1981 header choice
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 393
Likes: 21
From: Centreville, Maryland
1981 header choice
Alright ladies and gents,
I know there's a lot of posts about headers but nothing that I can find for what I am looking for. I have a bone stock 1981, about to remove the AIR pump and EGR stuff, remove the cat and purchase the dual magnaflow exhaust from Corvette Central. My question is, what are the best headers that I can buy on a budget for a stock motor? I know the exhaust setup will have to be cut and modified, and I'm not worried about discoloration of the headers. Thoughts please, thanks in advance.
I know there's a lot of posts about headers but nothing that I can find for what I am looking for. I have a bone stock 1981, about to remove the AIR pump and EGR stuff, remove the cat and purchase the dual magnaflow exhaust from Corvette Central. My question is, what are the best headers that I can buy on a budget for a stock motor? I know the exhaust setup will have to be cut and modified, and I'm not worried about discoloration of the headers. Thoughts please, thanks in advance.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 27
From: Eastern North Carolina
I have an 81 that has dual exhaust. I ran shorty block hugger headers for a while and now i have installed a set of Doug headers with side pipes. Both sounded good but i have better performance with the fulll headers and sidepipes...
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 159
Likes: 12
From: Bushnell Florida
My 80 has the CC Magnaflow dual system on it with stock "ram horns" manifold, sounds good. CC has a header system that uses the Magnaflow dual system which is a bolt on deal. My 74 has Dougs headers and side pipes. It sounds awesome. I did use the slip in muffler with the 3" opening in them.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 393
Likes: 21
From: Centreville, Maryland
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 884
Likes: 128
From: Rhine Georgia
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/b...model/corvette
FlowTech hard to beat for price and fit. I'm happy with mine.
FlowTech hard to beat for price and fit. I'm happy with mine.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 393
Likes: 21
From: Centreville, Maryland
Im really tempted to go with the header, dual exhaust magnaflow muffler kit from CC.
http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...50g&ukey=23238
does anyone have a video clip of this exhaust by any chance? And what can I expect for HP gains?
http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...50g&ukey=23238
does anyone have a video clip of this exhaust by any chance? And what can I expect for HP gains?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 252
No power improvements but will make the engine bay cleaner for nothing more than the cost of new gaskets, can of ceramic paint and about two minutes with a welder.
Then use the early style true dual exhaust system (assuming it fits beneath your trans crossmember or swap to an earlier cross member)
Pic of my 69 with the 81 manifold on the drivers side.
Last edited by Dynra Rockets; Mar 8, 2017 at 01:27 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 252
81-82.
Some of the aftermarket block hugger/shorty headers are essentually copies of the OEM Corvette pieces (although likely with larger tubes and better collectors). For example Hedman...
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/h...NA4aAilD8P8HAQ
Some of the aftermarket block hugger/shorty headers are essentually copies of the OEM Corvette pieces (although likely with larger tubes and better collectors). For example Hedman...
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/h...NA4aAilD8P8HAQ
Last edited by Dynra Rockets; Mar 8, 2017 at 01:44 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 252
84-91 C4 style can also be used but only on automatics as the lower style tubes interfere with the Z bar.
Here is a picture of a C4 manifold on the passenger side of my 69
Here is a picture of a C4 manifold on the passenger side of my 69
Last edited by Dynra Rockets; Mar 8, 2017 at 02:04 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 252
Did you keep the single mid pipe, or true duals, or duals with x pipe? Magnaflow on their website says +7-10%
Last edited by Dynra Rockets; Mar 11, 2017 at 10:27 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 393
Likes: 21
From: Centreville, Maryland
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,346
Likes: 160
From: new iberia la
Your 81 already has tubular headers from the factory. Remove the AIR ports and the heat shielding. They clean up real nice with a brush on ceramic coating.
No power improvements but will make the engine bay cleaner for nothing more than the cost of new gaskets, can of ceramic paint and about two minutes with a welder.
Then use the early style true dual exhaust system (assuming it fits beneath your trans crossmember or swap to an earlier cross member)
Pic of my 69 with the 81 manifold on the drivers side.
No power improvements but will make the engine bay cleaner for nothing more than the cost of new gaskets, can of ceramic paint and about two minutes with a welder.
Then use the early style true dual exhaust system (assuming it fits beneath your trans crossmember or swap to an earlier cross member)
Pic of my 69 with the 81 manifold on the drivers side.
I agree completely , your basic 185hp engine can breathe well enough as is, new headers will give minimum gain.. replace the exhaust from there back with duals and get a nice deep sound ... It will sound faster than it will run.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 39,390
Likes: 171
From: Into the Mystic And yet, despite the look on my face, you're still talking TN
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '25
I've got the CC true duals on my 79 L82 that I'm doing heads and cam on. Thought the CC headers would be a good choice to match up with the existing exhaust but looking further at the description says they will not fit the heads I'm using.
Oh well, keep looking.
Oh well, keep looking.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
So what did you decide to do? I was thinking of putting the '81 replica headers on my '79 so that I could clean up the engine bay with over the header plug wires and loom. But it sounds like you are taking yours off.