Hi guys,

I am doing an engine swap and will upgrade my side exhaust.
I am planning on using long tube headers...will they fit for side exhaust?

any links to kits? ones you used?

Thanks,
Ron

 

Hedman Headers sells them for big blocks and small blocks. painted and ceramic coated. I just installed them on my '81 with side exhaust

 

And It looks really good too.

 

Hedman makes a side exhaust set of headers that turn out to the side pipe inlets. I am not sure if the tubes are as long as standard under the car long tube headers. If you already have long tube headers, you will need to 180 then 90 the pipes to get back up front to the side pipe inlets.
I think Summit and others sell kits, but you can get parts from the local parts store as well.

 

Great! thanks guys!

I will check with Hedman.

I was gonna run long tube Hookers, but did not know if it would pass up the side exhaust outlet?....go too far...

Thanks,
R

 

they definitely would pass the side exhaust outlet and it looks like crap if you do the 180 then 90 degree bends.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...e-headers.html


here's mine, look much better IMO:

 

yours looks SHARP!!! where did you buy from? I went to hedman website and they dont show full system? possibly link??

yes...that 180 to 90 is AWEFUL!!! imo. need your setup...

thanks,
R

 

I'm going to guess you have a small block

I used these and stripped the paint off and repainted with VHT paint:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/he...make/chevrolet

but if you want to spend a lot more money you can get them ceramic coated:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/he...make/chevrolet

 

I'm thinking about doing the same thing qwank has done, except that I already have ceramic coated block-hugger headers. I think I can connect them to sidepipes pretty easily. Only a couple hundred for the side exhaust headers, though, I might do that just for the coolness factor.

Scott

 

thanks qwank!

NO...BBC baby! love the rumble!
found it in jegs too....but prefer summit.

any idea if these will hide under my stock side exhaust covers?

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...e-exhaust.html

 

Quank- THANKS!!!

I can only find Hooker headers...but it is that one that comes out too far....

what HEDMAN header/part number do you have??
(remember mine is for a 454, mark IV)

Thanks,
R

 

I think these are the ones you're looking for:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/he...model/corvette

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/he...model/corvette

Scott

 

I think you need to clarify exactly what you want to end up with, then put together that system.
There are a couple of header/sidepipe complete sets available. Hooker in several materials and OBX in Stainless come to mind. Both are 4 into 1 outside the front fender. OBX are from China but get good feed back here. Hookers are much pricier. ( insert jokes here)
The Hedman side exhaust headers are just that. They point to the side pipes, but you have to come up with the side pipes. Some have built side pipes with 3 or 4 in tubing and inserts as above. You can shop at a truck chrome shop for chrome pipe in larger sizes for a finished look. If you use standard exhaust pipe you will need to cover them some how or paint or chrome when you finish.
Patriot exhaust make the 4 into 1 look with only one hot pipe going in, but that is a 2 in inlet and would be restrictive behind that big block.
I did see a 502 powered Camaro this weekend at the Good Guys show here in Kissimmee this weekend with the Patriot set up. I don't know how it ran, but it sounded really healthy.
Lastly, there is the antique Thrush aluminum side pipe covers that come up on E-bay in good shape once in a while and the 69 style fiberglass one piece covers or the original 69 chrome covers, also pricey.
There are limited options for "complete side pipe" kits.

 

Thanks guys!

I am trying to accomplish BBC with factory side pipes.

Scotty= thanks, BUT those will not work will aluminum heads!!! URGH! (new post coming)
those will not allow .4 inch raised exhaust ports...hedman said they are that close to the frame!

Love the thoughts!
THnaks,
R

 

I would still try the hedman headers. I saw a post on here somewhere where someone used them with raised exhaust port heads bolted them up, and used a 3' pry bar in the collector to bend them down to the clearance they needed.

also, there's variations in the way the headers are made. My left side was closer to the frame than the right side, But MIKE80s set of Hedmans was the opposite.

For $200 it's worth a try, even if you have to modify them.

 

I've driven vette's with long collectors. Your feet will feel the heat and you better have a good A/C. I went with hugger headers. 90* right off the collector with about 10" of flex pipe to the side exhaust. If you don't use some sort of flex pipe it will creak from the engine movement. I raped the headers and continued all the way out to the finial bend. If you get raw headers "without paint" make sure you read the institution on the back of the can. Make sure the primer is high heat header paint too!!

 

I never had a heat problem with my old long tube header set up.

VHT header paint works really well. my old headers were on the car for 7500 miles over 3 years and never rusted at all.

I thought of doing a flex pipe, but I have no issues so far, I'm surprised the pipes don't creak or rattle or anything.

 

QWANK I am looking at your pic...and you have about an inch of clearance!...if my raised port heads bring them up 0.4 inches....HOW would it make them too short to clear?

looks like you have enough room to allow the header to clear the frame??

 

Rats!! I thought I was The Big Hero, swooping in to save the day, and then riding off into the sunset.....turns out I'm just another schmuck who didn't read the fine print.

OK, I think something like this...

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Big-Bl...lain,3817.html

...should work. Connect them to your side pipes using flex tube, and then maybe down the road, bring it to a muffler shop, and say "fix this." That's about the best I can come up with, and if you don't like this idea, you can go pound sand!

Scott