stock head cc's
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Visalia CA
no problem, i agree but did you notice I mentioned i want it to remain ca smog legal. hedman has headers that you can weld the air tubes into yourself to make smog legal but that seems sketchy at best to me. I may still do headers but technically I still can't run a true dual exhaust, switching to dual cats is actually not smog legal as it's considered an alteration of the original smog equipment. dumb but true. i'm not seeking a fire breathing monster, but i do want to up the power some and see if i can do it without losing the smog equipment. I may still go non-smog and put everything back on at smog time but that seems like a big hassle, I havn't decided yet.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,892
Likes: 3
From: Springfield Illinois
no problem, i agree but did you notice I mentioned i want it to remain ca smog legal. hedman has headers that you can weld the air tubes into yourself to make smog legal but that seems sketchy at best to me. I may still do headers but technically I still can't run a true dual exhaust, switching to dual cats is actually not smog legal as it's considered an alteration of the original smog equipment. dumb but true. i'm not seeking a fire breathing monster, but i do want to up the power some and see if i can do it without losing the smog equipment. I may still go non-smog and put everything back on at smog time but that seems like a big hassle, I havn't decided yet.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,477
Likes: 1,495
From: Little Rock AR
no problem, i agree but did you notice I mentioned i want it to remain ca smog legal. hedman has headers that you can weld the air tubes into yourself to make smog legal but that seems sketchy at best to me. I may still do headers but technically I still can't run a true dual exhaust, switching to dual cats is actually not smog legal as it's considered an alteration of the original smog equipment. dumb but true. i'm not seeking a fire breathing monster, but i do want to up the power some and see if i can do it without losing the smog equipment. I may still go non-smog and put everything back on at smog time but that seems like a big hassle, I havn't decided yet.
I would not bother with the headers. They will not be the best bang for the buck based on the combination you are working with.
-Mark.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Exhaust.. If you still have stock exhaust, it'll kill most of the performance that you'll gain.. 1 3/4 headers 2.5 - 3" pipes and non restrictive mufflers will really help..
Once I had a 383 in a '69 Vert that I used to own.. It had stock exhaust manifolds and mufflers and the car had no power.. I couldn't even smoke the tires with that setup without power-braking.. I went with open Hooker sidepipes and would be able to do 150 feet burnouts without using the brake or linelock. The power difference to stock exhaust was incredible. It felt like a completely different car.. probably about 40+ added RWHP..
Once I had a 383 in a '69 Vert that I used to own.. It had stock exhaust manifolds and mufflers and the car had no power.. I couldn't even smoke the tires with that setup without power-braking.. I went with open Hooker sidepipes and would be able to do 150 feet burnouts without using the brake or linelock. The power difference to stock exhaust was incredible. It felt like a completely different car.. probably about 40+ added RWHP..
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Visalia CA
i've been thinking about the exhaust too, the last owner put a brand new stock exhaust on it. i may pull it and set it up to be bolt in, then do the same thing with a simple dual exhaust. would make it a lot easier to swap back and forth at smog time. if i don't do that i may go with 2.5" exhaust into a high flow 4" cat, 34" out back until it goes into seperate exhaust at 2.5" each. I've only done a little exhaust work myself and I hate doing it, plus I don't know if any shops around here will put together a non-smog system for me, which probably means i'm stuck doing it myself. (thats if i can find a 4" ca smog legal cat)
(thats if i can find a 4" ca smog legal cat)
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 4
From: New Baden Illinois
The 2-1-2 set up is still restrictive. If you have to have the cats on there, you may want to see about putting true duals with those small high flow cats on each one. that will get pricey though.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
It's still restrictive but better than stock.. 3 inches would be ideal with low restriction mufflers..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,477
Likes: 1,495
From: Little Rock AR
I pulled my original exhaust off the car and stored it under my deck. It comes off in 2 pieces and is easy to remove. Unbolt 4 bolts at the cat and the rear half will fall off if you pull it forward. The front half will fall out if you remove the 6 nuts holding it to the manifolds. Save the middle hangar at the tranny. True duals can come off in one piece at smog test time so this is not too bad of a change out.. 
Adding just the high flow cat to the original pipes is the next best option IMHO. Smog legal and flows better but no need to do anything with the exhaust for smog testing.
-Mark.
Adding just the high flow cat to the original pipes is the next best option IMHO. Smog legal and flows better but no need to do anything with the exhaust for smog testing.
-Mark.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
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
