Hedman Elite's and "Z" Bar Woes

[69sixpackbee]

Well, as fate would have it, installing headers in a big block truck with a 4-speed is a PITA! I am installing Hedman Elite #69820 headers.

After grinding the lips off of the engine mount towers and notching the trans crossover I was able to get the passenger side header in place. Not too hard. Now, the driver's side, well that is more of a challenge. ASide from having to grind the lip from the engine mount tower it went into place no problem but the #7 tube interferes with the "Z" bar....as if thats a big surprize

It looks like I can put the engine-side ball pivot mount up in the mill and drill & tap a new threaded hole for the ball pivot about 3/4" back from the existing hole. It looks like I can deepen the notch in the frame ball-pivot tab and be able to have the bellcrank clear the #7 tube. but this poses anothr problem. The linkage tab for the rod back to the clutch release rod will shroud the oil pressure line up to the gauge and it will be too close to put the tube back into the fitting.

Is there another place to access the oil pressure so I can re-route the oil line for the pressure gauge?

I know that Hedman recommended using the post-'75 clutch linkage. Never seen one...,can't find one, and I am certain that it would probably be more of a pain in the rump to try to adapt it to my '72 so I am going to modify what I have. The most viable alternative to this point is trying to relocate the holes as I have suggested. Cutting and welding a heat treated piece of steel ("Z" bar) provides much more of a challenge and is just not as easy if any of you have ever attempted to do so. I can be done but the temper is lost and becomes soft once again and needs to be re-hardened and drawn back to the original temper..much more involved.

It sure would be nice if things would just go together easier. After all, these truck have been around a long, long while and it sould be ironed out by now...guess my truck is no exception.

ANy suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanx,
Bud

[Bishops Trucks]

I'll wait with you on this one. I foreseeme having the same problem.

[special-K]

Is this a 2wd or 4wd?I`ve never heard of clearance probs on anything but the z-bar.So,I`m wondering if they are two different part#s and they gave you the wrong ones.I have Elites waiting to install a K/20 and am anticipating these hassles.I`ve install headers on a 4spd K/20 before and I had to cut one z-bar tab and reweld in another position.I had no problems from lost temper.I wouldn`t worry there.
About the oil pressure line.All mine are tapped into the block up top behind the distributor.That`s the way all my trucks have been.Check and see if yours is blocked off.Do you know the vintage of your motor?This is a new one on me.
There was a member that simply drilled a new hole in the z-bar mount on the frame.But,I don`t know which headers he had.I asked and he didn`t know.
It`s a damn crap-shoot,to say the least.Keep us informed as you resolve your hold-ups.At least we`ll have a solid answer for Elite installs.Some guys say Hooker SuperComps go right in.But,I never got a true apples to apples answer....Good Luck.

[69sixpackbee]

Originally Posted by special-K

Is this a 2wd or 4wd?I.

Sorry, This is a 2WD, C-20.

What I did this morning is re-locate the hole in the block mount for the pivot ball rearward .750". This should be sufficient since the tube only encroached about 1/2" into the "z" bar. I will extend the notch on the frame tab back 3/4" as well and this should be good. ***fingers crossed tightly***
One other thing I can try. Eliminate the block mount entirely and just screw the pivot ball into the back mounting hole that the mount utilized. It too is a 1/2-13 threaded hole.

The problem with that is that this will put the whole mechanism back 2 3/8" more and although cutting the rivets from the frame tab and re attaching with nut & bolts is no biggie, the geometry of the "z" bar linkage tabs will be skewed. It might work...I dunno.

`m wondering if they are two different part#s and they gave you the wrong ones.

I talked with the tech guy at Hedman and he stated that these Elites, although slated as "class A motorhome headers" these are exactly the same as the other Chevy BB headers for our truck application with the exception of the thicker flanges and heavier walled tubing for severe duty as experienced with dragging a 12,000 lb motorhome around. These are even listed for 'burbs and Blazers with 7.4 engines...pretty well covers the whole spectrum dontcha think?


Heres the specs:

68-87 396-502 (3/4-1 Ton) 69820
Gasket:27530
Footnotes:
(1)Without smog injection or injection heads
(6) Modification to stock exhaust required to retain catalytic converter
(45) Not legal for sale or use in California on pollution controlled motor vehicles.
(112) Must use factory big block chevy hardware & mounts.
(139) Must use 1975 and later model clutch linkage located at rear of engine.
(208) Due to clyinder heads (aluminum) generation 6 engines, 502 BB Chevy will have clearance problems on some applications. Bottom of hedder flanges may hit head bolts. Notching may be necessary.
(213) Elite replacement gasket #27550
A/C P/S Auto Col Auto Flr Std Col Std Flr
Y Y Y Y Y Y
(B)Not applicable or intended for street or highway use. Legal only for racing vehicles which may never be used upon a highway, check footnotes also.
(D) Not legal for sale or use in California.
1 3/4", 3"

BTW..the block is a '71 402 (mk-IV) so the hole from the oil gallery exit at the top behind the dizzy on this one too?

I will try to snap some pics for visual clarity of this "dilemma".
---Bud

[special-K]

That should work.GM made different ball mount offsets.But,mostly to keep the z-bar in the same location on different motors.My neighbor has a bucket full of all those pieces.Alot of the z-bar tubes were bent.I 1st though they got bent removing engines and not disconnecting them.But,now I think they were bent for engine swaps and headers because they didn`t get the correct parts.I guess they still worked.
See what happens.You can always try something else if this doesn`t work.I think it`ll be fine.The guy on here only moved the frame side,so it was cocked.It worked out ok.