What do I do about my Hooker headers hitting my frame?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 420
Likes: 1
From: Lapeer MI
What do I do about my Hooker headers hitting my frame?
Below is a photo. My chrome Hooker Headers are hitting my frame. I don't want to ding the headers in fear of cracking the chrome. I don't wan't to leave them because I know they'll rattle against the frame. What have others done? The engine is a big block. Thanks
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
From: St Louis Missouri
My Hooker headers are on a SB and I didn’t have the problem. You may be able to get a different set from where you got them from. I expect there are slight variations in every set. Do you have Poly engine mounts? I think they will raise the engine a fraction of an inch, and that may be all you need.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,625
Likes: 4
From: Miami FL
This really concerns me also as I am getting my car out of the shop in April and had plan to instantly buy a set of SB Hooker Super Comp's and totally redo the exhaust system. I have seen numerous posts recently about them hitting the frame so now I am possibly looking to buy another brand. Sounds like maybe somehow this batch of headers is different from prior year batches. Maybe bubba sat on the jig and bent the damn thing causing all these problems.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 10
From: Big Pine Key FL
Mine didn't hit but I marked the tube with a grease pencil... took the header back off and used a block of wood, a rag and a hamer and put a SLIGHT Flat Spot in the tube to give 1/8 - 3/16 clearnace.... just so it wouldn't hit and rattle. I have Jet Hot Flat Black coating... BBC and new poly mount.
the bigger problem I had was the O2 sensor in the #8 header tube
Sorry for the poor Pic quality...
the bigger problem I had was the O2 sensor in the #8 header tube
Sorry for the poor Pic quality...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,412
Likes: 792
From: Redondo Beach, California
I installed a set of Hooker Headers (sidepipes) in 1973 (?). I had a lot of problems. This was for a 1969 C3. I called up Hooker and they said if their headers didn't fit, it was because my car had probably a frame that was bent. I had bought this 69 in 70. Anyhow, the mechanic I hired to install the engine, using a little bit of an impact hammer to dimple the headers, got the headers to fit. It certainly appears, that now in the year 2006, Hooker headers are still not fitting that well.
I can appreciate the problem. I think that with a BB and headers, there's really very little clearance with the steering box.
It's absolutely astounding to me to read that problems I had 30 years ago are still in happening today.
I plan to put headers on my 1970. I have a spare frame, and I'm going to mount the engine (BB) on the frame and mount the headers very early in the rebuild process to make sure the headers will fit. I'd like to know if there are other vendors than Hooker than manufacture these sidepipes....duhhh that fit.
I can appreciate the problem. I think that with a BB and headers, there's really very little clearance with the steering box.
It's absolutely astounding to me to read that problems I had 30 years ago are still in happening today.
I plan to put headers on my 1970. I have a spare frame, and I'm going to mount the engine (BB) on the frame and mount the headers very early in the rebuild process to make sure the headers will fit. I'd like to know if there are other vendors than Hooker than manufacture these sidepipes....duhhh that fit.
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Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 583
Likes: 61
From: USA
maybe solid mounts. the interior noise won't be too bad since the body is mounted to the frame with rubber biscuit isolaters.
If it still don't fit with solid mounts, maybe you can modify the solid mounts to move the engine over 1/8". I modified my Moroso solid mounts to lower the engine slightly. I cut off the mounting ears from the engine-block mounting plate, and re-welded them on to suit my needs.
You might not need to do that since the holes for the mount/frame long bolt are a little oversize to allow some adjustment to start with. Loosen the mount/frame bolt, and use your engine hoist to take the engine-weight load off of the mounts, and a pry-bar to move the engine over, and then lower the engine while maintaining leverage with the pry-bar.
To get even more wiggle room, you can try loosening the 3 bolts that attach the mount to the block, just so the mount can be wiggled a little, at the same time you got the load off.
make sure you don't end up with the LH header then contacting the steering box on the other side.
If it still don't fit with solid mounts, maybe you can modify the solid mounts to move the engine over 1/8". I modified my Moroso solid mounts to lower the engine slightly. I cut off the mounting ears from the engine-block mounting plate, and re-welded them on to suit my needs.
You might not need to do that since the holes for the mount/frame long bolt are a little oversize to allow some adjustment to start with. Loosen the mount/frame bolt, and use your engine hoist to take the engine-weight load off of the mounts, and a pry-bar to move the engine over, and then lower the engine while maintaining leverage with the pry-bar.
To get even more wiggle room, you can try loosening the 3 bolts that attach the mount to the block, just so the mount can be wiggled a little, at the same time you got the load off.
make sure you don't end up with the LH header then contacting the steering box on the other side.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Moro IL
This may cause some of you to hate me but my car was Holley's (Hooker's) test mule for the sidepipe headers for the big blocks. Of course this only has an effect if you bought your headers within the last year. I just went out and checked my car and there is plenty of room there on my car (matching numbers big blocks car), Are most of the fitment problems with BB swaps?
Pat Kunz
Pat Kunz
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 844
Likes: 0
From: Central KY
Originally Posted by 73 LS-4
This may cause some of you to hate me but my car was Holley's (Hooker's) test mule for the sidepipe headers for the big blocks. Of course this only has an effect if you bought your headers within the last year. I just went out and checked my car and there is plenty of room there on my car (matching numbers big blocks car), Are most of the fitment problems with BB swaps?
Pat Kunz
Pat Kunz
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
kinda weird how we all line up just a little different. My headers just barely cleared the steering box on the drivers side, but hit the idler arm on the pass side. Fortunately they didn't contact the frame and I was able to move the idler arm - it only took a small fraction of an inch.
