Rams Horn manifold vs Headers
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 5
From: Salisbury Maryland
I just purchased a set of Hedman's from Summit. Plan is to fab up a mid pipe to a new set of Sweet Thunder's, then send the headers and mid-pipe off to Jet-Hot for coating.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 58
Likes: 1
Interesting topic
I actually have a set of mcjacks headers on my 72. I looked into this quite a bit before settling on the mcjacks headers. Almost went with the Sanderson but I wanted something that would just bolt on and fit like what was originally on the car but look better and get more power, so I chose Mcjacks. Fit and install were easy. Well worth the $.
I actually have a set of mcjacks headers on my 72. I looked into this quite a bit before settling on the mcjacks headers. Almost went with the Sanderson but I wanted something that would just bolt on and fit like what was originally on the car but look better and get more power, so I chose Mcjacks. Fit and install were easy. Well worth the $.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,454
Likes: 977
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
Any type of header will make a difference whether it is stock, mildly modified, or built up. For those that say headers will have very little effect on the "seat of the pants" feel of the car, I have no explanation for those comments. I have been using headers of all types for 30 years on all types of cars and they DEFINITELY make a difference over stock Ram horns. No experience with Sanderson which are block huggers (McJack's shorty headers are NOT block huggers), but I recently put on a set of McJacks on my 78 L-82 since I wanted a header that fit easily, was an exact duplicate dimensionally to the Ram Horns, and would fit right up to a stock type 2.5 inch duals. They fit perfectly and have zero engine or road clearance problems. For the street, McJacks are great but expensive. You can also buy them for 2 in or 2.5 in collector dump. I also have a set of BBK shorty headers on a 1994 Mustang GT and can tell you that both shorty headers had a noticeable effect on performance. Unless you are running WOT often on the street or race, I would stay away from long tube headers and the headaches. Just my 2 cents!
Last edited by jb78L-82; May 16, 2009 at 07:33 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Had the owner of a header company tell me that connecting any long stockish exhaust and any muffler to any header will just about totally negate any gain from the header, and maybe as well have a stock system....
I bought anyway, because the rams horns are not allowing up/over wiring, since i'ts a hotrod, it's necessary to do that....
I bought anyway, because the rams horns are not allowing up/over wiring, since i'ts a hotrod, it's necessary to do that....
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,018
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From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
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Sure if you hook a single exhaust or a really rotten one up to headers it won't make as much as a good system...but just about anything will benefit from long tube decent headers.
You CAN run awful hard with manifolds though. We swapped a set of 2" manifolds to some 2.5" ones and picked up a ton of street power. We did swap exhaust at same time but pipes were same size....just bent better. If you search 632C2 here..he has a beautiful stock looking '67 convertible with a 383 that runs high 11's through manifolds! Would it do better with headers? Sure...but it's doing nice with manifolds.
JIM
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 156
From: Clayton New Jersey
Right now I am having a hard time getting the ramhorn manifolds to fit on my vortec heads. There is clearance issues with the valve covers. I am going the grind the notches on the back of the mainfolds maybe 1/16 of an inch to make them fit. I used POR-15 manifold gray, it looks great.
