tyancey00

I am going to run a jeep sterering box on my 1980 4 speed car with a new stroker motor. the problem is that the headders do not want to fit. i have been looking for options and all i can find are "block hugger" headers. how much am i giving up by running these?

Mark Riles

Tim, there will be a loss switching to huggers from long tube but manufacturer is key. Large primaries and smooth round bends will help make the loss less painful. Cheap Ebay creations will be your biggest losers. I have limited experiences with huggers but heard that McJack's makes some of the best. I also find it hard to believe though that others with the Jeep boxes haven't still been able to use long tube headers in these cars so hopefully someone will have that combination and will be able to give you a better answer.

tyancey00

any other ideas?

427Hotrod

Must be some strange headers. my Borgeson box cleared fine even with a big block, .600" raised port heads and 2-1/8" Hookers.

If you can stay with a set of long tubes you'll be better off.

JIM

tyancey00

it was a jaeep box and i had to move it out from the frame rail about 1" for it to line up with the steering. running a rag joint.

ezobens

I'd rather invest in a correct fitting box vs re-engineering the exhaust system to work around kludged box install.
If you had to move the box out 1" to fit, what does that do to all the other steering geometry? The pitman shaft is now in the wrong place so the center link is in the wrong place etc..

A correct fitting box will cost no more than what you're going to spend on the exhaust to fit it so why do it?

Just my .02
Elm

tyancey00

too late. i ordered the block huggers...

ezobens

Send em' back and exchange it for a new steering box

7t9l82

which did you order? speedway has some that are not expensive but i wonder if anyone has used them

tyancey00

i just grabed the Jeg's brand. 125.00 for the set... I think it will be fine. it is not doing to see a lot of top end runs.

Tim H

There are no pros to running them.
They are a lazy way of basically wasting money.
But so is installing a steering box off a jeep that you have to move out an inch, so it kind of all goes together.
Enjoy your creation man.

Doug Kraft

Some of the block headers say in their description that they won't clear stock motor mounts and other suspersion parts. I found out the hard way after I got a set and tried to install them.

aussiejohn

G'day,

I have a Borgeson box in my '74 and was given a set of stainless headers. Trouble is, the two middle pipes came out too far and the front one (cylinder #3) interfered with the steering box. I'm sure it would have hit a factory box also.

So I bought some Sanderson block huggers and they really live up to their name. I had to remove the plug wire shielding as the headers wouldn't fit with them on. So I had to move my plug wires up and they now run along the rocker covers and drop to the plugs.

I'm sure that someone must make some block huggers that stick out a bit further than the Sandersons so that you can retain the plug shielding, but I'm happier that the plug leads are now easier to access.

Re paragraph one above, I spoke to a representative of a major header manufacturer at the SEMA Show last year and told him that many generic SBC headers often hit or come very close to the steering box when fitted to a Corvette. Particularly the #3 pipe. I suggested that he investigate this and see if it was worthwhile to make a "Corvette special" set of headers where the two centre pipes were angled backwards (driver's side) to clear the steering box.

On the passenger side, this "backward" angle would of course face forward, but this would give more clearance in front of the starter motor than current headers. This would have two benefits; easier removal of the starter and less heat soak into the starter. He thanked me for my input and said that he would discuss it back at the office.

But back to the OP. As others have said, there is something wrong with your car if you had to space the Jeep box one inch out from the frame to align with the steering shaft. I would suggest that you take the car to a respected Corvette mechanic and seek his guidance before you do any dismantling of your exhaust.

Sorry if this is not what you wanted to hear.

Regards from Down Under.

aussiejohn

tyancey00

Well the block huggers worked like a charm. The jeep box works great and all is well with the worlds. I like it when I can do it my own way. I had the front end aligned and they loved it...