project: 72 Mach I, 351C 2v, pwrst, brk, AC, auto.
I've looked at and called about the Sanderson FC4 shorty headers. So far everything seems positive.
Does anyone have experience with Sanderson products?

Thanks in advance.

 

You would be better served with full length headers. They offer a significant torque improvement throughout the entire RPM range. Shorties only help some at higher RPM.

 

This is a very confusing topic for me. Some say long tubes are better, others say shortys
are better for the street. And then there's the fitment issues with P/S, A/C and clutch linkage. And not to mention, higher under-hood temperature problems w/headers and raspy noise issues with long tubes.
Plus throw in port fitment and cronic leakage problems (I hear Sanderson are some of the best fitting
though)
So far, the quandry has me keeping the old reliable stock logs.
The Sanderson website says the opposite of what MBdiagman says (for street applications).
Maybe MBdm was talking about for drag racing applications??
See the "Technical Info" section, if the link doesn't work.
http://www.sandersonheaders.com/tech_get_technical.php

 

If you go with long headers, make sure you add a mini-starter/high speed starter to your list. The old starter design just can't take the heat. I pulled the starter off of a '91 Crown Vic for 15 bucks at the local u-pull yard. It's probably the best upgrade I've done for the car actually.

You'll also need a choke stove for the headers if you have a vacuum choke.

 

Okay, you are doing the right thing in that you are researching thoroughly. I looked at the link you provided. Their charts don't float with me. Long tube headers provide a scavenging effect since each long tube is an individual runner for the exhaust pulse to exit into. At the end of each of these long tubes is flowing exhaust from it's sibling tubes. This flowing exhaust serves to actually draw the gases out of the individual tube to ready it with low pressure for the next exhaust pulse into that tube. With short tubes, there is not enough room in each tube to accommodate the exhaust pulse without back pressure from the collector.

Using SMALL DIAMETER, full length headers adds speed to the gases to add to the scavenging effect. The key to low speed torque from a full length header is to have small diameter tube to increase the speed of the gases.

There are all sorts of variables that you could inject into your testing in order to provide torque curves the way you want them to look. I must point out that Sanderson only sells short tube headers, so it's in their best interest to make them appear to be superior to full length versions.

Shorties are indeed superior in some ways. They are typically easier to fit into the chassis and due to the short tube being supported better, it doesn't move around, producing noise as long tube headers do.

In my experience shorty headers are a slight improvement over log manifolds in the case of a stock system behind them. With an opened up exhaust system behind them, they will add considerable power in the upper RPM range. Full length headers will add torque at low RPM even in the event of a somewhat restrictive exhaust behind them.

This thinking brings up another point, were their tests done with open headers or an exhaust system behind them. With open headers, the shorties might do quite well.

 

I have some ceramic coated block huggers on my 65 with a 95Gt5.0. The headers came with a pinhole in the number 4 cylinder weld between the flange and the tube. Therefore, I have an exhaust leak. I plan to fix it myself. Also, they contacted the block where it turns out at the starter. I ground some off the block to allow the needed room.

In a nutshell, I have quality control issues with them.

http://mustangefiswap.blogspot.com/

 

St3mpy: what model engine do you have, a 351C ? Thanx for heads up on the choke. Have you called Sanderson about exchanging them?

Does any one have a lead on where I can get a set of Hooker side pipes for this unit. I'm keeping an eye on ebay but I may have to have a set fabbed.