I had a water leak and needless to say, the motor went south. I bought a GM crate motor, put a Comp cam in it and a edelbrock intake. I am wanting to put some headers on next. Since I am new car junkie, do you guys have some suggestions and/or experences you can share with me about headers and what I need to be looking for?

Thanks,
:chevy Robby :chevy

 

You actually have quite a selection you can choose from.

Hedman (full length & shorties)
Dynomax (full length and shorties)
Hooker (2 types - Competition (comp) and Super Comp)
Sanderson (for shorties or cast)
No Name Jegs/Summit Shorties (sometimes full length)

Hedman and Dynomax are more or less the same (quality and workmanship) although they route the tubes differently. I would lump Hooker Competition headers in with them as well but Hooker Super Comps are real top flight headers.

Sanderson is very high priced compared tothe rest but very excellent quality.

I have never used the noname headers from Jegs or Summit but a pair of summit headers on a buds Camaro are real drek after a year (they are the cheapest uncoated headers he could find)

All of these fit the car with varying degrees of difficulty/success depending on who answers you - some have said that hedmans can be installed from above on one sideor the other but that didnt work on my car. clearances around the steering box for dynomax I've heard can sometimes require a dimple. I had to dimple my hedmans at the Idler arm.

If you are going to keep your emissions equipment then the Hedmans are the only ones making off the shelf headers with air rails for the AIR system - most of the other manufacturers can add it but at special order and extra cost. (the Hedmans arent cheap with air rails though - they still get you for the extra cost. Durn near $500 for the jet hot coated headers with air rails)

All of the above systems will work - the full length systems will probably give you your biggest bang for the buck - I think factory exhaust systems mate up better with the shorties.

Hope that helps

 

I've had Hedmans on mine for about 6 years. The only problem in the installation was I had to
take off starter and unhook the clutch to bellhousing linkage. Not a big deal. They fit well and
have yet to blow a gasket. I used 3/8ths allen bolts with the exception of 2 and got them tighter
than the normal header bolts. They do not come loose! Steve

 

Originaly I went with 1 5/8th headman headers. they are nice and are of nearly equal length. This forum has alot of Dynomax coated 1 5/8ths. Headers are a life time investment and you have think about future mods. Big heads have exhaust ports so large that you have to have minimum of 1 3/4 to match up.

I've had 1 3/4 Hooker super Comps for 12-14 years now. The flange was thick enough for me to hog them out to match them. I really need about 2 inch.