Headers for 1981
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 986
Likes: 183
From: South Carolina
Headers for 1981
I put headers on my car,not sure who makes these,but ordered them and of course they are specifically made to fit my year,which they do,including clearing the starter,which I didn’t think they would,and I paid $200 for them and did the ceramic coating myself outside.so the issue is ground clearance,because they do hang lower than my stock pipe,but the thickest part of the header is at least a inch bigger,but the last few weeks I’ve had it jacked up,so hard to tell until I got it on the ground,and at the thickest part of my header I have 4 1/4 “,and from my stock pipe I have 7 inche,so,my question is what header will give me at least 6 inches of clearance. And anyone here with 1981 with headers,what brand are you using?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,923
Likes: 4,495
From: Virginia
Pics?
The only special features of 80 and 81 as far as header fitment is concerned is the transmission crossmember. Prior years passed through. 80-82, the driver-side exhaust takes a quick turn, joins in a Y, and passes under a notch on the passenger side. Fortunately, all 80-82 crossmembers are removable.
Is your clearance issue right at the downturn, under the transmission crossmember, under the differential, or elsewhere?
Sidepipes give me plenty of under-car clearance in my 80.
The only special features of 80 and 81 as far as header fitment is concerned is the transmission crossmember. Prior years passed through. 80-82, the driver-side exhaust takes a quick turn, joins in a Y, and passes under a notch on the passenger side. Fortunately, all 80-82 crossmembers are removable.
Is your clearance issue right at the downturn, under the transmission crossmember, under the differential, or elsewhere?
Sidepipes give me plenty of under-car clearance in my 80.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 986
Likes: 183
From: South Carolina
Headers are two inches below my existing pipe I want a direct fit,maybe different headers that don’t cost a arm and leg.
The car is in the air,but did lower it,and from the fat part of the header where the 4 chambers go into one,is just over 4 inches of clearance.
Headers that fit closer to the under carriage.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,923
Likes: 4,495
From: Virginia
Those are low. Your connecting pipes aren't nearly that low.
I wonder if the manufacturer thinks you have to drop down lower to clear the motorized seat. If you don't know who made them, do you know where you bought them?
I wonder if the manufacturer thinks you have to drop down lower to clear the motorized seat. If you don't know who made them, do you know where you bought them?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 986
Likes: 183
From: South Carolina
No,not really, I’m very inpatient and that was the first thing I ordered for the car,because as someone on here said,and I agree a corvette has to have long tube headers,and now about $5k later,and just ordered another set from Summit that is made only for corvettes,and to give you the same amount of clearance as the stock,so time will tell,but they will have to be ceramic coating.so,keeping my fingers crossed,oh,the headers are Summit headers Sum-G-9003.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 986
Likes: 183
From: South Carolina
Yea,it was a speed shop that made headers supposedly for corvette,and as I said,although never got to run them,they looked very well made,very nice welds,and other than had to bore two holes a little and put a ding on one bolt to get the bolt to fit,they went in with ease.they just hang to low.and here in SC the roads sux.lol...pot holes,dips,bumps,not to mention speed bumps.
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Pro
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 648
Likes: 353
From: Portland, Oregon
Clearance with Stan’s tri-Y headers. Unfortunately no longer available from him. Doug’s in California has long-tubes and tri-Y headers. They also make AND install them. They will be able to tell you exactly how much clearance to expect for anything they make.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 986
Likes: 183
From: South Carolina
The black ones are the new ones,and have already installed one side to check ground clearance,and they lined up perfect with my existing pipes.
Now,they will have to be ceramic coated.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 59
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Also, what brand and part number? Is your car a four speed?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
I wish I knew about this, I might've bid on a big pile of Stan's headers (he was 40 minutes from me); always wanted one for my C3, but $1,000 for mild steel -I always thought they should be stainless for that price. Looks like Seattle's terrible labor and rent prices finally killed them. I know they had problems keeping a welder and saw their Help Wanted ads for quite a while.
Hopefully whoever bought their old stock puts it out there for sale and maybe some C3 guys can pickup some good headers for a good price. I know in his last revision he made it so that they'd clear the Borgeson conversion without touching, so the fitment is supposed to be PERFECT on the newest ones.
Adam
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Also, if you have a DIY method of ceramic coating headers at home, that works, I'd love to hear more about that, too!
Scotty
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
I've used the Preval paint spraying system, and it works great with regular paint, I wonder if I can spray Cerakote with it.
Scotty
Last edited by scottyp99; May 25, 2022 at 06:40 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 986
Likes: 183
From: South Carolina
Not sure what type gun that is,but it’s easy to use,so,not sure how long this works,yes I sprayed my other headers and they turned out great,but never fired up the engine,so,not sure how they do after heating up,But time will tell.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
I put headers on my car,not sure who makes these,but ordered them and of course they are specifically made to fit my year,which they do,including clearing the starter,which I didn’t think they would,and I paid $200 for them and did the ceramic coating myself outside.so the issue is ground clearance,because they do hang lower than my stock pipe,but the thickest part of the header is at least a inch bigger,but the last few weeks I’ve had it jacked up,so hard to tell until I got it on the ground,and at the thickest part of my header I have 4 1/4 “,and from my stock pipe I have 7 inche,so,my question is what header will give me at least 6 inches of clearance. And anyone here with 1981 with headers,what brand are you using?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 986
Likes: 183
From: South Carolina
Sandblasted the black off,and still have a little finishing sanding,so will try and spray ceramic coating tomorrow depending on weather.
They should turn out great,time will tell.