So this company's ad flashed up on my facebook never heard of them, probably Chinese copies of some other company's headers. They have some shorty block huggers that look like they could swap in place of ram's horn. Anyone use anything like them?

And as far as headers I remember in the 70s using some 2 piece on a C2. All 4 tubes had a flange about top of chassis rail that bolted to 4 tubes then making a 90 going into the collector. They were pretty easy to install, never seen any like them since.

 

I haven't bought headers in many years. And when I did they were expensive as they weren't for a very popular engine and they had extra thick flanges and were jigged up on an example of the car I owned so they would fit right. And they did. Like a glove. No leaks ever. And they lasted 20 years of regular spring and summer use, rain or shine. I painted them with a high-temp paint and cured them in an oven and it was well worth it even though they rot from inside out. The words "cheap headers" and "I'll take a set" seem incompatible to me lol.

I had thought that the shorty headers vs good manifolds question had been addressed a while back and the consensus was don't buy shortys unless you just want the looks and hassle.

 

Cheap headers have the potential to give you leaks from thin flanges, thin pipe welds and poor fit, even if it's just 1/64 of an inch. I put Hedman coated side exhaust headers on my SB in '99. To date I have had zero leaks, loose bolts or any issues after 68K miles. Dennis

 

here's one type...

(this is a really old ad!)





I'm thinking about getting some headers for my 62, I would pay extra for quality headers that actually fit. But I also would rather have old headers...something that was available in the 60s.

 

Those look like the old two piece headers!

I guess the main question is do the "block hugger' style that look like a ram's horn fit our chassis?
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...yGixKu1uhPutQk
https://www.autozone.com/exhaust/exh...13/1336749_0_0

Speedmaster look SS and about as rough as the JBAs vs the other cheap headers.

Some of the new "cheap headers" can be better than some of the US ones. I recently added a 383 to my 97 Chevy truck and had bought US built JBA as well as the cheap OBX headers. On the OBX they had a thicker and flat flange and much nicer quality welds, just on EGR fitting so I used the JBAs.. When these cheap SS header can out a few years ago i also bout some for Pontiac "round port" heads(RAIV, Edlebrock) in a GTO. Same deal nice welds thick flange. The only thing I had issues with either set was bolt holes did not line up and needed a little massaging. but I had the same issue on some US custom built Tri Y Pontiac headers. So maybe a bad template going around. Cometics head gaskets must have used FelPro's 409 head gasket template that had the dowel holes incorrect.
I had a set of Hedman for my Pontiac that the flange was 3/8' off from end to end-as well as the back tube hit the firewall. Sent back to Hedman and they said fit their jig and I must have moved the engine back to hit the firewall. I needed that diameter tube so we cut the flange beween tubes and bought some I and U bends and redid 2 tubes! A different custom set of Hedmans the collectors pointed in so much you could not bolt a transmission up! they at least corrected those Most of Hookers are now built in Mexico!

 

Sounds like you have has a lot of header experience, but why do you really want headers rather than a good set of cast manifolds? Unless the headers are equal length you are not going to see any performance gain and it sounds like you have had fitment problems in the past with headers. I have had a set of these manifolds on my wife's '62 for over 20 years and 50K miles.

 

Planning on a 383 400 HPish in the future and figure the originals may not flow enough , nor do I want to port them to match the fast burn heads. Although getting some repops to massage would be OK. Not wanting to buy the hiogh dollar cut in half and ported circle track Brezenski cast irons either.

 

Did I miss the link to the headers in question?
One can get decent headers for one of these cars for a relatively good price. What are you looking for?

 

I bought Headman SB side pipe headers a few years ago. Fit great and still work great. No leaks but I used graphite gaskets.

PVL

 

Car has factory style sidepipes so just need something to hook up to those, and for this car don;t want header/sidepipes. If I had found a rougher roller C2 that was the plan.
Links to the cheap ones: https://flasharkracing.com/products/...l-block-hugger
these are fairly inexpensive also. Price not the big deal just wondering if the block hugger design fits.
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...yGixKu1uhPutQk
https://www.autozone.com/exhaust/exh...13/1336749_0_0

 

For $123 if they work ok, if not you're not out much.....they are stainless. A few years ago I bought a set like that on ebay for an old truck, they were made off shore but they were pretty good quality, stainless.

 

Can you hear anything? Hello???

 

the '66 I bought a couple of years ago has hooker full length headers. the car had sat since '86, so there's no telling how old the headers are. they were surfaced rusted (I know, surprise, surprise....lol!). I found a shop that could ceramic coat them in white (nostalgic special). they came back looking great! by the way, somehow or another, they don't leak! my '32 ford with 327 has block hugger headers since about '92 that were made by S&S. I had them coated by HPC back when they were new, and 160,000 miles later, they have held up fine. I have seen full length headers that exit at an angle for side pipes, but the block huggers should work for side pipes and be a piece of cake to install.

 

Thanks for the ad.
I have a set of the 2 piece in my shed that were on my C1 when it came to me. Extra gaskets for the joints too. They are in great shape, no rust and painted white. It was easier and faster for me to buy a complete system when putting things back together.
Riku

 

I agree that cheap headers can cause problems later on down the road......replacing flange gaskets is a PITA . I was advised on this forum to go with Doug's Headers. They weren't the cheapest but they were ceramic coated, look terrific and never leaked.

 

Down side I see for most of the "block hugger" style are no brackets for alternator or AC to attach to.

 

alternator and a/c brackets for headers in general have been available for years.

 

Source for brackets?

I have a set of repop rams horns ordered to see how they fit and flow .

 

Repops came and look awfully restrictive. Might not be any worse than factory ones. For a 383 might have to hunt up some header brackets for them.
Here is what it currently looks like.

 

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Small...it,379657.html