Header/Exhaust Opinions

[67chops]

Looking to do my exhaust at the end of the month and im looking for recomendations on headers and possible exhaust kit. A buddy an myself are going to be putting it on. I was wondering peoples opinions on long tube headers for something in the area of 120 or so. And if anyone knows of a good complete kit for our trucks.

[Mudder]

I think you can get the Hooker Comps for about that price. I had a set years ago and liked em real well. Not sure about all the differences in the Supers and Comps.

[LUV2XCLR8]

2WD OR 4WD, TRUCK, BLAZER, BURB, IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERANCE

[67chops]

its a 2wd lwb 67 its got a 305/350 automatic

[Drogster]

Definately go with the long tube headers. I think for about 120-150 you can get the Hooker Comps (as mentioned already).

[LUV2XCLR8]

IF YOU DECEIDE TO SPEND A LIL MORE THE "HEDMAN ELITES"
ARE A INTERMEDIATE LENGTH HEADER, HERE'S SOME PIC'S

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=142497

[67chops]

spending more money is not a real option for me. sucks being in college with not alot of money. work my ass off for the money to do a few things i can.

[Gary Lee]

I got the cheapie hedman shorty's (#69640) they fit, but barely... they were the only one's hedman said would not cause interference problems with my clutch or 3ondatree...I don't want to cut the floor just yet as I looking for a decent OD tranny, not sure if I'll go with auto or stick, so... but since my exhaust was shot and my exhaust manifols were cracked, I broke down and got some headers and dropped it off to get a local muffler shop to set me up!!! I'll pick it up tommorrow... Its costing me $275 to get 2.5 alumanized with dynaflows(not a flowmaster fella...I like a lil qieter...)

However you go, I am sure it won't be fun...

The 69640's fit, but barely... the collectors point down at a 45 towards the tranny crossmember for the 3spd, but I believe the auto crossmember sits further back... the passenger side is up against the framerail, I assume to clear the starter, but I had to remove those cables as well to keep the cables away from the headers.... I still fried a wire for the temp sensor, should have zip-stripped it, but got sidetracked and it slid down again on the road...

My method is to swear alot first and get it out of the way, remove the old exhaust, swear some more, cuz it never goes as I plan it, bolts break and all... scrape till I'm tired, take a break scrape some more... pull the plugs, as you'll probably break one otherwise... I soak my header gaskets for 15 min in hot water (why because back in hih school, my shop teacher swore that was the trick to get them to seal right...) Just a habit... with the headers in place, lay the gaskets on and use 2 header bolt(not the end ones) and try to line it up and get those started and finger tite... slowly work them all in and then start tightening slowlyfrom center out, any method should work, just go through your method about 3x as you get tighter it seems to allow the others to tighten up more as well... they don't need to be super tight!!! Just tight enuff !!! No more swearing needed as trying to get this all done, you'll swear enuff!!! put in the plugs,,,haha fun fun fun... check all the wires and route and tie as necessary.... oops, I forgot this step,,, start on the exhaust... if you run full length headers, its not too bad if you have the tools or if you run straight back with a 45 or 90 degree bend out, but I don' like super loud, and a good muffler shop can build a much better exhaust that I'll be happy with and have alot less problems than the homemade job the P.O. did in my truck... I was having to disconnect the exhaust from the manifold to change the oil filter since the exhaust went under it... duh..., and I broke a bolt and no shop would touch it with a cracked exhaust manifold... a good exhaust kit will cost close to that and a muffler shop handles the hangers and has the benders to make it work right... I think they earn their money, so TO ME its worth their labor...so I went to headers although I didn't really need or want them... think everything out first, then a second time before you start welding one up... lots of luck!!! then when all is done, then enjoy your liquid libations!!!!


Gary

[shifty]

Hey, Gary, you have the L6 250 in your truck, right?

[Gary Lee]

Originally Posted by shifty

Hey, Gary, you have the L6 250 in your truck, right?

NO, I swapped out that 250 and put in the 1.6 from my old chevette... I tell you what Next timeI need to do headers, I'll swap ya, I'll do your 6cyl, you do my small block 350...

These are the shorty headers... no the engine mounts are probably from the 307 put in in 72...

I thought chevy II , Monzas, and Vegas of my day were a pain in the @55... I thought with all that room in the engine bay it'll be a walk in the park... no, for me headers are headers.. they all require me to practice french for a while...

But it made a world of difference even with my kwieter turbo mufflers... Has a lil burb, but nothing obnoxious, but moving up from those old 2 in id exhaust to 2.5 in OD made a lot of difference in how it ran... But hey this is an tired 350 that i thought for the last 2 yrs was an old 305, it acts like a 350 now... besides that, changing the oil was abreeze today... also I am glad I had the muffler shop do my pipes... I told em I wanted them angling out BEfore the rear wheels, and up a lil bit and outta the way..He ran em up tight outside but along the frame and 45 em out in front of the rear wheels... but the bends from the collectors give me all the room I need to get at everything....


here you can see how tite this was...

[Americanrider]

There are some ceramic coated block hugger header on evil-bay for SBC from this seller:
http://stores.ebay.com/The-Hotrod-St...eNameZl2QQtZkm

Another option you could look at would be getting a pair of vette ramhorns, the bolt up like your stock ones but have 2.5 in openings, vs. the stock 2 inch.

[racer face]

long tube header work the best on a budget.they will give you the best performance.
from the headers you need two header reducers 3" down to 2.5"(with a stock 305 I wouldn't go bigger than 2.5 inch pipes) two straight pipes,two mufflers,two 90 degree bends and two more short pipes dumping out in front of the rear wheels. the fun part is bolting up the headers. I know you said money is tight but, buy good header gasket.one more thing if the budget lets you put in a cross over pipe between the pipes it helps with performance

[LUV2XCLR8]

Originally Posted by racer face

(with a stock 305 I wouldn't go bigger than 2.5 inch pipes)

YOU WILL ACTUALLY LOOSE TORQUE WITH 2.5" ON A 305 UNLESS
YOUR MOTOR IS BUILT PRETTY STOUGHT, ANYPLACE THAT SELLS
FLOWMASTERS HAS A CHART IN THE BACK OF THEIR CATALOG, IT
TELLS YOU BASED ON ENGINE SIZE, ON HP, AND SINGLE OR DUALS
WHAT YOUR BEST BET IS FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE ON YOUR
PIPE DIA., ON A STOCK 305 2 AND 1/4 IS ALL YOU WILL NEED AND
IT WILL PROBABLY SAVE YOU, HERE ANYWAYS, $20 - $40 ON PIPE.

[Peregrine]

holy crap.

[LUV2XCLR8]

YIKES, ARE THE MOTOR MOUNTS NEW, USUALLY GIVES YA ANOTHER 1/2"

[Gary Lee]

nope... probably 1972 factory by the looks of it...

[Mudder]

Just the regular old manifold gaskets work best for headers. (about 7 bucks). And save yourself some headache by cutting the header flanges. They will bolt on lots easier and the bolts will stay tight.