Thinking about block hugger headers and looking for experiences.
this is NOT about performance gains or losses, I currently have long tubes in a 1970 L46 car, I am installing 69 style side pipes and likely HighFlow Performance chambered pipes which are made to attach to factory manifolds, the block hugger headers would be as close to manifold exit and easiest to tie into the side pipes.

They are awfully close to the engine so how does this effect engine temps, I dont mind running some header wrap at the collector area but looking for anyone with experience in headers with factory style side pipes.

 

I ran them on my BB and now on my SB with 69 OEM side exhaust, no issues whatsoever so ever.

 

thank you... what I was hoping to hear

 

The Ceramic Coatings are well worth the money as they DO reduce the temperature in the engine compartment. Wrapping headers is still the fastest way to see them rust out, the ceramic coatings are a much better solution and will last longer than a wrapped header.

Be aware that they recommend that you DO NOT use the ceramic coated headers on a engine that is not broken in yet. The higher temperatures during break-in can damage the coatings which causes them to fail. I have a 427 with 12.25-1 compression and this combination makes a LOT of heat. The standard temperature rated ceramic coating was damaged right away and now the first 4-6" of coating is damaged.

There are companies who can coat your headers for a few hundred dollars. They told me to send them mine and they would burn off the rest of the ceramic coating, sand blast the pipes and then coat them Inside and Out before curing them in an oven. I was given a price of less than $300 to re-coat the header set with a much higher temperature coating. I might wait and just order a new set in bare steel and have them coated after I know that they fit without any issues.

I have been using the ceramic coated headers since the 1990's and I have had a very positive experience with them. The headers are a set of Hedmann Headers that are long tube type and are 2-1/8" in diameter. My exhaust system is an Aluminized Steel system that has lasted close to 30 years. I have chambered exhaust which sounds much like side-pipes but the noise goes out the rear.

 

thanks... I absolutely plan on ceramic coated like the photo I posted, I've installed ceramic coated headers before and for under the hood headers the only way I would go.
my question was more about heat near the engine with the block huggers as well as motor mount clearance from those who have installed them.

block huggers wouldn't be my first choice in headers other than connecting to factory style side pipes.
I've located a brand new set of ceramic coated block huggers I can get for $100 locally... cheap enough to check for the clearances

 

I believe the block hugger outlets are in exactly the same place as the stock rams horn manifolds.
Some of the side pipe options require that.

 

thank you... the block huggers are definitely closer to the block over stock manifolds however I just discovered these super shorty headers that will be much closer to manifold exit point and further away from block with no worries of motor mount clearance. I believe im just going to order these... I can fabricate what might be needed to tie in.



Now the question is which HighFlo pipes to use... stock sound or mild

 

I've broken in my last two engines using the ceramic coated headers I've had on the car for the past 30 years. No damage either time. I suspect the companies that ceramic coat headers are concerned about or have had bad experiences with customers who break in their engines with insufficient or inadequate lower RPM spark advance, causing unnecessarily high exhaust temperatures.

 

I used them on my 75 and they were very easy to install but with my straight plugs they were way to close to my boots even running sleeves the boots eventually would burn
just my experience

 

I have driven or heard several side pipe cars. In general the hooker style is very loud, and the 67-69 styles are quieter. Plus you don't burn your legs. The factory style mufflers are still much louder than rear exhaust. Everyone's taste is different.
I'm really a rear muffler kind of guy, but those stock ones are just too quiet. I prefer magnaflows, for more growl
But I still like the factory 69 setup and the loader sound level. They are louder than the magnaflows, but It's not too loud, for me.

 

@leigh1322 Hmmmm… I wonder if a person or two could confirm this. My ‘71 (LT1) came with a new exhaust system front to back, tied into the factory rams horns. If the outlets are indeed in the same place, I’s rather run these than the ram’s horns (for aesthetics only). I had posted up a while back about this question. Someone pointed me to the Tru-Ram manifolds (Speedway sells ‘em) that definitely look better (smoother, but not as nice as these block huggers and a few others had brought up these tpes of manifolds, but I did not get the confidence that they would be a true bolt in, direct fit. Again, hope a few can confirm that they bolted them right in without having to do any mods to the down pipes or their flanges, etc. If so, I also hope some additional info may be included, such as the maker and/or part numbers as there are a few different one’s being sold out there.

 

if you look at the stock manifold exit location its not close to where the block hugger exits, further down and closer to the block... very close to the motor mounts


but im thinking these will be very close and the direction im going

 

I've had lots of side pipe cars and personally loved them all, one of my Vipers was side pipe, two cobras... one was a Backdraft stroker 427 and was loud, a 63 and 64 corvette I installed factory C2 side pipes on both, a 69 with stock side pipes that I changed to Allen's chambered and I installed Doug's four into one on my 80 with mid level inserts... loved them all and just a side pipe guy.
I can't find much for sound bites on the HighFlo Performance stock compared to mild, I emailed them to ask if they had any sound bites but no response... they apperently have a "sweet thunder," I've found sound bites but can't find them on their website.

 

I see what you are saying @Golfobsessed . If I didn't alreasy have everything else, I'd join you. I had sidepipes on a '69 (Hooker) and loved 'em. Yes, loud as can be (I ran them straight through with no inserts), but I did not care back then.

 

Consider proximity of pipes to motor mounts; most especially if mounts are polyurethane (poly cannot withstand heat as well as typical rubber does).

 

Thanks all... again I've decided against the block huggers and going with the ones that exit the same as stock manifolds.