Those are some nice looking headers. I have seen Motorhead yacking about these for some time now. Do they dull up and change colors after they are finally bolted on used? Are they made for BB's?
I have a BB, and I had to ding the #3 tube on my Hedmans to clear the steering box. Due to the raised exhaust ports on my AFR heads. But the passenger side slid right in no problem. In fact I just removed the idler arm for a replacement during my front suspension rebuild with the headers still attached.

 

Didn't Lars (am I allowed to reference him on this forum ) do a long well detailed thread on how he had to wrestle and re-engineer a set of Hooker SS small block side pipe headers on a C2? He re-bent pipes and aligned the side tubes just to mention a few modifications.
I too agree with you because I have never seen a set of Hooker's that weren't "dinged" (Boy I hate that word) either.

I'm happy for you that your Hedman's fit perfectly. I wish I could say the same. I went with Hedman's because most of the people on this forum that used them are very satisfied as you were. I wasn't that lucky. Mine didn't fit AT ALL. The R/S header didn't clear the idler arm. Hedman tech support said it needed a "ding" (there's that word again). "Smash" was more like it. A great start for a set of coated headers. Well after a "smash" it turns out the angle on the collector was way off also. Of course Hedman has no accountability in any of this so as the consumer you're on your own. Needless to say I will NEVER buy or recommend Hedman ever again (not that it would make a difference to them ).

It's not only Hedman, Hooker, or XS I've seen Stahls beatened to clear the steering box and even Sanderson block huggers dinged at the idler arm. I realize that these cars are 40+ plus years old and have moved around a lot from wear and tear as well as accidents. What surprises me is the complaints are almost always the same. The steering box or the idler arm clearence are constantly a problem. If the frame is not square I get it but all these cars can't be that far off. The pipes can't be routed a little different for some additional clearence in these critical areas? If I remember correctly one of the C3 road racers paid $1700 to have a set of headers custom made. We spend so much on these cars it almost makes me think it could be worth it .

OK I'm done.......Sorry

 

I had fitting issues also the collectors came within 2 inches of firewall and 2 inches to the drivers side but they did fit the head returned headers at a cost of 50.00 to me for something that did not fit my 69 didnot bother with passenger side

 

[/QUOTE=CUSTOM IMAGE;1577639076]I would like to see a picture of these headers with the supplied gaskets laid over them. One picture of the whole flange. Just like Wayne did above. Can you do that?[/QUOTE]

Here are more pics. Looking at the whole flange, you can't easily see the minute difference in the holes.....but look closely at the 4th hole from the left....


Close up uf middle 2 holes......


1st hole lined, 2nd hole starting to stray...(not much, but bolt won't go straight in).....


2nd and 3rd holes lined, but that puts the 1st one out of alignment.....


Inside to inside measurement on the 2 middle holes is 3 7/16" on the gasket, but only 3 1/2" on the header flange.

Outside to outside measurement on end holes is 17 7/8" on the gasket, but 17 15/16" on the header flange.

These differences don't sound like much, but they stop the header from being bolted on.

 

These area were addressed during prototyping, one pipe was moved in to clear the steering box and same on the other side to clear the idler. There is very little room to work with near the idler as the pipe comes straight down and is very close. First version hit it on mine and the pipe was moved over and both sides fit fine.

If you have a straight frame you shouldn't have any fitment problems. I don't know what happened to C3stroker's set but clearly the holes were not drilled in the correct place.

Most of the negative comments and bashing are coming from people who have never had there hands on a set. These SS headers make the Hooker Super Comps look silly.

I was yacking about them and still will, by far the best set of headers I have ever had my hands on. I say these things to help like I said I get nothing for saying this.

Would like to see these headers on the market in the future instead of them packing up because they were condemned by some here for who knows what reason.

This kinda backs up what I have been saying about them from someone who actually has a set when he says "I'm very impressed with the the quality of the headers. One of my rather particularly meticulous picky friends was so impressed he shot photographs and sent them to his brother." Nuff said

 

Make sure the header is not hitting something down near the bottom of the header, I know it sounds silly but it happened to me, can't remember the details but you are trying to bolt the top flange on and it just wouldn't go because it was hitting something below.

Another silly question, are your headers are the polished SS production version ?

I will measure mine over the weekend

 

Please don't think I'm picking on XS. I'm not. I have no experience with the product. It looks like in this case there maybe a quality control issue though. My comments about Hooker and Hedman are 1st hand. As far as Hedman goes as I already stated I would NEVER buy or recommend them under any circumstances. That's not because of the quality issues. Any company can make a mistake. That's because of their lack of customer service and making NO attempt to help make things right. The idler arm issue they can blame the car but what about the collector being angled wrong? That's the cars fault too? Oh and Stahl's - yeah on the C3 I saw they were more than "dimpled" to get around the steering box. I still think blaming the cars is the easy way out. Are all of these cars different or off? Yes I'm sure they are all not created equal. "Dimpling" is an accepted fitment resolution. I get that. I don't like it but that's part of the price of admission with headers. What I can't stand and really don't think is acceptable is a pipe that has to be 1/3 flattened or beaten to get bolted up to the head. Now don't get me wrong if you buy a cheap set of "universal" headers you get what you paid for. Hammer away. When you spend $500.00 - $1500 I think they should fit with minimal "adjustments". No?

 

http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...d.php?t=148964

I had them installed on my daily driver. I was hoping for a response back from him regarding fitment but ended up having to just ding them. Maybe I should have PM'd him here too. Honestly not as happy about the purchase because of that but what can you do, ha. Still got a performance increase, they're seemingly durable.. I just have this annoying backfiring/popping sound from only one side. I may just have a set of headers custom made sometime so I don't have to deal with fitment issues.

Had them for about 3 months now. They're blued/browned now. Still look alright. Some surface rust though, wasn't expecting that but it's normal I guess.

Goodluck everyone.

Don't get me wrong people, I'm still glad I got them.

 

I thought something might have been hitting, too, but it wasn't the case. Believe me, I spent 5 hours wrestling with that thing to make sure it wasn't just my incompetence. You can actually place the flange flat against the head and line it up with either the 1st or the last hole and start one bolt with no problem.....you just can't start them both together....you have to slide 1/8" to align the other hole; impossible situation. I pulled the flange outward about an inch, inserted the bolts in the ends to see how they would go in......one was at an angle just to touch the bolt hole......

I was really hoping for a successful install of a really great set of headers, and really wanted this to work. I'm reaching for that 500 rwhp, and planned a dyno run after install. Now, frustration has set in.

P.S. Yes they are the polished SS version.

 

So what would be wrong with elongating the holes 1/16-1/8" It has nothing to with the headers sealing, I would do that no problems if I couldn't get another set for some reason.

I had to elongate every hole on my Vic Jr intake because someone milled the heads and never told me as he sold them to me "new". So now the intake didn't fit and I had to take the file out but again the bolts are just for putting pressure on the intake gasket.

 

Looks like 5 minutes with a Dremel, your gasket and a black marker and a new, smaller knuckle idler arm or possibly a small "ding" fixes the issue. It should take less time to fix than the time it has taken on the forum to post. That is hot rodding.

 

seems like a stretch equating someone milling a used set of heads and you having to elongate you manifold holes to a Chinamen drilling the brand new flanges WRONG.....

 

Friend of mine has a machine shop that stays busy correcting improperly machined Chinese production parts.

 

Custom fitting is one of the joys of making it yourself.
Anyone can just swap parts.
IMHO
Bman

 

I guess it went over your head but that is nothing new. Has nothing to do with where the Chinaman are drilling holes,( Btw where in China are they being made ? ) point was the manifold didn't fit and since all the bolts do is put pressure on the intake and seal the gasket you can enlarge the holes, same goes for the exhaust.

I know the season is early but won any races yet or have you just decided to call it a day ? I hear Peter Klutt is doing well again this year

 

 

I know these problems can be remedied with tools (cutters, drills, hammers, etc.). But I did not purchase these headers for the "joy" of custom fitting or hot rod fabrication. If you bought new rims for your car would you consider it satisfactory if you had to elongate the holes to get them to bolt to your rotors? Or, how about beating them with a hammer if they're bent?

These are not cheap parts here, and they are brand new. They should at least bolt up. Period.

 

I do feel for you as I went through "header h3ll" too.

I guess the attitude in this case is because headers are "hot rod" parts it's acceptable if they have to be modified to fit. That's OK......but I doubt that same attitude would exist if seat covers were purchased from a supporting vender and the seams were sewn incorrect. I think the expectations would be for the manufacturer to make the situation right.

There seems to be a double standard for speed parts (racing or off road too) that the manufacturer (NOT THE VENDER) doesn't have to be accountable for the quality of the product they produce. It's up to the builder to deal with it the best way he sees fit.
Flame away.

 

I agree with you. Have they offered to exchange them for a different pair? It's frustrating when a project takes a lot longer than it should. After a while it does take the "joy" out of it. In the end you are the only one that needs to be happy. Not everyone has access to a milling machine, tig welder, lathe, torch to make some of these parts fit. It's 2011 and nobody can make a header that fits without modification????? and don't blame the car!

 

Did not mean to **** you off.
In all the years of installing headers - Hedman, Hooker, JR, etc I have only seen one set that did NOT need any tuning to fit.
I have a pair of $450 Hedman D-port waiting to go on some fastburn heads and I expect to have to modify them to fit.
As to the rims comment - I agree there as we are talking a safety issue. Headers not so much.
Just a difference in expectations I guess.

I have often wondered why no header maker could get a set to fit on any car without mods. Unless it was a 6 cyl chevy II .

Send them back if you are not happy. It will bug you forever especially if they leak.

Good luck with your project.

Bman