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No off-the-shelf header is tuned to best suit every application to which it might be fitted. For that kind of match you'd need full customs...
edit - I've retracted the balance of this post due to having posted erroneous info while typing under the influence of prescription meds. Sorry for any confusion caused.
Last edited by TheSkunkWorks; 09-02-2014 at 09:30 PM.
I went from dual exhaust to side pipes a few months ago. I recorded a ~10 degree drop in interior temps after a 30 min drive test. Outside temps 88-90 both days, same driving route.
The sound is great and after the first burn you quickly learn how to get out of the car. I have a 7 year old and a 2 year old and they both know not to touch the sidepipes. I plan on getting a set of covers after I do a repaint.
My build partner just put a set of fiberglass covers on his and mounted a string of LEDs under the covers. Blue along the length and a short string of orange at the exit. It looks freakin sweet.
No off-the-shelf header is tuned to best suit every application to which it might be fitted. For that kind of match you'd need full customs...
The Hooker side-mounts do have equal length primaries, 2.125 x 45 IIRC. This certainly qualifies them as long-tube headers, which produce stronger mid to high RPM power, as was intended when they were developed for racing. So, no, they aren't necessarily going to be the best match for a low-end torque build. Apparently, since the BBC is so well known for its stump-pulling capabilities at relatively low RPMs, it is often overlooked by those focused on lower end torque that a true hi-perf/racing BBC really does its best work above 4000.
Long tube headers do increase low end torque, not high end power.
like I said earlier not concerned with noise just the performance side of the equation. my big block pull 576 tq 567 hp on the dyno so my current exhaust is not big enough 2 1/2 compression bent and when I brought it up to get the new headers and my old exhaust hooked up they used 2 1/4 inch pipe and crushed the hell out of it to get it lined up with the crossmember. ill see if I can get some pics of it later tonight
I went from dual exhaust to side pipes a few months ago. I recorded a ~10 degree drop in interior temps after a 30 min drive test. Outside temps 88-90 both days, same driving route.
The sound is great and after the first burn you quickly learn how to get out of the car. I have a 7 year old and a 2 year old and they both know not to touch the sidepipes. I plan on getting a set of covers after I do a repaint.
My build partner just put a set of fiberglass covers on his and mounted a string of LEDs under the covers. Blue along the length and a short string of orange at the exit. It looks freakin sweet.
It all depends on the type of muffler inserts one is running... I have the stainless obx sidepipes myself with 2 1/4 sweet thunder inserts and after burning my legs twice just working in the garage I decided to spend the $135 bucks for the pair of patriot 36" heat shields from summit, heat wrap and stainless 4.25 clamps to fab up insulated mounting brackets.
theses are cool to the touch even after driving for hours...
I am looking at these Patriot heat shields from Summit also.....at $47 a piece I am about to order them. They state they are replacements and do not come with mounting straps but that's easy.
I am scratching my head at them from the pic.....it just looks like a grated piece of metal....how do they adsorb the heat? Is there some kind of fiberglass matting on the underside that I cannot see in the pic?
i have no doubt they work from your statement but I am curious????
Oh and side pipes just plain kick ***! yes they are loud but they sure sound good at 7500RPM!....plus I only have one set of race baffles in mine so saying they are loud is an understatement
I don't have side pipes and I don't want them but one big advantage for them is that you don't have to drop the exhaust to get the trans crossmember out or the diff.
One fact remains. Remember " the other guys" who kick the *** out of every corvette on the track.you know those guys who took a English sport car and put one of there engines in it.well they came in many colors but they all had tubular headers and sidepipes .you relly don't think they put them on to lose horsrpower do you?
My side pipes are the Hooker black ones. I can only find the shields in stainless and chrome. Does anyone know where to look for the black or raw ones?
Long tube headers do increase low end torque, not high end power.
Yes, yes they do.
Please to forgive my having confused the issue in my earlier post (retracted). I've been on pain meds all day today, waiting to go in for a root canal later this week. At least I was only driving a keyboard at the time...
Last edited by TheSkunkWorks; 09-02-2014 at 09:56 PM.
I am looking at these Patriot heat shields from Summit also.....at $47 a piece I am about to order them. They state they are replacements and do not come with mounting straps but that's easy.
I am scratching my head at them from the pic.....it just looks like a grated piece of metal....how do they adsorb the heat? Is there some kind of fiberglass matting on the underside that I cannot see in the pic?
i have no doubt they work from your statement but I am curious????
Oh and side pipes just plain kick ***! yes they are loud but they sure sound good at 7500RPM!....plus I only have one set of race baffles in mine so saying they are loud is an understatement
I just used few few wraps around the pipe worth of header wrap and put the stainless clamp over that with the shield riveted to that...works very well and stays cool they don't absorb heat they keep you insulted from it.
Side pipes with any kind of baffles at all are horsepower killers! Without baffles they are stupid loud.
I like the way the factory Vette chambered side pipes sound but they are TERRIBLE for hp...
We just built a 500hp 396 for my dads 65' vert and its a side pipe car, I'm very tempted to build my own side pipes with a couple bullet mufflers on each side and use the stock tips, stock covers..
For a 576hp BBC, the ONLY true answer is a good 3" mandrel bent system and a tubular tranny crossmember from bowtie overdrives....Ofcourse use a good free flowing muffler like a magnaflow, ultraflow or PYPES RACEPRO.
My side pipes are the Hooker black ones. I can only find the shields in stainless and chrome. Does anyone know where to look for the black or raw ones?
This place has the black heat shields, powerportalproducts.com . They are great to work with and will custom cut the sheilds to however long you want them. I have a set of Doug's sidepipes with them on my BB and couldn't be happier.
09-02-2014, 01:00 PM
. ill see if I can get some pics of it later tonight
