SpinMonster

Before getting into this write-up, I would like to tell each person reading that a big part of my motivation is the St. Judes fundraising effort on this board. I dont think its much of a reach to understand why this cause is so important but unless you suffer such a painful loss as a result of a childnood destroyed by various illnesses I dont think you could see it from the point of view of it happening to your world. The death of a child in your life changes you forever and I will never be able to relay the pain associated with it. Take a monemt and send 20 bucks to this charity. You wont even have to do anything more than you do in posting on your computer on this forum. Its the best thing you can do to help this world and make my efforts here more worthwhile. We have the means to send robots to mars so I believe we can beat cancer, sudden infant death, and form new medications. I find it odd that it has to happen to your car before most people recogize a risk some part has to pose before you upgrade to better parts but we are doomed if we have to have things like these illnesses hit out homes before we take the steps to save a life.

---------------Make a difference TODAY------------------
This year you can donate in 3 ways:

1) Personal checks, cashier checks, or money orders, made out to: St. Jude Children's Hospital and mailed to "pewter99,":

Robert Briggs
P.O. Box 17083
Clearwater Fl 33762

Please put your forum name on the memo line of the check

2) paypal: corvettes4stjude@aol.com

LG, AR, Kooks, oh my

Just an advance warning for anyone wanting to test the moderator's patience with another header thread gone to bash town. If you do turn this into a bash thread, your comments will be deleted and vacations given I was told by one moderator. Lets keep it civil.

Why The Swap?

As a wrench head for a hobbyist, I swap parts all the time. I like LG headers but when time comes to swap cylider heads or clutches, ect, its harder to do that with slip fits. Its fine once or twice and shouldnt be a deciding factor for guys getting one header and one H/C job. Its over and not an issue. I had to drop my exhaust 7 times last year testing parts out and I need a non-slip fit. Sliding them forward needs space. So on I went.

1 7/8 or 1 3/4?

Sam (powerlabs) did a full review of the swap from 1 3/4 kooks to AR 1 7/8 on his car and found not much to be found on his 600rwhp car going to the bigger primary. He got 6rwhp. My car is a bit higher powered but seeing as this stroker build didnt have a baseline with the LG's when the stroker went in, I cant comment on the power nor do I care. How much power do I have? enough to kook the Mickey Thompson 305s bald after 30 minutes of doughnuts in a parking lot so it doesnt much matter.

If I had to guess though, Id say an 800rwhp car would see 18-20rwhp after 5200rpm. LG, AR, and Kooks all have 1 7/8 header models with pipes to mate to 2.5 or 3" exhausts. Nick at AR was the first to get back to me so he got the sale. He set me up with a set of 3" pipes to mate to my Z06 exhaust essentially making this a Z06 system. He was really helpful and has many years of track experience with all makes and model cars. He is a real muscle car gear head. He lives near where I used to live so our phone call was 20 minutes headers and 1 hour about Long Island.

This thread was about fitment so on to some pictures.

Here we see the fat pipes from the top:


Here is the new connection made at the bell housing. It had perfect clearance.


AR headers include an O2 sensor bung mount so you dont have to cut up a set of expensive headers to weld one on yourself. Saves time and Money!


X-pipes and mating catback pipes were tightened last and required no alignment. This was the first time I had never had to realign the rear muffler pipes. It was dead on suggesting great R&D/ and design as you would expect from a top level header system.



Clearance at the trans bell housing in the rear; tight but perfect:




High flow race cats:


Big pipes mean close proximity to several things so use thermal sheilding on oil cooler lines on the drivers side and alternator wiring on the passenger side:


Oil cooler line closeness; just cover them with sheiding and they bend slightly out of the way:


Here was my only snag: I had to clearance this section to fit the bigger primary. Nick told me on a few cars this happened but only required the metal to be rolled. 99% of the cars required no mod at all to fit. Being cut happy (since Aintqik from the forum lives nearby I had him cut it) I just notched it but it likely only needed rolling. A few seconds into RJ notching the metal, I see smoke comming up and he casually asked me for a wet rag saying he lit himself on fire. You know what they say, "Give a man fire and he is warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life".....he lived.
Passenger side firewall: I removed the starter and notched it:


The sound is a bit deeper than the smaller primaries but not as loud high in frequency. I am pleased with the header system. Great fit. As far as price, stop thinking you can get this craftsmanship from Ebay's chinese copies. You cant.

Thanks Nick for the speed of getting them to me and a headache free install. You obviously did some research making them.

099blancoss

Very nice

knick

very good write up with pics ,these headers just went on my to do list...thanks for some informative information without any bashing

jmudreamvette

Nice right up spin! Great pic's also

craftfox

i am suprised at the findings you posted about the 1 3/4 to 1 7/8 test.

I am right at that 600rwhp mark, and wonder, would there be more to be had if the motor was NA? like mine?

Motorhead-47

Nice write up. As a point of comparison, on my 2009 Coupe the Kooks 1 7/8" headers and 3" cat'd x-pipe slipped right in with no clearancing required.

SpinMonster

Thanks for posting. I was concerned that my cut would be interpretted by most as a 'have to' when I know its never been the case for a C6 before I did that. Nick from AR was insistant that it required rolling on 2 cars.

SpinMonster

I would imagine it would be more on an N/A car. I would use 1 7/8 on a 600rwhp car. Nick actually thought a 2" collector would be beneficial on my car but I am overpowered now and need wide fenders and bigger meats out back. Until then, Im not going to be faster with more HP.

tjwong

Jay, I have installed several sets of the ARH 1 7/8 headers on the C6s. Out of 12 sets, I clearanced 2 for additional clearance for the tubes near the collector. I use a pnuematic reciprocating saw, it makes short work of the job. As you said fit and finish is always spot on with the product.

Sativa

Great write up Spin! This is definately my next mod.

099blancoss

Give us a call or visit our online store, no one beats our deals

Joe_G

I also enjoyed speaking with Nick, I got one of the first sets for the c6 and he was a little late getting them to me. I called a little upset and got off the phone a happy customer. I've been pleased with mine ever since. The guys at my shop like them too after all the trouble I had with transmissions last year...slip fits would have been a bear.

I had to use some channel locks to bend the passenger floorboard pinch weld as it was hitting when the engine would torque over. Been fine ever since I bent it a little. Maybe this was specific to my car.

Great product. I've had 4 years now of trouble free service. Thanks Nick!

3 Z06ZR1

I had Kook's 1 3/4 with 2 1/2 x-pipe. WITH 513 rwhp and 453 rwtq
I switched to ARH's 1 7/8's and 3 inch x-pipe. redyno and tune 578rwhp and 530rwtq. Same timing
So even though powerlabs showed only 6 rwhp from the 1 3/4 to 1 7/8's change.
The bigger factor is the 3 exhaust and 3 inch x-pipe.Over the 2 1/2
at higher hp level's.
I also had to trim the floor pan. The kooks fit a little closer to the block
where the ARH's are wider spread. Both are top notch headers.
The ARH's were removed from my C-6 that was sold and now are going on my ZO6.
Glad I bought Zo6 headers for the C-6.

SpinMonster

I agree that the 3" x-pipe should be mandatory and it bolts up to which ever exhaust system you have. Just specify which when you order.

If you're getting a Z06 system, you get the 3" pipes to mate to them at the same time so there is no associated cost to upgrade to 3" parts front to back. Your results show why it should be considered mandatoy.

I have the Z06 system on my car too and its able to be quiet or loud by my control so hiway cruising has no drone.

pmj341

I also installed the AR Headers 1 7/8", they are tight on pass side collector, but as Joe G pointed out, I just rolled the seam and a perfect and easy install!!
Nice write up Spin!!

mittens

1 7/8th AR headrs too, i had to trim a little of the seam on passenger side, only becasue if the car hopped it would hit, driving normalt they did not. but once i trimmed they are good to go, and VERY NICE in quility.

SpinMonster

Not many guys are saying if they use the wideband bung that AR includes but its in a great location and saves money.

Joe_G

Did you order that special? Mine didn't come with it. Wish I'd had ordered it back when I got mine.

pmj341

I have my NGK WB in that spot, great spot.

mittens

I do not use it, but BOTH my X-pipes that came from AR have them and i thoguht thats awesome. just dont use it yet.