just some exhaust opinions? 71 k10

[dmartin1]

hey fellas,just seeing what your opinions are. heres the story.

71 k10 longbed. the body looks ok but is all reality CRAP(cab was in a wreck at sometime and bondo-held together with paint on top) bed is crap also.with an honest problly 2 gallons of bondo on it.
so i am swapping my 1-owner 67 never wrecked almost no rust body onto it(small cab window too )


the engine is the stock 1971 350. it is 100% stock from air filter to oil pan EXCEPT for the headers on it that leak badly.it has 78k original miles(owner kept a detailed log of everything since new in glovebox)

should i replace with new longtube headers or factory manifolds for a 71 k10?
this is going to be a daily kinda truck.real clean.

[dmartin1]

the engine has plenty of power, it is surprisingly peppy and quick.will i suffer a big loss going to manifolds in this setup?

[yfs200p]

Cant beat ram horn manifolds. They're affordable, they flow (arguably) as good as headers and you don't have to monkey around with tightening them for leaks all the time.

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by yfs200p

Cant beat ram horn manifolds. They're affordable, they flow (arguably) as good as headers and you don't have to monkey around with tightening them for leaks all the time.

I agree 100%.
I'd get factory manifolds (center dump on 4wds) and order the Heartthrob exhaust "kit" made for the truck. I put their exhaust system on my 4wd and it fit like a glove.

[seattle gmc]

Hey mrein3, are you ruuning your factory heatriser? I have the hearthrob kit, but i have some clearance issues running over my np205 transfer case. I Think the hearthrob kit is good but i need to get mine figured out, its bascily resting on the transfercase?\.

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by seattle gmc

Hey mrein3, are you ruuning your factory heatriser? I have the hearthrob kit, but i have some clearance issues running over my np205 transfer case. I Think the hearthrob kit is good but i need to get mine figured out, its bascily resting on the transfercase?\.

No. My truck was a mutt when I got it. No heat riser. In fact, the cowboy that put it together found two "RH" rams horn exhaust manifolds and used them. The "LH" and "RH" must be symmetrical because that kit bolted right up and fits like a glove.

It has been at least 12 years since I installed that exhaust but I do remember there being not a whole heck of a lot of room for the side that goes by the transfer case.

[Lee H]

Agree with others, stock manifolds for a stock setup and possibly a daily driver, maintenance and worry free. Check out your local muffler shop before ordering an exhaust kit. Some are total hacks and some put out really fine work.

[1972GMCsierra4x4]

I would personally go with headers myself. They flow better than stock manifolds, and plus there's always the ability to say it has headers on it

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by dmartin1

hey fellas,just seeing what your opinions are. heres the story.

71 k10 longbed. the body looks ok but is all reality CRAP(cab was in a wreck at sometime and bondo-held together with paint on top) bed is crap also.with an honest problly 2 gallons of bondo on it.
so i am swapping my 1-owner 67 never wrecked almost no rust body onto it(small cab window too )


the engine is the stock 1971 350. it is 100% stock from air filter to oil pan EXCEPT for the headers on it that leak badly.it has 78k original miles(owner kept a detailed log of everything since new in glovebox)

should i replace with new longtube headers or factory manifolds for a 71 k10?
this is going to be a daily kinda truck.real clean.

If you are going with a/c, and go with headers, go with hookers: they are the only header manufacture that I have found that offers an a/c bracket for factory A6 compressor on headers, and I'd be afraid to try to use it on other headers than hooker as the bracket is a tight squeeze even on the hookers but it fits and the compressor bolts up as it's supposed to.

If you go with manifolds, and still want performance, check these out I think they are a cut above stock. You will have to go with 69 and up style alternator bracket though on these or the headers. 67-68 had alt bracket built onto the L manifold.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Tru-Ra...Iron,3823.html

Kinda pricey, and I would not expect "bolt on" exhaust pipes to fit them. So if you use these, you will have to get custom exhaust.