Headers: Yes or No
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Waterville Ohio
Headers: Yes or No
When I'm ready to change my exaust on my '81, I want to put a true duel on in stainless 
. I'd like to keep the car as original as possible and was wondering if it's worth it to put headers on?. I mean, do they give you that much more horse power and will they make a better sound compared to keeping the original manifolds on?. 
. I'd like to keep the car as original as possible and was wondering if it's worth it to put headers on?. I mean, do they give you that much more horse power and will they make a better sound compared to keeping the original manifolds on?.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 7
From: Ontario
Headers yes. But why stainless, are you driving it in winter/salt roads? You can always put the manifolds away, but not sure it matters much in terms of value about originality on a 81.
Last edited by Retro78; Nov 10, 2007 at 10:56 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Waterville Ohio
Right now my '81 still has the original exaust system on it. I don't plan on driving it even in the rain let alone the salt/snow. I just didn't want to go through all the work of taking off the original manifolds if it's not going to make that much of a differance in horse power or sound.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 666
Likes: 5
From: Mt. Pleasant SC
I have headers on my 73 L-82. Consider these pros and cons:
Pros:
1. Gives your Chevy SB or BB motor a great sound.
2. A little more HP at the flywheel.
Cons:
1. Produce a LOT of heat which can cause problems in your engine bay (damage wires, hoses, components). Coated headers can help reduce the heat.
2. The are very much in the way of doing work on your engine.
3. Header gaskets seem to fail more often.
Pros:
1. Gives your Chevy SB or BB motor a great sound.
2. A little more HP at the flywheel.
Cons:
1. Produce a LOT of heat which can cause problems in your engine bay (damage wires, hoses, components). Coated headers can help reduce the heat.
2. The are very much in the way of doing work on your engine.
3. Header gaskets seem to fail more often.
Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 712
Likes: 4
From: caraquet N.B Canada
I have headers on my 73 L-82. Consider these pros and cons:
Pros:
1. Gives your Chevy SB or BB motor a great sound.
2. A little more HP at the flywheel.
Cons:
1. Produce a LOT of heat which can cause problems in your engine bay (damage wires, hoses, components). Coated headers can help reduce the heat.
2. The are very much in the way of doing work on your engine.
3. Header gaskets seem to fail more often.
Pros:
1. Gives your Chevy SB or BB motor a great sound.
2. A little more HP at the flywheel.
Cons:
1. Produce a LOT of heat which can cause problems in your engine bay (damage wires, hoses, components). Coated headers can help reduce the heat.
2. The are very much in the way of doing work on your engine.
3. Header gaskets seem to fail more often.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 866
Likes: 4
From: Iowa
I have purchased a set of headers and SS sidepipes for my '72, I'm sending the headers of to Jet-Hot next week for their "Sterling" coating. This will be my winter project is to install the headers/sidepipes.I also put headers on my '89 - I like headers on vehicles.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
Right now my '81 still has the original exaust system on it. I don't plan on driving it even in the rain let alone the salt/snow. I just didn't want to go through all the work of taking off the original manifolds if it's not going to make that much of a differance in horse power or sound.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
I have purchased a set of headers and SS sidepipes for my '72, I'm sending the headers of to Jet-Hot next week for their "Sterling" coating. This will be my winter project is to install the headers/sidepipes.I also put headers on my '89 - I like headers on vehicles.
) then I sent them to jet hot for coating. just a thought
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
If you decide to get headers, I would also suggest having them coated. I bought my car and the headers weren't ceramic coated, and after having them ceramic coated, it makes a noticeable difference in interior heat. Again, do as suggested, make sure they fit first, in case you have to ding a tube, then send them out to be coated. Also, in 2 years of driving mine, I've never had to replace the header gaskets. I can't commment on whether it's harder to work on the car with the headers than manifolds, mine came with the headers on it. I do love the sound though, I have hooker super comps and flowmaster 50 series mufflers.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,876
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore Exit 98
I would get your manifolds powered coated and install an H-pipe and a set of magna-flow or flow-master mufflers
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 866
Likes: 4
From: Iowa
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 666
Likes: 5
From: Mt. Pleasant SC
If you are insure as a antique you might get a raise in insurance cost cause adding headers change your car from antique to modified antique. I know because i bought a set and before adding them i had my car apraise and the appraiser ( he have a '57 chevy) told me that when he added headers on his it raise his insurance cost.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,924
Likes: 6
