cheap headers or none?

[engrdean]

I am replacing the exhaust on my '70 longbed from the motor back. Trying to decide whether it is worth it to put a set of cheap summit racing headers (or similar) on there for now as the motor is basically stock. One of these days I will pull the motor and do a rebuild, and at that time I can see investing a little more, but for now there are too many other things that I need to spend the money on rather than blowing $400 (at least) on headers. I would go with the coated headers for a little more longevity, but this truck will probably never be a daily driver. Let me know what you guys think.

[LUV2XCLR8]

My coated headers were $275 to my door. Even though I hate their service,
since you are close to LMC check and see what they have. They have it all
from the headers to the complete exhaust kits. I only like their catalog

[engrdean]

The only thing I can see in their catalog are the hedmann headers for $290, and they are just painted black not coated. Still the question though, is it even worth it with the stock motor, or is the stock manifold good enough?

As a sidenote I also have an Impala from the same year that I am trying to make the same decision on, so feel free to chime in on that vehicle as well. It is a 350/350 as well.

[Longhorn Man]

personally, I'd stay with manifolds rather than install cheap headers. I've done cheap ones before, and they always suck.
This is one area where you really get what you pay for.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Originally Posted by engrdean

The only thing I can see in their catalog are the hedmann headers for $290, and they are just painted black not coated.

Interesting, mine are coated Hedmann Elites, and were $275 delivered (Summit)

[bad6772]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

personally, I'd stay with manifolds rather than install cheap headers. I've done cheap ones before, and they always suck.
This is one area where you really get what you pay for.

[herb101]

Cheap header (as well as most anything cheap) will keep costing you forever. Cheap headers are thin and rot easily. The flanges are light and will warp. You will be forever chasing annoying leaks. Well, not forever - the thin gauge tube will rot out within about 5 years and then you can stop chasing them.

Herb

[larry may]

Originally Posted by engrdean

I am replacing the exhaust on my '70 longbed from the motor back. Trying to decide whether it is worth it to put a set of cheap summit racing headers (or similar) on there for now as the motor is basically stock. One of these days I will pull the motor and do a rebuild, and at that time I can see investing a little more, but for now there are too many other things that I need to spend the money on rather than blowing $400 (at least) on headers. I would go with the coated headers for a little more longevity, but this truck will probably never be a daily driver. Let me know what you guys think.

Here is a set for 129 dollars. Am thinking about these or mabe a set of Sandersons.

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...44739_-1_10605

[BCOWANWHEELS]

Sanderson Built Me A Super Nice Set Of Large Tube Block Hugger Headers Very Reasonable Too.
Bob

[jott_06]

i have the summit headers on my truck and trust me you wont be happy with them. You have to buy accel header plugs to use the summit headers because if you use regular ac delco plugs the number 3 spark plug wire boot lays on the header tube. Also i had a clearance issue with my headers wanting to touch my brake lines. So i think if you spend the extra $150 more than the summit headers you can get something that wont come with all of the headache. Thats just my $.02

[red69ss]

I have summit ceramic coated block huggers, they still look great,had them about 2 years (5000 miles) show truck not daily driver I've not had any problems of any kind with mine, I put copper gaskets in and havn't even retightened them. don't know how they'd hold up on DD . only cost $200 ... my .02

[special-K]

I blew out a manifold coming down from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in`89.All I could get in Flagstaff was cheap headers,under $100 with crappy paint that burned off.They lasted until `03 before the collector flange lip burned off from not fixing the original gaskets that were leaking.

[BAGGERSOCAL]

Im wanting to buy headers also what are good headers To buy that will last me.?

[engrdean]

LUV2XCLR8 - Sorry, my misunderstanding, I thought you were saying you got your headers from LMC. I do in fact see the ones from Summit for $275 and they seem like a very nice set for the price. They are a little more than I was looking to spend right now, but that seems to always be the case.

The block huggers look nice, but is there a reason to go with these over long tubes if you have the room (not lowered)? Do the block huggers give you more power on the low end and the long tubes more power at higher rpms?

I am hesitant to buy cheap headers, because I know from plenty of other experiences that when you pay for junk you get junk. Eventually I would replace them with a higher quality product, but it sounds like I would be better off saving my money for a good set and living with the stock manifolds until then.

Thanks for all the response. I don't know where I would be without everyone on this board as a resource. Now if I could just find a 68-72 impala board...

[jfalesi]

Other way 'round. For the same pipe diameter, shorter tubes push torque peak towards the high end, longer tubes pull torque peak towards the low end.

Originally Posted by engrdean

...The block huggers look nice, but is there a reason to go with these over long tubes if you have the room (not lowered)? Do the block huggers give you more power on the low end and the long tubes more power at higher rpms?
...

[engrdean]

So it sounds like the long tubes would be the way to go for a mostly street driven truck, and block huggers or shorties would be better if you are building it for drag racing. Right?

[streetstar]

Originally Posted by engrdean

So it sounds like the long tubes would be the way to go for a mostly street driven truck, and block huggers or shorties would be better if you are building it for drag racing. Right?

Shorties are not for drag racing -- they are for appearance and clearance issues --- some people feel that they dont flow much better than a cleaned up set of Rams-horns.

A street driven small block can use shorties, block headers, rams horns or whatever, but should in theory run better with longer, relatively skinny tubes.

For racing, you still use a long tube, but generally with bigger diameter primaries, because you will probably be using bigger cam, carbs, intake and exhaust valves, porting, etc.

But thats is just being general - look at enough race cars and you realize that people will use anything they have laying around

[EAST SIDE LOW LIFE]

Sounds to me that your torn between doing it right or going the this is good enough for now route which will be in your truck until they fall off. Exhaust work is not cheap so going short on the headers is not IMHO saving money or a wise way to go (I think you realize this.) In the end it's not the headers that are so expensive it's the cost of getting a shop to bend pipe and weld everything together. This is why you might as well do it right the first time. I would keep the stock manifolds on the truck before I would buy a cheap set of headers.

esll.

When the time is right for headers check out a set of Sandersons you will not be sorry that you did!