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I'm debating whether or not to put any motor work on my 87, without headers. Because there's NO smog legal headers for the 87 Corvette PERIOD, and the fact that I have pre-cats doesn't help. I was thinking about putting a brand new 388 stroker motor (350 block/400 crank) with the TPiS AfterMarket TPI intake, LPE 211/219 cam, and TFS 23º heads. I'm also going to put a 150hp NOS plate kit on it. Would it even be worth all those things without the headers? I MAY be able to swing a set of the Hooker Super Comp's, and have them cut up to put my Pre-Cats on and stuff. Any ideas?
First check with your local CARB to see how much hassle it is to get a good setup inspection and an exception done.
Barring that, have an exhaust shop cut off the pre-cats, gut em and weld em onto some mandrel bent 2 1/2" tubing. Then put a 3-stage hi-flow cat (49-states legal) behind it to pass emissions. In this case just do intake, exhaust, heads, cam and the 150-shot.
You can get well into the 12s on the 350 and the 150-shot should put you close to 10s.
How about.... get it inspected, change exhaust, change back for next inspection?
My words exactly! I do this every 2 years, although not with headers, but with the cat. I've ported/port matched my stock headers, and they dump into a custom 2.50"dia. true dual exhaust pipes into open PowerEffects. Around smog time, I un-bolt the "center section" (2 2.50dia. pipes) for the "Catalytic section". After I pass smog, the "center section" (containing the 2.50"dia. pipes) is reinstalled. I end up with very efficient, free-flow exhaust system without the hassle/heat/harmonics/expense of full length headers. Don't get me wrong; headers are good, BUT on a C4 in CA, one big hassle, IMO.