Wondering If you guys could shed some light on some advice I received..

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Yea I have never bought new headers but had good quality ones on 3 of my trucks and have continued running them with no issues. To me if I am going to do exhaust I love the way headers sound and look wouldn't have it any other way. I know plenty of people who have ran cheap headers and had a ton of issues with them! You defiantly get what you pay for like everyone else has already said. I always make periodic checks of my header bolts to make sure there still tight as well.

[OutlawDrifter]

a bargain set of headers is just fine for a mild street build every day dd. my dad put a set of non-coated hedman long tubes on a 79 K10 that he bought new, they were still fully functional and without holes when i sold the pickup in 2008. they were on there 25+ years and i only put on 1 set of gaskets in the 10 or 11 years that i owned it. i have a really nice set of ceramic coated hedman husler's on my lsx camaro...but, its also a 500hp fire breathing monster and i wanted to keep heat down in the engine bay.

don't let someone scare you away from a product that costs less than 300 bucks. you don't need super expensive headers for good fit and performance.

[Skunksmash]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Stepped headers are another variable thrown in the mix, but you pay more. In every instance I've seen on the dyno, no matter what V8 was on there, always made more power with a stepped header when properly sized.

You can also get into 180 degree headers, big money and complicated design.

Please tell me what that is, never heard of them before. Never heard of stepped or 180 degree.

Oh and Hoods, I'm afraid Ford has surpassed chevy in both power AND reliability these days For proof take a look at the JD power reports. Government Motors FTL. (for the lose)

Just thought I'd throw a little modern times into that old debate

[Firebirdjones]

Stepped headers are where they start with a certain primary size, for instance say 1 3/4". Then at some point the tube is stepped up in size to 1 7/8" and that size continues to the collector. At which point this step occurs is determined by each particular engine combination, math equations and so forth, by guys that are much smarter than I am.

I've watched McCabe do this on a Top Sportsman car we were working on, figures this stuff in his head and makes it as he goes along.

You can also buy stepped headers off the shelf for some applications. It's obviously overkill for what we are talking about here, as most guys just want simple headers to free up a little power, but headers are an interesting subject if you can corner a guy like McCabe and chat a while.

[stock75]

Thanks for all the input guys, I just doubled my header knowledge. I am still curious about the "better flowing manifold" I keep hearing about, what models should I be looking for? And how much better can I get my stock manifold flowing by doing a mild port via a dremel?

[Pyrotechnic]

Originally Posted by Skunksmash

Oh and Hoods, I'm afraid Ford has surpassed chevy in both power AND reliability these days For proof take a look at the JD power reports. Government Motors FTL. (for the lose)

Just thought I'd throw a little modern times into that old debate

I think you may be lost? Did you mean to end up at http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/index.php ?

[Skunksmash]

Yeah lol i just like to stir the pot sometimes. What made me think of it though is that over at the big ford forums that sig hoods has is reversed where it says "I'd rather drive a ford than push a chevy" insinuating of course, that you'll be pushing a chevy if you own it lol. And if you had a ford you wouldn't be pushing you'd be driving. I like both so I tend to poke fun at the fanboys.

[406 Q-ship]

There really isn't any great flowing iron manifolds but there are a few that flow better but nothing will keep up with a good set of headers. The best manifolds are the 2 1/2" ramhorns off of the corvette but they are not a great fit on the 73 up chassis. Yes you can port out a set of exhaust manifolds but they still not keep up with a good set of long tube headers. Headers require more maintenance than manifolds like retightening of the bolts and repainting every couple of years. I run manifolds on my truck because I don't want to deal with leaks and the truck only makes 280 hp so I am giving away may be 20 hp for low maintenance, my fun cars all have headers and over 375 HP.

[motornut]

Originally Posted by stock75

Thanks for all the input guys, I just doubled my header knowledge. I am still curious about the "better flowing manifold" I keep hearing about, what models should I be looking for? And how much better can I get my stock manifold flowing by doing a mild port via a dremel?

I figure they are air injection bumps
before grinding was just smoothing casting marks ,now they make/cast them in
The bumps disturb the flow, thereby reducing noise/flow
don't know of any other purpose

aside from that,not sure what else could be done to "look stock,sound louder....flow better"
for $20.00. some time...

[BigBlocksRule]

Do an internet search for "ram horn manifold". They were late 60's, early 70's IIRC, much more rounded and better flowing than the style that's built like a log. I don't know how much better they flow, or even if they flow ANY better, but they sure look like they should

[OutlawDrifter]

the only time i would even consider running a stock type exhaust manifold would be:

1.) it's required by a class i'm racing in or showing in

2.) i wanted a numbers matching restoration

that doesn't mean its wrong, its just my way. the first thing i do to a vehicle when i buy it, is make it breath better at both ends. ram horns...the good ones, will cost you just as much as a set of headers.

here is a link to what "Speedy Bill" has for ram horns, note the two different styles....

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/search-ram-horn.html