Hooker super comps. ground clearance.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,877
Likes: 13
From: Doha
St. Jude Donor '08
Hooker super comps. ground clearance.
Hi all,
I'm having one h*ll of a time driving my 'vette around without hearing the nerve-breaking screeching noises when ever I pass on anything taller than about 4 in. from ground!, all that happened after I installed the Hooker Super Comps. headers to the 454 engine, now I can't go back to the stock manifolds because of many reasons, 1st of all, I really enjoy the added HP/TQ after these headers!, 2nd is that I already cut the pipes to fit them, so returning to the stock form is a major headache.
Is there any other kind of BBC headers that would give me more ground clearance?, shall I go with the Hooker Comp. headers instead?, I can live with losing 5 or 10 HP in return of having more ground clearance.
Please don't suggest to rise the car, I really like its stance I just can't touch it.
Here is a pic of how to looks, that lower flange bolt is really adding insult to injury! :
I'm having one h*ll of a time driving my 'vette around without hearing the nerve-breaking screeching noises when ever I pass on anything taller than about 4 in. from ground!, all that happened after I installed the Hooker Super Comps. headers to the 454 engine, now I can't go back to the stock manifolds because of many reasons, 1st of all, I really enjoy the added HP/TQ after these headers!, 2nd is that I already cut the pipes to fit them, so returning to the stock form is a major headache.
Is there any other kind of BBC headers that would give me more ground clearance?, shall I go with the Hooker Comp. headers instead?, I can live with losing 5 or 10 HP in return of having more ground clearance.
Please don't suggest to rise the car, I really like its stance I just can't touch it.
Here is a pic of how to looks, that lower flange bolt is really adding insult to injury! :
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
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What size are they? My .600" raised exhaust ports actually helped the issue on my car by getting them up a little higher...but the flanges still got banged up sometimes. I finally cut the flanges off the header and pipe and used a wrap around band clamp...but my headers had 3.5" collectors and a 3.5" pipe..so fairly easy. My headers wer 2-1/8" Hookers.
You'll end up having to do something with the exhaust pipe anyway if you change since the odds of finding a different header to line up perfect with what you have is not good.
I just got my hands on a set of shorty headers from Corvette Central that are very nicely made. You might look at them. Not as good as long tube Hookers probably..but better than manifolds.
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050B
JIM
You'll end up having to do something with the exhaust pipe anyway if you change since the odds of finding a different header to line up perfect with what you have is not good.
I just got my hands on a set of shorty headers from Corvette Central that are very nicely made. You might look at them. Not as good as long tube Hookers probably..but better than manifolds.
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050B
JIM
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,877
Likes: 13
From: Doha
St. Jude Donor '08
Hi Jim, the ones that I have are the 1 7/8 in. dia. with the 3 in. collectors., my main problem are the primaries, they hang so low and that awful location of the lower flange bolt!
These shorties look really nice, but at $800, not sure if they worth it, giving that they are still shorties and I don't think they will perform as close as the long tube ones.
Anyone tried the Hooker Comps? are they hang higher than the Super Comps?
These shorties look really nice, but at $800, not sure if they worth it, giving that they are still shorties and I don't think they will perform as close as the long tube ones.
Anyone tried the Hooker Comps? are they hang higher than the Super Comps?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
Where do you have the most issues with dragging? On the street or when transitioning into drivesways? Won't the flange rotate a little so the bolt is not on the bottom? My Hedman long tubes would drag, but only when pulling out of my driveway. I had to back it out to keep from dragging. I just put a high capacity pan on my transmission, talk about something hanging low. No issues yet, not even on my driveway which seems to be my measuring stick.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
THEY USED TO MAKE ROUND FOUR BOLT FLANGES AND GASKETS. THE BOLTS ENDED UP TORWARD THE SIDES OF THE HEADERS. i WENT THROUGH THIS HOOKER CRAP WITH MY 2 1/8 3 1/2 COLLECTOR BACK IN 1973.
I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOUR 3 INCH COLLECTER WOULD BE HELPING YOU BUT LOOKING AT THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE YOUR JUST AS BAD OFF AS I WAS. I EVEN HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE COLLECTOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE FLOORBOARD BEING TO CLOSE TO THE FLOOR BURNING THE FIBERGLASS FLOOR.
I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOUR 3 INCH COLLECTER WOULD BE HELPING YOU BUT LOOKING AT THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE YOUR JUST AS BAD OFF AS I WAS. I EVEN HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE COLLECTOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE FLOORBOARD BEING TO CLOSE TO THE FLOOR BURNING THE FIBERGLASS FLOOR.
Last edited by Little Mouse; Jan 27, 2012 at 11:29 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 148
From: East London/SW Essex UK
What size are they? My .600" raised exhaust ports actually helped the issue on my car by getting them up a little higher...but the flanges still got banged up sometimes. I finally cut the flanges off the header and pipe and used a wrap around band clamp...but my headers had 3.5" collectors and a 3.5" pipe..so fairly easy. My headers wer 2-1/8" Hookers.
You'll end up having to do something with the exhaust pipe anyway if you change since the odds of finding a different header to line up perfect with what you have is not good.
I just got my hands on a set of shorty headers from Corvette Central that are very nicely made. You might look at them. Not as good as long tube Hookers probably..but better than manifolds.
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050B
JIM
You'll end up having to do something with the exhaust pipe anyway if you change since the odds of finding a different header to line up perfect with what you have is not good.
I just got my hands on a set of shorty headers from Corvette Central that are very nicely made. You might look at them. Not as good as long tube Hookers probably..but better than manifolds.
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050B
JIM
I previously used 1 7/8" Hedmans - the collectors are much further forward under the floor and therefore give better ground clearance (but hotter feet) - the Super Comps on my car made a surprising amount of difference to mid-range and top end - Oh Yes, and feet are cooler!
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 207
Likes: 6
I had Hedman Headers 1 7/8" primaries on BBC 427ci, good fit and had no issue with ground clearance, they fit real nice through stock trany cross-member and tuck up high between trany and trany tunnel. After switching to 572ci I installed Hooker Super comp 2 1/8'' and had vary little ground clearance even with cutting flanges as Jim mentioned, now I have Side pipes and have no problem with clearance.
-Paja
-Paja
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,877
Likes: 13
From: Doha
St. Jude Donor '08
I just came through McJack's web page, has anybody tried their full length headers? well it give me any added ground clearance?, I really like the idea of the cast iron manifold relpacement made by them (exactly like the ones that Jim mentioned), but I don't want to loose much HP/TQ.
