fcable

I know I'm not the first person who has had to decide which headers to get...OBX, LG, Kooks, American Racing, prices going from $800 for the OBX to $1800 for the AR. I have a 02 C5 convertible, don't intend to race it, but would like a little extra performance, plus a little "throater' sound. I have the Magnaflow mufflers, so I would get the headers and the cats. Any suggestions? Thanks

lionelhutz

Go XSPower.

Peter

JW Motorsports

Lg streets based on what you're looking for. Lifetime warranty also





Highlights:

• 1 3/4" Primary size
• 3" 4 into 1 collector, and industry standard
• Full 2.5" mid section
• 2.5" X pipe design
• Connects to OE or OE replacment mufflers
• All wires, hardware, extensions included
• High flow optional 200 cell metal matrix catalytic converters
• Off-road pipes included no charge on cat'd systems
• 25-30+ RWHP GAIN!
• LifeTime Warranty for original owner
• Supports over 450 RWHP
• Designed for the bolt on to mild cam'd Vette

Order here

Rebel 1

I like American Racing Headers. Friend have a set on his '00. What i'm going with.




Bob

tkdenton

XSPower is by far and away the most bang for your buck and their service is second to none.

Pewter Scooter

Coincidence... z76232 was inquiring about OBX in the C5 Gen forum.

I posted this...

I've been shopping and doing research on headers myself, and I looked into these. Reading various forums and talking on the phone to some installers who have had first hand experience with them, I learned a few things about OBX headers.

It seems they are Chinese knock-offs, with somewhat poor quality control. Some folks say they slipped right in and they love them. Others say they were a nightmare. If you Google "obx headers broken weld" you will find numerous hits. An installer I trust warned me that fit is especially important in a C5, and he's had problems with OBX that rattle and clank after the install.

If you check out their web site: OBX Racing Sports and look at exhaust products, you will find one listing for 2010+ Camaro, and all the rest for Mazda and Acura. No mention is made on their site of headers for Corvette. The only way I've been able to find any reference to OBX headers for Corvettes, is to follow their links to "Authorized Dealers" or look on eBay. You say you found an eBay listing advertising $850. Their "Authorized Dealers" have them for $650.

I decided that I would limit my search to "Made in the U.S.A." only, and pay a little more for something with a good rep and known good customer service. I'm really leaning toward LG Street Series.

Dick

baxsom

Made in USA, XS power or TSP. Great price, great quality.

04blackice

From my resersh.im going with americian racing.not taking chance with cheap crap.its a vette not a ricer

kris6868

American Racing.
They are really nice. And seem to correspond with any upgrade you add to the car tremendously. Everyone will tell you well worth the money if you got the coin.
My babe is worth it.. so a extra couple hundred bucks is okay..

My neighbor has the kooks which he had for years. His vette has been on the lift past few night pulling those off to put on new AR's.
If your looking for a used set of kooks im sure he's selling them.

Also the LG Pros are badass as well...

m6 c5

I installed Lg super pros on mine, you wouldnt imagine that almost 3 feet of primary tubes would just slide in with out even trying but they did. I looked at it and wondered how that monster was going to fit in because just getting the manifolds out was a PITA. I did go ahead and get new clamps as the supplied ones I couldnt get tight enough to do much, the steel on the pipes is just too thick for those clamps to squeeze down on, might be different for the street series though.
My dad is wanting to get headers too and Ill be putting lg's on his, Trying to get him to go super pro with o/r x like mine but we will see how it goes.

Blue Angel

As far as quality goes, I've had a set of LG Pros on my '02Z for six years now. I just pulled them out while having the heads off the car and they look fine, and that's after almost 120k miles.

I do agree with better clamps, though, as the pass side header pulled out of the cat with almost no effort and I remember applying as much torque as i could with a two-foot prybar!

Sound is great!

Blow Torch

The customer service and IMMEDIATE answers to your questions is awesome
Great headers for good price made in USA

Pewter Scooter

Looking at XSPower's web site, I only see headers for C6... nothing for C5.

lionelhutz

The XSPower is available here from Jon, user name Superman09.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-p...free-ship.html

They really are nice solid headers. Jon will help with any problems you have. Shipping is very fast. Even to Canada it was something like 4 days after I ordered them. These come ready to install and the O2 sensors will all reach with the stock wiring.

I couldn't get my passenger side in and send some question to Jon and he offered to send me another one to try it. I kept trying and did get it in and it lined up fine once in place. I think my car is off a little compared to most and the tunnel is a little tighter to the bellhousing than it should be.

I've seen OBX vs XSPower compare pictures, and the OBX really don't compare. I don't believe the O2 wires reach and you have to buy your own extensions. You also have to drill a hole in the tunnel plate because they the O2 sensors don't fit the tunnel.

I personally think LG's make about the best power, but if you are mostly looking for sound and don't need absolutely every possible HP and also want to save a few bucks (about $400) then the XSPower are a very good option.

The AR headers also look nice and apparently they produce some of the best HP gains too, but $1800 is a lot for the catted version. I got the headers and catback combined for less than that.

Peter

fcable

I really appreciate all the quick replies. It is pretty obvious that the OBX are "out". My first consideration was the LG Street headers. I am going to look into the XSSpeed headers. Thanks again...

judgnot

XSPower are Chinese, believe it.

Rob's 73

While I like my Kooks they were a royal PITA to install. I wouldn't do it again. Granted they are 1 7/8. The air tube on drivers side broke off while at the track.

With the LS6 I had lg streets and like them. Easy to install.

kp1

Yes. My LG Super Pros came with cheap crap Chinese copy-cats of the Accuseal clamps. I let the vendor I bought them from know about the problem and I sent several emails to LG.

The LG clamps come with cheap stainless bolts and nuts that strip - instead of the grade 8 bolts you need. Accuseal doesn't require that you be a contortionist to try to get a wrench on top of the clamp like the cheap LG stuff. The spacer they have (LG) on the clamp is a cheap piece of hollow junk that deforms and collapses when you try to tighten the clamp, unlike the solid spacer on the Accuseal.

It cost me an additional $100 to buy good clamps and the additional labor of having to take it all apart several times.

The LG Super Pro is a nice header, but sending out such junk for clamps just ridiculous.

lionelhutz

Proof?? Jon claims made in USA.

BHRZ06

American racing or LG they are worth the extra couple 100.