I'm thinking about putting headers on my corvette. I have a CAI & aftermarket axelback exhaust. How do I decide whether I use long tube or shorty headers?

Wayne

 

Shorties are a waste of time and money

 

LTs are the only way to go.

 

ARH 1 7/8 are the way to go! Easy install, great product!

 

I went with OBX 300.00 shorties on my A&A Vortech Supercharger setup.
They sound better than the manifolds and my setup added 260 hp to the factory 285 rwhp which is a 90% increase.
I didn't want to spend the extra money for long tubes and was worried about more heat in the passenger compartment and editing out the 02s.


These are the cheapest long tubes.
They have good ground clearance according to others on the board who are running them.
If I hadn't gone with the SC I would have bought these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OBX-Racing-LT-Exhaust-Headers-01-03-Chevrolet-Corvette-C5-5-7L-V8-LS1-LS6-Z06-/200935868820?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ec8b60994&vxp=mtr

 

hands down the best fit and performance!

 

Check out XSPower headers, a little lighter on the wallet than some of the bigger names....

 

Will leave money left over for more mods.
Unless you are running straight pipes (read; no restriction from cats or the absolute BEST muffler system made) (or race for a LIVING) you wont be able to tell the difference in hp between these and the mega money headers, but you WILL be able to tell the difference in your wallet
I installed them on my wife's car and they are a simple install, still look great, and make GREAT hp.

 

LT headers will provide more HP and torque than the shorty headers will. That is the key difference. Installation of shorty headers is easier, but the extra effort in installing LT headers is definitely worth it. Lots of choices are available for LT headers - LG, Kooks, ARH, etc.

 

I appreciate all the great info. Thanks

Wayne

 

Lot of misconceptions about shorties in this thread..

Shorties, with a good x pipe, will make similar peak as headers. What headers give you is the mid range torque boost.

I am running an ls7 manifold into a full 3" exhaust and it was NOT a waste of time. It takes my baby h/c car into the 120s at the drag strip.

I am putting headers on soon though, so my setup will be for sale. It's a direct bolt in setup for a c5 and will cost a fraction of what headers cost.

Not everyone needs long tubes in a basic bolt on setup.

Here is a writeup done by forum member madmatt.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/sout...sion-pics.html

He took out his longtubes in a 600+ rwhp setup and only lost 15 rwtq and no horsepower. Anyone saying shorties aren't a legitimate option are just regurgitating more internet ******** that gets passed around. What gives you the power is putting in a nice complete exhaust from head to bumper. If you just put in shorties hooked into a factory mid pipe, you won't gain ****.

Here is my timeslip, obviously still a lot to be dialed in as this wasn't even a proper launch. It will be in the 11's once I launch it right. All with a 219 intake duration cam through the "useless" shorty ls7 manifolds.

Uploaded with ImageShack.com


Here is the result of h/c/i on an ls2 car with ls7 exhaust manifolds.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/sout...manifolds.html

They can make and support power. Yes LTs will give you more power under the curve, but in a stock cam setup, that will be negligible. Headers will start shining more with more radical mods.

The only reason I am swapping is because I need that mid range torque to help with my massive 255cc ls3 heads.

 

I agree. Shorties are much maligned. They look great and definitely impact power and sound quality. It just depends on all the related factors and what you want as an overall end product. LT's enable more power with the right supporting components, but that doesn't mean they are the only answer.

The factors involved first relate to whether or not LT's are legal in the state of use.

The questions then become how much money do you have, how much HP and torque do you desire/need. Then you have the issues of noise vs sound as well as heat and ground clearance, and LT's really cry out for you to finish the job with heads and cam. Either way, complete intake and exhaust systems are well worth the cost.

 

anyone else a fan of the shorties? headers will probably be my last mod.

Wayne

 

I'd say if you're just going for bolt-on's, go with the shorties. If you plan on going deep into mods and your wallet, then go for the LT's. Just my opinion. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

If cost is a concern I recommend keepin a close eye on the for sale section. I just purchased headers for my car and checked the for sale section everyday for about a month.

Found brand new unopened box kooks headers for 750 shipped and used kooks x-pipe for 250.00. The system new is 1500 there abouts.

I've purchased just about every mod I've done from forum members, saved a mountain of cash.

 

Long tube headers are the ONLY way to go for a Vette unless you have to worry about smog. We have GREAT deals on LTs from Pfadt, LG and ARH