Headers and mini Starters

[cd45harris]

For what its worth...

Richard is 100% truthful on all accounts and is being generously kind. I decided to be hard headed bought high end long tube headers, lovenly wrapped them and went to install them. What a HELLISH NIGHTMARE!!!! I attempted this on my '70 Dart and researched the install to death. What I did not find out until the car was on the lift is the steering linkage, pitman arm, idler arm, tie rods weaves through the headers and needs alignment, I tend to think I am a calm individual and working on cars is zen like but... I would have embarrassed a veteran sailor with what came out of my mouth, and I through wrenches and one of the headers. Eventually (two weeks) I won the battle after the wrap was hanging in tatters, used a spreader bar to redesign them, $330 worth of new front end parts (if it comes apart I replace), the engine bay paint SCARRED to the metal, the engine came out twice etc. etc. etc.

If you must have headers do your self a favor and run shorties, even then I have cursed and scream trying to install them. I am through with headers unless someone is paying by the hour for me to install.

This picture is deceiving.... I bleed for this and repainted the engine bay. LOL
5169

[thebankerstoy]

CD,

I SO feel your pain my friend! As a much younger man back in the 70's and early 80's, I ran Hooker Super Comp big tube headers on ALL of my various brands of big block powered muscle cars and found them to be a royal p.i.t.a. in almost every case! Big block A and B-Body Mopars and big block Mustangs are the absolute worst! For many years now I've just refused to run any brand of headers on any of my street cars because I just haven't found the gains headers offer to out weigh the many hassles they cause.

I wish that I was able to record my Coronet's 440 running with the HP manifolds so that folks could hear how they sound. The running joke with my next door neighbours is that the car rattles their homes windows and they have to straighten pictures on their walls whenever I fire the car up and run it in the driveway. LOL!

Richard

[cd45harris]

Manifold's are the only way, when the headers have to come off the Dart they will be removed with a saws-all!! hard lesson. I put a set of manifolds off a 1969 327 motor on my 71 vette/383 stroker (true stroker), boy did they flow air. I would think with a crossover pipe and a pair of air scavenging mufflers and the right manifolds you will get almost the same effect. I would invest in a cam before spending $$ on headers.

As for the Dart! if the neighbors only knew whats about to happen they would move! LOL- 360 (original 340 crated) w 550 BHP, 4:56 rear end, long tube headers, crossover exhaust and Flowmaster Super 44 Delta Flow (one step blow the 10 series race muffler), wheelie bar delete for now. This is going to be a ground pounder. I just want it finished so I can focus on the Coronet and ease on down the road with the top laid back.

[thebankerstoy]

Hi CD,

The 1970-1972 Darts are my farvorite A-Body cars, so your '70 sounds fantastic! Have you posted pictures of your Dart here on the DCR that I've missed? With the set-up you have you may have to rethink the wheelie bar delete!

Richard

[skeehorse]

Hi Richard
I would agree with you,
I just posted the article because I thought it was interesting and showed the different HP gains however this could vary based on different engine builds.
Thanks Jim

[thebankerstoy]

It's all good Jim and I completely agree with you. The horsepower gains that anyone can expect from adding a set of long tube headers is directly related to the complete engine parts package their using, as well as the transmission, suspension and wheel and tire packages that will transfer their engines horsepower to the ground. For me, that's what makes most all of the magazine "comparison" articles so unreliable, because in most cases, they are trying to compare various parts that were not originally designed to accomplish the same objectives.

I'm honestly not criticizing anybody who is running headers on their mostly street driven cars, because everybody should build their cars however they want to. I'm just trying to give another well proven option to those folks who are looking to avoid the issues that most long tube headers will give them. The older I've gotten, the more I've started seriously considering the possible gains any given performance part may give me as opposed to the amount of hassles that same given part will cause me and long tube headers just don't pass that test for me anymore on a street car.

Richard

[elevatorman]

pulled the trigger; Ordered new TTI Complete Exhaust System header's to tips; hope it's worth the $