm power, but tri-y's are said to be better for mid-rpm off the line power. The shortie and mid-length headers are "compromise" headers where better flow than stock is desired, but component interference problems, or ground clearance are an issue. In my opinion, the shortie and mid-length are the best choice for my "going to be a street driven car" with an occasional trip to the track. Heck, most of the time you aren't going to be using anywhere near the horsepower potential of even a mostly stock engine anyway. BTW, I plan to start out with a 351W with cam, intake and carb as the only changes, and later pick up another 351W that I will stroke to 392 with all the goodies. Even with the 392 I'll run the shortie or mid-length headers.

Just my opinion

John B.

 

I never think it is a bad idea to remove exhaust restrictions in a carburated engine. Some may disagree, but this is MHO from everything I have read about exhaust.

That being said, I long tube headers are going to out flow shorties and stock manifolds in most cases. Yes they hang lower and you will hit stuff if you are not careful. If you do just a little research, you can get long tubes that clear everything.

Again, IMHO, the most important thing to consider in headers is get equal-length tubes. They will greatly help exhaust flow. The second most important thing is to get ceramic coating. They are more expensive, but they will not rust, burn thru, and cr@p out in a few years.

In conclusions, If you are going to go thru the trouble to do headers, get long tube ceramic coated equal length headers. It will be the last time you have to improve your exhaust.