Okay okay, which is better?

Hooker Competition Headers PN# 2456 (the painted version of the ones in the link)
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HOK-2456-3HKR/


or


Summit Racing G9003 Headers
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G9003/

 

i have the summits, and they seem damn nice. plus if they go bad, you can pick up 3 more sets of them them, before you get to the same price as the hookers.

i havnt had a chance to install them yet though. hopefully by the end of march ill have them installed.

im going to call a few powder coaters and see if any of the do ceramic based powder coating.

 

So I found a set of Hookers for 150, including shipping, but they're the painted ones. In people's opinions, are the painted Hookers better than the Summit ones? They are only 25 bucks more, but are they worth the little more spend?
I know it's sort of nickel-and-dime'ing, but maybe there's some fit differences etc that would be a decision maker between the two.

 

Good luck with your Hokers, my chrome ones started rusting in three weeks

 

mine started rusting in three weeks. I may try the new OBX ones I saw on ebay

 

I mean I use mine for daily driving, but I also clean my car 2 to 3 times a week even in the icy weather of Jersey

 

damn I'm really hopeing that this doesn't happen to me..

 

That's no exaggeration either. The big block fit is even worse.
You call their "tech" support and they tell you "they have to be DINGED TO FIT". Now against all your principles you try to DING these headers (without damaging the coating and making an eye sore) to get around the idler arm. Well a DING doesn't do it. FLATTEN the pipe would be more acurate. Now you call them back and tell them that a DING doesn't work and they tell you "we can't take them back because you modified them".
I don't know what their problem is but until they get their quality control figured it out I would stay away from Hedman. Their product leaves a lot to be desired and their "tech" support and customer service is horrible. BUYER BEWARE!

 

WOW... I'll steer clear of the Hedmans

 

These are the headers I have on my GM Performance 350 HO crate engine in my '80:

FlowTech Headers

They used to sold under the Dynomax brand when I bought them a few years ago. They work great and still look pretty good. They fit well without dimpling, etc., and they are still reasonably priced. I installed them from above.

 

Is that a stock steering set-up? If not, the OP could have some issues with these headers and his stock steering box.

It's a problem on the big block pipes

 

No, my steering is not stock. I have Steeroids rack & pinion.
HOWEVER, these headers will fit just fine with the stock steering. I know because I installed the headers before I switched to Steeroids.

 

I concur with the Hedman guys. Their hedders don't quite fit. Mine clear the idler arm ok but I had to dimple them in a couple spots for spark plug clearance. They kept burning my boots. I'm using aftermarket heads, but that shouldn't matter because they're still the straight plug style.

 

I am running Hedman Headers on mine, the Elite Headers. They are the sidepipe ones that go out instead of back and the work great. Not a single fitment issue and there is a large clearance for everything. They are also the nicest headers I've ever seen/used.

I dont know about the out the back headers, though.

Will

 

We are trying to run the same type on a big block car. The reason we bought them was for the exact reasons you just stated. People on here who have used them in the past had NO fitment issues. The primaries are a little small for a "hot" big block at 1.75" but you would think that would help with the normal clearence issues. Not only did the headers not clear the idler arm the tubes were bent wrong. The R/S header collector is at about a 60 degree angle pointing at the ground with about 2.5" of ground clearence. There is no way to connect a pipe to the collector and have ANY ground clearence. The L/S header clears everything and the collector points straight out (like you would hope when you decide to use these Hedman headers in the 1st place). When you look at the "aim" of the collectors from the bottom of the car it is obvious something is wrong on the passanger's side. Back up to the "tech" advise about how you have to "ding" them to get around the idler arm. Now contact Hedman again. Tell them about this problem and send them pictures. Their answer "can't help you they have been modified". Granted they are right about that but at their advice. Our response was what does the "ding" at your instructions have to do with the collector angle being wrong? NO ANSWER to that question. Bottom line.....nothing we can do maybe it's the frame or motor mounts. Maybe but they fit the same way on another big block car. I guess that car has a mount or frame problem too. Hedman has had a good reputation in the past. They made no attempt to try to make this right. We weren't looking for something for nothing. Offer something. Another R/S header at a discount price. Buy another set and no charge for the coating. Send the R/S header back "marked up" where it needs to be modded and we'll "redo it" at a "fair" price. NO...NOTHING...deal with it. Not such a nice way to handle a customer. At the end of the day what does it matter to them? It doesn't. My point is to try to educate others. Know the company you choose to spend your hard earned dollars with and don't modify ANYTHING until you're sure it's going to work for you. You can rest assure the next set of headers I buy or I recommend will not be Hedman's......and yes the sun will come up tomorrow. Live and learn.

 

Just today I had the same thing happen to me. I got some Hedman Headers and had to fabricate one of the tubes so it would fit....and by fabricate I mean beat in a bit.

 

From reading some of the replys about the fitment issues, either with dimpling or dinging the tubes, would it be better to buy a painted set, get them fitted on the specific car, ding them, then send them out for ceramic coating?

I found a place that will do the ceramic coating for approx. $200. If a set of Summit Headers is relatively inexpensive, the going this route makes sense to me.

kdf

 

Theres no point. Just go with a different company. Hookers went on with out a problem. So happy I avoided Hedman haha.

 

Wow, sorry to hear about those problems with the headers, my car is a small block car so that probably accounts for the ease of install for me (I didnt install them but I can tell they havent been modded to fit). Good luck with your future headers!

Will

 

Well, I just got a deal on a set of Flowtech's - free shipping and a $25 discount on my next purchase from **cough cough** Autozone - the wife sent me a discount coupon for 15% off, and the $25 will help me when I need to do a tuneup on one of the Jeeps.

The wife rocks, she supports my habits lol....