what the least expensive headers for my 1980L-82 vette..do i need to consider that i have an a/c ? where is the best plAce to order them from? thanx all :cheers:

 

I think that the Hedman or Dynomax are about the best of the least expensive. Wish I was there! :cheers:

 

Dynomax, cerramic coated $210.00 (Jeg's)

 

I like my hooker's.

 

I have Dynomax ceramic coated. They look and fit great.

 

Forget abought headers keep your stock manifolds, I will bet you any money you will be sorry. Pain in the butt to install, headers will burn wiring hoses etc etc. Not worth the bother

 

I got headman headers, there is a picture of them in my signature, ordered them from Summit.

Cost from Summit with a Visa card: $100.00
Painting engine and tranny to match car paint: Priceless

If I could do it again I would get the dynomax ceramic (spelling). For the extra hundred bucks they look so much cooler. Also they say it will keep your feet cooler, it's a problem with headers.




[Modified by Tominator, 5:22 PM 3/15/2002]

 

I have to disagree with 73-454. I have had headers on my Vette ever since I bought it and have never burned a plug wire or a hose. Also never had an exhaust leak on them :cheers: . They are not that hard to install (after you do it the first time, it seems like a piece of cake every time after that). As a matter of fact, with ceramic coated headers, I think there is LESS heat in the engine compartment than there was with cast manifolds (and the heat definitely goes away faster). Also, the bolts were easier to get out on my old headers than most exhaust manifolds I have dealt with. You can literally prove the performance gains on a dynomometer and you also gain MPG. About the only drawback, if you call it that, is some additional exhaust volume, and the cost of them. Anyway....back to your original question...I tried Dynomax and Hooker Competition headers. I like the Hookers better, but Dynomax would be fine on a budget. I ordered Dynomax originally, but got sent the wrong set twice in a row, and that was all the chances they got :smash: .

AC

 

A C -"You can literally prove the performance gains on a dynomometer and you also gain MPG."

In an article from Corvette Fever a couple of years ago I found what I thought was a good guide on how to build a 326 HP - 375 lb torque L-48 350. It was 9:1 comp. with a Crane 272/284 Hyd. cam, rewoked heads and just good general tuning mods.

This engine ideled at 700 rpm and at 2250 rpm it had 320 ft. lb. of torque and smootly climbed to a peak 376 ft. lb. of torque at 3500 rpm. Horsepower climbed all the way to 5500 rpm and maxed at 326 HP. It manintained a stock intake manifold,carb and accessories to maintain a stock appearing '73 Vette.

Anyway, this article did not recomend using headers. Upon completion of the build up the engine was dynoed with stock manifolds and with 1 5/8 inch headers.

The results were that the headers were only worth and average of 7 ft. lb. of torque between 3000 and 4500 RPM and only 3 additional HP up high over the stock cast iron manifolds.

I've had headers for years on many cars and I've never had a set on a street car that I thought were worth the trouble they created. I will concur that headers have come a long way in the last several years with Stainless Steel construction and ceramic coatings making them a different and more domesticated animal. But is the 7 ft. lb. of torque and the 3 Horsepower worth the aggravation and expense? I can't see the value of investment and repercussions for a street touring car myself.

Let me add that this case was a milld streeet car and that other higher HP applications will give different results. But most of us are running a compatible engine in the 300 - 355 hp range of this engine. I'm going with a little different approach. I'm planning on using a set of '84 Corvette 2 1/2 SS tubular manifolds on my '80. I think they will flow better than the cast iron manifolds on it now and probably not near as well as the headers but I hope to have struck a happy medium in this and with a modest investment.

I will have to admit that I have considered having these '84 manifolds Jet Coated. One of my friends installed a set of these manifolds on his '55 Chevy and had them Jet-Coated. They really looked nice and ran a lot cooler as was stated.

I wouldn't doubt that before long you'll see Stainless Steel front exhaust pipe sesctions being offered Jet-Coated all of the way to the converter. Just like the wrap that Norval and others have used for containing heat. I wouldn't mind trying this myself.

Here's a speculation, Jet-Coated pipes may not only make the interior cooler but give a cleaner burning engine due to the converter having hoter gases to make a more efficent burning catylist.Isn't that why Ford moved the converter to the bottom of the manifold on some of their vehicles to utilize the heat off of the manifolds to burn hotter and cleaner catylist?

MY .02 JIM

 

I've heard that the stock rams horn manifolds flow well up to about 325 HP. And since Jet Hot will coat them inside and out, I've considered keeping them. Not sure yet. But at any rate, best for the buck are the Dynomax ceramic coated from Jegs or Summit. Heard a lot of good things about Hooker too but they don't exactly qualify as cheapest.