I got these stainless headers, cats, and intermediate pipes off a famous auction site for $460 plus $45 shipping.

I really don't want to get into a cheap chinese knockoff debate but I figured I would give these a try based on the price alone.

I am very pleased with the quality. The welds are nice and and the pipes went in from the top with no issues at all. There is plenty of clearance from the frame/underbody and they tuck up under the car with no issues.

I did have to heat up one of the tubes and dent it with a ball peen hammer so I would have clearance for the #3 header bolt.

I used the stock 93 catback and had to pay a muffler shop $75 to weld in the intermediate tube behind the cats.

I made new aluminum alternater and compressor braces for the drivers side header out of round aluminum rods I got at lowes.

Also make sure to use the ARP stainless header bolts with the 5/16 12 point head. These make the install so much easier and clean looking.

1. Remove Starter
2. Remove ASR(I removed mine a year ago for good)
3. Remove Serpentine Belt
4. Unbolt AC compressor and set to side(dont open system)
5. Remove the 3 braces on the drivers manifold
6. Remove oil dipstick
7. Remove catback
8. Remove cats
9. Remove plugs and wires
10. Remove exhaust manifolds.
11. Port headers to match AFR heads square port with air dremel and grind stone.
12. Install new headers with felpro gaskets(1404 for AFR's). Dont use the gaskets that come with. Cheap stuff.
13. Use permatex muffler and pipe sealer on the slip joints. Clamps that came with the kit was good enough.
14. Cut stock catback in front of forward hanger.
15. Have exhaust shop stretch stock catback slightly and slip in the intermediate pipes and weld.
16. Reinstall all the other stuff you took loose.
17. I installed some heat shields to the tunnel but not really necessary

The sound is not much different than the stock exhaust setup. Maybe just little louder. This was good for me. If you are looking for louder then skip the cats and get a straight pipe or get an aftermarket catback.

Hope this helps somebody. Here are some pics!!

 

Wow, can't beat the price.

 

Are these 1 3/4" with 3" collectors to a 2 1/2" pipe?

 

1 5/8" primaries, rest is correct. I only spent about an hour to port match them to the AFR heads. I think they are plenty for my 383. The smaller primaries makes plug access and fitment better.

 

Damn, that flange is much beefier than the one on my cheap hedmans...

They look good.

 

Thanks for sharing your install experience and pictures, I've wondered about these since seeing them on Ebay. They actually include cats for that price? The listing on Ebay does not make that part clear.
I would like to see them installed on an automatic car, clearance seems like it might be an issue based on the cat placement.

 

back in the day, you guaged header quality by how thick the flanges were, those are excellent, and that fit is impressive.

 

Nice ! I can't waite to get mine.

 

Yes, the kit came with headers, cats, clamps, and intermediate pipes. I had to buy gaskets and 1" header bolts.

Well the cats are very small in comparison the stock cats. They are a straight through design and are only 3 inches in diameter at the widest point. I doubt they are very effective for emissions purposes.

I think the intermediate pipe would work fine on an auto. There are 3 slip fit joints which allow for adjustment of the pipe angles. The OBX follow the same path as the original intermediate pipes.

As far as power gains, I hate to speculate. It feels like it has a little more pull in the mid range. I haven't spun up the rpm to know about the upper end. Knowing that exhaust is not very good bang for buck as far as power gains, I mainly did it to get rid of those hidiously rusted stock manifolds and cats. An added benefit is easier maintenance and better heat distibution by removing those behemoth stock cats.

 

Damn, I wish I seen them before. PFFF that is by far the best buy for headers for these cars.

 

Can you get the starter off/on without removing the header?

Looks like the rear primary tube blocks acess to the starter.
Will

 

Optical illusion. The starter comes on and off like a piece of cake.

The only issue I have with fitment is the #2 plug requires a shorty plug socket for removal. Other than that I honestly believe that I could change plugs in about 20 minutes.

I also have room for a full size oil filter now. I am removing the stock oil filter adapter. I ordered a small block chevy oil filter adapter and I am going to run a full size pickup truck filter. PH13 I believe.

 

Thanks for the review. I've been "Googling" these for a while and wondering about the fit on a Vette. I'm putting the 383 in the Vette in about 2 weeks and I'll get a set ordered today. Chinese knockoffs or not they appear to have forgotten the Corvette tax that most seem to put on things now days. They are polished 304 stainless and that's the good stuff. Thanks again

 

too bad they arent 1 3/4" or better yet 1 7/8".

 

what was the reasoning for this? do the stock ones not fit with these headers?

 

I can't get my starter off without removing the Hedmans and forget about trying to change plugs. I might have to start counting the change in my piggy bank.

 

Picture #1 shows the new aluminum braces I made.

I made new alternator and compressor braces because the old ones were designed for the stock manifolds and were too short for the 3/8 offset of the OBX. The stock manifolds have about 2" of offset from the heads. I could have put a 3" bolt and spacer in there but I was worried the torque on the header bolt would bend it or mess up the threads in my AFR heads.

I've seen alot people just use the spacer and longer bolt with the factory braces and I'm sure it would work ok too.

 

Very nice! I'm sure you made the right choice -- especially for your needs.

What a bargain!!!!

 

how hard was it to bend the tube with for the #3 header bolt. iv really been wanting headers and these are the only ones at a reasonable price.

 

Not that hard. I just used a bottle torch you can get at any hardware store. Hold it on the spot till it turns red hot and use a round tip hammer(ball peen) in a circular pattern with small hits.

You might get better set than I did and not have to do this. The #3 would have fit fine if I didn't have those alternator and compressor brackets attached there.

The volume of exhaust that my AFR195's produce can more than be handled by these headers. Now if I had the AFR 210 or 227 and planned on 7000 rpm regularly I would be looking for 1 3/4. I'm not so sure that bigger is better when it comes to headers and exhaust. Just my humble opinion.