Headers
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Headers
Hey guys, I'm looking for a good set of headers, I'd like to get the ones that have the ball n socket for the end of the collector. Would also like ceramic coated headers, does anyone make any like that? I've heard Doug's are really good for our C3's but haven't been able to find what I've described. I'm trying to get a way from the normal collect setup as I'm having a bitch of a time trying to get the ones I have to not leak and I figured since I'm going to redo my exhaust from head to tail pipe I want to get something that's going to have minimal chances of leaking.
Thanks for your time
Thanks for your time
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,714
Likes: 42
From: Austin Texas
My car came with an old set of Hedman headers. They were in bad shape and the collector flanges would not seal.
I had them coated by http://www.cradin.com/ down in your part of town. They are coated flat black. The coating is unchanged after 3 years.
For the collector flange, I had a muffler shop saw them off and weld on V-band clamps. One nut and it's off. They seal well.
Just some options.
One more pic... If you have an automatic, you may appreciate another set of v-band clamps just after the cross member. It makes removing or lowering the trans a different job.
I had them coated by http://www.cradin.com/ down in your part of town. They are coated flat black. The coating is unchanged after 3 years.
For the collector flange, I had a muffler shop saw them off and weld on V-band clamps. One nut and it's off. They seal well.
Just some options.
One more pic... If you have an automatic, you may appreciate another set of v-band clamps just after the cross member. It makes removing or lowering the trans a different job.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Thanks guys, I was hopping to spend no more than 6 - 7 hundred. John, I had thought about taking my set to (when I get a new set), to that shop and have em take care of it for me... The headers I have now will not seal at the collector either, I hate driving it because of the leak 
Pro
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 600
Likes: 6
From: Key West Florida
we had a set of hooker headers on a 77 L82 car about 5 years, we also had the matching hooker exhaust to go with it, and it never leaked. we mounted headers, then worked our way back, we attached the collectors first before the rest of the system was hooked up. a trick ive used for years with header gaskets to the head is coat the gasket with VHT paint before you install them, put a lot, to where its almost runny on the gasket, then install and tighten bolts, let dry, then fire it up. that trick may work for the collector gaskets as well
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
we had a set of hooker headers on a 77 L82 car about 5 years, we also had the matching hooker exhaust to go with it, and it never leaked. we mounted headers, then worked our way back, we attached the collectors first before the rest of the system was hooked up. a trick ive used for years with header gaskets to the head is coat the gasket with VHT paint before you install them, put a lot, to where its almost runny on the gasket, then install and tighten bolts, let dry, then fire it up. that trick may work for the collector gaskets as well
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,736
Likes: 56
From: anchorage ak
we had a set of hooker headers on a 77 L82 car about 5 years, we also had the matching hooker exhaust to go with it, and it never leaked. we mounted headers, then worked our way back, we attached the collectors first before the rest of the system was hooked up. a trick ive used for years with header gaskets to the head is coat the gasket with VHT paint before you install them, put a lot, to where its almost runny on the gasket, then install and tighten bolts, let dry, then fire it up. that trick may work for the collector gaskets as well
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Racer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 409
Likes: 3
From: St. James, NC
I have a set of Hedman #68096 ceramic coat headers on my BB 71. They are ball and socket. Good clearance. Best of all, I plumbed them into my OEM style 2.5" exhaust systen using Hedman's Fit X Tension tudes #18700. Left side was dead on, the right was off by only a degree or two. Nice thing about the ball and socket is you can move the connection pipe around a few degrees to get the angle you want. I just keep turning the Fit X Tension tudes and changing the angle until I got the pipe to exit where I wanted it. Everything tucked up nice and tight to the underbody. Clearance is great.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Thanks Wheat! I was hoping to be able to buy these today but I am an Army Civilian so I get to go on furlough starting in less than an hour (yeah I know why am I not working right now - well our guidance is we come in and shut down, no other work is to be done!), anyway, hopefully I'll be able to order these soon!
Racer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 409
Likes: 3
From: St. James, NC
Thanks Wheat! I was hoping to be able to buy these today but I am an Army Civilian so I get to go on furlough starting in less than an hour (yeah I know why am I not working right now - well our guidance is we come in and shut down, no other work is to be done!), anyway, hopefully I'll be able to order these soon!
Trouble with these old C3s is they take a lot of time and money. One or the other is usually is short supply. But they are worth it.
Best wishes
Pat
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Thanks Pat, we'll be ok (the wife and I), it just puts a crimp in spending money for the corvette. Hopefully it will only be a few days then I can order those headers...