help with hooker side pipes fitment
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 39
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From: decatur Il.
hooker s/p fitment problem
I bought a set of hooker headers w/side pipes 1 7/8 from jet hot for my sb427 in a 81 .after trimming off under the fender, wich wasnt to bad,now their hitting on the fender itself. Im using standard exhaust gaskets,theres no way im trimming the fender itself,I really thought they would fit better than this.Theres a lot of people using them these days has anyone else had this problem. I dont know what to do now theres no way they will take them back now they are scratched from trying to install them.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 38
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From: California
The super Comp headers and side pipes are great, but the moulding and the fender must be cut to allow the pipe through. Just use a dremel too make the cutout just big enough. The instructons for the installation mention this for Vette's.
Melting Slicks
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From: Gig Harbor WA
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From: Price Utah
header fit problem
Some of the other threads on this forum indicate that some aftermarket heads have raised exhaust ports. This maybe why the headers are hitting the fenders. You didn't mention what heads are on your 427 sb but this may be the cause. How much would you have to notch the fender? If done carefully with a dremel you will probably be the only one who knows.
Good luck
Good luck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,139
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From: Salina Kansas
I just installed some Hooker super comp 1 7/8" header sidepipes on my 427 with AFR 210 Elim, angle plug heads with Polyurethane motor mounts.
-Had to ding the pipe around the steering box.
-Had to trim both stainless rocker covers and the fiberglass lip beneath them.
-Headers were u sed and previously had #2 pipe dinged in quite a bit on the inside to clear a plug wire.
-No plug wires on yet, but it looks like things should fit fine.
My headers clear the 1976 fenders by 1" or more on both sides, you may have some bad body mounts?
-Had to ding the pipe around the steering box.
-Had to trim both stainless rocker covers and the fiberglass lip beneath them.
-Headers were u sed and previously had #2 pipe dinged in quite a bit on the inside to clear a plug wire.
-No plug wires on yet, but it looks like things should fit fine.
My headers clear the 1976 fenders by 1" or more on both sides, you may have some bad body mounts?
Intermediate
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 38
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From: California
It is more of the area where the moulding attaches via the screws , lower fender, once cut and pipes installed only you really know there has been a modification. I agree though, these pipes should have been designed with this in mind and had one more complex angle bend in them to eliminate this modification to the Vettes fiberglass, but then maybe none of the engineers at Hooker ever tried a real life application after the design on their CAD, or they figure we all just like to cut our Vettes up! The only part I did not like was having to enlarge the holes in the frame to accept their brackets, got my money's worth from that dremel tool!