shorty headers (CA)
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From: Chico CA
shorty headers (CA)
Considering I live in Cali, the only way to have headers and stay legal is to go with shorties, right? (no I don't want to license my car in another state, or smog it in another state, or swap it back out every 2 years so I can smog it.) Are Longtubes simply not an option? I tried to do a search on this but nothing was coming up, so I apologize if this has come up a bit in the past.
I have a '94 LT1 with magnaflow mufflers, an x-pipe, and open air lid with K&N filter. Would there any power gain? I've heard no, and I've heard yes. And are there different "kinds" of shorty headers, like some that would work better than others?
Would there be a significant sound difference? My friend said there wouldn't be too much of a difference... I thought there would be.
Finally... would high flow cats be worth it, or would they be a waste of money if this is about all i'm gonna do with the car?
Thanks
I have a '94 LT1 with magnaflow mufflers, an x-pipe, and open air lid with K&N filter. Would there any power gain? I've heard no, and I've heard yes. And are there different "kinds" of shorty headers, like some that would work better than others?
Would there be a significant sound difference? My friend said there wouldn't be too much of a difference... I thought there would be.
Finally... would high flow cats be worth it, or would they be a waste of money if this is about all i'm gonna do with the car?
Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: NW Chicago Suburbs
Originally Posted by Renegade21
...(no I don't want to license my car in another state, or smog it in another state, or swap it back out every 2 years so I can smog it.)
Are Longtubes simply not an option?
Would there any power gain? ... And are there different "kinds" of shorty headers, like some that would work better than others?
Would there be a significant sound difference?
Finally... would high flow cats be worth it, or would they be a waste of money if this is about all i'm gonna do with the car?
The big bottle neck on LT1/4 motors is the exhaust system. IMHO, if you want to increase the performance of the motor, LT headers are a must.
If you can't do LT headers because you live in Cali, I'd start improving your handling, at least the smoggers can't stop that (yet)!
Eric
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From: Chico CA
wow... I guess that pretty much sums up all my questions. From what I remember, when my old '90 Celica got smogged, I don't remember them lifting it up on the lift and checking underneath, so maybe I can get away with it... but if I end up getting LT's welded in, and I fail on the visual, what am I s'posed to do? 
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Lake Wylie SC
I've got a 92 LT1 and I installed the Hooker Shorties from Jet-Hot. Here are a few answers to some of your concerns. 1) power advantage-minimal, but there is some. 2) sound- yes there is a sound difference. I'm currently running muffler elims and the headers give you a different sound; louder; and when you back off with it in gear, you get a little gurgling and popping, even with the OEM cats and resonator. 3) Looks- much better than the OEM cast rusty manifolds. 4) heat- They reduce the heat from under the hood as the Hookers don't absorb as much heat as the cast iron manifolds. Waste of money? I think not.
Race Director
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by Strick
as the cast iron manifolds.
RACE ON!!!
Race Director
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From: San Jose Pat Tillman - American Hero
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
That is two people, now, that spoke of cast iron manifolds. Did the General go back to cast iron on the LTx engines? The '84 -'91s (L83 & L98) had welded, tubular, stainless steel, exhaust manifolds. They were constructed in a manner, similar to headers. Just for my own info, thanks.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
CFI - The General must've... I was at the shop who's doing my LT install on Friday (won't be picked up until tomorrow - argh!). Anyway, the stockers were definitely cast iron - rusted to hell and not that 'tubular' look that I think you're talking about. Plus, SS wouldn't rust, right? These were... I took some "before" pics, so I'll have to post 'em for ya' after I take the afters and downsize everything in Photoshop.
Renegade - you can either do as I'm doing and "play your cards" with the smog *****, or stay stock. The factory LT1/4 manifolds, although bulky and ugly, will essentially flow about the same as shorties. Headers are sort of an all or nothing thing - there's not really much in between.
As for whether or not there's a sound difference, I believe there will be. A friend of mine back in Arizona has LT headers on his LT4 with a Corsa cat-back, and his sounds *way* different than mine did with stock manifolds/cats & Corsa. Of course, he had some serious cam lope to gussy up that exhaust note, but that's another story! The tone was definitely different as well...
Large Impressive Member
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
That is two people, now, that spoke of cast iron manifolds. Did the General go back to cast iron on the LTx engines? The '84 -'91s (L83 & L98) had welded, tubular, stainless steel, exhaust manifolds. They were constructed in a manner, similar to headers. Just for my own info, thanks.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
There, I got THAT off my chest 
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2003
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From: Houston Texas
"The big bottle neck on LT1/4 motors is the exhaust system. IMHO, if you want to increase the performance of the motor, LT headers are a must." Quote of SilverandredCE. I agree long tubes make a big difference as I have had Hooker 1 3/4 with corsa and now TPIS LT's with RT cats and a flowmaster catback and it was a huge difference. But, I think those 1 7/8 LT's from EM are going to be overkill with your mods Eric.
Team Owner
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From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
It won't pass because the smog tech will spot it during the visual inspection easily, and there is no CARB EO number.
Don't worry about where or how many cats there are, those are to decrease emissions, while CA smog laws are to take money from you. Two totally seperate things-- don't confuse the two.
Don't worry about where or how many cats there are, those are to decrease emissions, while CA smog laws are to take money from you. Two totally seperate things-- don't confuse the two.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Great Falls MT
I don't know if I'm ocrrect on the years but I have a 92 with the LT1 and I haven't even found a company that makes long tubes. All I have found is shorts. But it might be different on the 94 and maybe I haven't been looking in the right place but if they did I'd sure like to have em because montana really doesn't care on smog.
Safety Car
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From: Houston Texas
I have a 92 with coated TPIS 1 3/4 LT's.They fit great and weren't too hard to install. www.exoticmuscle.com also has a great long tube header for 92-96. Just remember though, these don't just bolt up to the rest of your exhaust like shorties. You have to have a muffler shop moddify the rest of your exhaust to join up to them. This too is not too hard for a competant shop.
Last edited by BAM92; Sep 28, 2004 at 02:24 AM.
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From: Chico CA
I found at TPIS' website, " Headers, 92+ LT1 Corvette header, coated with Emissions.........$750.00 " .... BAM92, is this what you got? is the coating very good quality at all? will it have all the necessary hookups for my 94 so I can just have a shop weld it up? I'm thinking I wanna take my chances and go with longtubes even though I live in cali.
I was lookin for 1 5/8" headers... does TPIS have these? it doesn't say on their site so I'm emailing them. Anyway, who else makes the 1 5/8" size?
I was lookin for 1 5/8" headers... does TPIS have these? it doesn't say on their site so I'm emailing them. Anyway, who else makes the 1 5/8" size?
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From: Chico CA
So I have to put these in myself, huh, since they're illegal a shop can't put em in? I wouldn't be able to do it with like me and my dad, putting the front 2 wheels on little 1-ft high ramps would I? do they bolt on?
)