Would these headers be OK for my '57?

[roger55]

I've got a 305 TPI engine I'm putting in my wife's '57 pickup. I'm going to retain the straight axle and go with a power steering kit from CPP. Either their Toyota box kit or the soon to be released 400 box kit.

Would these be good headers for the conversion?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110999726018...84.m1438.l2649

[parkwood]

Those headers will work with 99.9% of sbc installs.. You should be fine using them...

[roger55]

Thanks for the reply.

I think I'll go with stainless though instead of the coated ones. Since these are off-shore made headers, I'm leary of the quality of the coating.

I was looking at these. Not much more money.

New SBC Chevy Stainless Steel Block Hugger Headers 350 | eBay

Also looking at these with 3/8" flanges. They are $50 more ($67 more including the shipping). I'm wondering if thicker flanges would make them a better choice and worth the extra dollars.

S/B Chevy Stainless Steel Tight-Fit Headers - Speedway Motors, America's Oldest Speed Shop

[roger55]

Following up.

I got my 305 TPI engine and new CPP 400 box all mocked up in place.

The ss block hugger headers I bought won't fit. Not even close.



Suggestions for headers for me would be appreciated.

This is just a stock 305 TPI out of a 91 Z28. Should I just go with rams horn? I wonder if block hugger headers really flow much better anyway. I was looking at some new sets on ebay for cheap. Look pretty decent.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360660614945...84.m1438.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380642060653...84.m1438.l2649

[OrrieG]

Check out Denee's thread in the build section, I think she went thru 3 different sets to find one that fit.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Check out Denee's thread in the build section, I think she went thru 3 different sets to find one that fit.

Just checked her thread out.
None of the headers she tried would work for me. She has the steering box mounted outside the frame so that's a different situation.

[Tomb23]

Roger , Try these Worked on Mine with GMC Power Steering Gearbox, Work is the Gearbox on yours out of?

[roger55]

Thanks. I like those Sandersons and have looked at them.
I'm not sure they would fit. It would be darn close. It's that small offset to the the rear on the d/s header that puts it close. If I had 2 p/s ones, I'm sure they would work though. They are kind of expensive too.

It looks like there aren't going to be many choices of headers that are going to fit. There's a few on the market where the d/s is different than the p/s and they would work but I don't really like the asymmetrical look.
Example:



I really think that a design like that is not going to yield me any advantage over just getting ram horn manifolds for this little stock 305 TPI that probably won't see anything above 4800 rpm. So, I'm leaning on getting a pair of these Wysco Products ram horn manifolds on ebay for $124 delivered.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/380642060653...84.m1438.l2649

I'd sure like to hear comments if anyone thinks I would be making the wrong decision here though.

The power steering box I have is the newly released "400" box from CPP. It's like Toyota conversion setup and uses the same pitman arm as the Toyota box. CPP designed this box and has it made for them in China just like their very popular "500" box for the 55,56,57 cars. I have their 500 box in my '55 Bel Air and it's great and had been waiting for a while for them to get the 400 available for the trucks.

[_Ogre]

have you tried to raise your motor an inch to see if they fit? you may have to unscrew the trans cover to do this.
these trucks came from the factory with sbc motors in them and have a lot of room under the hood.
denee's problem was she wanted long tube headers
the headers you have should fit

[roger55]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

have you tried to raise your motor an inch to see if they fit? you may have to unscrew the trans cover to do this.
these trucks came from the factory with sbc motors in them and have a lot of room under the hood.
denee's problem was she wanted long tube headers
the headers you have should fit

Thanks.
You made me look at it this possibility a little closer. If I move the engine forward about 1/2" as well as up about 1/2" to 3/4", it may work. I'll get better clearance between the front crossmember bracket and the park brake going forward too. I will have to relocate the holes for the brake hoses though but that's no big deal.
I mocked this engine up as far back as I could get it because I thought it was going to be close at the front between the water pump and electric radiator fan. But, now that I have the radiator all mocked up in place, I've got about 1 1/4" clearance there.

I'll do some moving around and report back.

[OrrieG]

Except on race motors I have always ran rams horns. Less noise, never rust out, never warp and less heat transfer under the hood. If you are buying aftermarket look for the repop 57 Corvette ones with 2.5" diameter outlets and larger inside dimensions. They are reproduced for used in the NHRA stock classes which allow interchange of "stock" manifolds. At low rpms (below 6k) they seem to flow as well as headers.

[spinned]

I have the same issue. I would like to install the CPP 400 power steering unit next to my SBC 350 in my 58. The existing manual steering box is about 5" from the frame and I understand from CPP that the 400 is 7 3/4 inches from the frame so it will stick out another 2-3/4 inches. I only have 1/2 inch clearance with the headers I am using now. So lets see some pictures of what you work out. Thanks!

[roger55]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Except on race motors I have always ran rams horns. Less noise, never rust out, never warp and less heat transfer under the hood. If you are buying aftermarket look for the repop 57 Corvette ones with 2.5" diameter outlets and larger inside dimensions. They are reproduced for used in the NHRA stock classes which allow interchange of "stock" manifolds. At low rpms (below 6k) they seem to flow as well as headers.

I was starting to think that the ram horns made more sense for this truck than those inexpensive stainless headers I bought and now after what you say, I'm thinking about getting the ram horns anyway. I wouldn't lose much money by selling the stainless ones back on ebay where I got them.
However, I still am going to play with moving the engine slightly forward and up and then make the decision. In any case I think the TPI will look a little better forward and up slightly. The distributor and the cover are pretty close to the firewall the way it sits.

I have been reading elsewhere also that the 2.5" ram horns do indeed perform darn close to headers on a lower rpm engine but the 2" inch ones do not. My engine will never see over 5K rpm and it's only a 305 too.

The repro 2.5" ram horns are made by Dorman but the Wysco are also 2.5" and already have the generator brackets taken off. The castings look smoother too. Since they are priced about the same, I think I would get the Wysco.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by spinned

I have the same issue. I would like to install the CPP 400 power steering unit next to my SBC 350 in my 58. The existing manual steering box is about 5" from the frame and I understand from CPP that the 400 is 7 3/4 inches from the frame so it will stick out another 2-3/4 inches. I only have 1/2 inch clearance with the headers I am using now. So lets see some pictures of what you work out. Thanks!

I really don't think you can really guess about your headers until you have a 400 box in place. It's a completely different shape than the stock box. I'll take pics though.

Is your engine already in place to where it would be difficult to move if you had to? Also, would you be willing to switch to other headers or ram horns if you had to?

[roger55]

OK.

Here's what I got now. I moved the engine forward 3/4" and up 1/2" from where it was.
The header fits. But, it's still tight. Only 1/8" clearance in 2 places. One at the rag joint and the other at one of the box bolts.
I could come up more but I'm forward as much as it I would want it to go.

However, I've decided to go with the ram horn manifolds. If I move up further, it's still going to be close and the rear tube is going to be close to the p/s hose connector. Even closer by going up further. Orrie stated good reasons for choosing the ram horns anyway and I agree.

So, I'm going to keep the engine where it is now. It does look a little better to me there than it did before.

[spinned]

I am in the process of replacing the SBC with a stroker so the engine will be coming out anyway. I dont see how I would move it though unless I move the transmission as well, and then I would have to make a new driveline and modify the 4-speed shift linkage. I was hoping that there was an out-of-the-box header that would give the steering box more room so I could install the CPP 400.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by spinned

... I was hoping that there was an out-of-the-box header that would give the steering box more room so I could install the CPP 400.

There is.

Take a look at these Sandersons on their website:
CC1, CC2, C32, C33 and CC90 series.
C134
C178
QP1000

I think most of those will fit along with some of the asymmetrical ones.

[roger55]

These should fit too.

Looks nice as well. Already ordered the ram horns though. Plus, I don't think I want full-length on the pickup that is for my wife to drive. She will want to drive anywhere and not worry about clearance.

http://www.classicindustries.com/truck/parts/69260.html

[spinned]

Thanks for the leads. I tried to measure up a couple just using my tape measure with my existing headers still in place. Probably not a real reliable approach. The tight clearance Sanderson may do the trick. I looks like it would give about 3 more inches of clearance at the steering box. I will probably have to buy a set (like you) to try it out.

I am curious, is that CPP 400 pictured the brand new design or the older toyota design? The CPP is so new I haven't seen any installation threads on it yet other than this one.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by spinned

Thanks for the leads. I tried to measure up a couple just using my tape measure with my existing headers still in place. Probably not a real reliable approach. The tight clearance Sanderson may do the trick. I looks like it would give about 3 more inches of clearance at the steering box. I will probably have to buy a set (like you) to try it out.
I am curious, is that CPP 400 pictured the brand new design or the older toyota design? The CPP is so new I haven't seen any installation threads on it yet other than this one.

It's the brand new one. I might be the first to document the install of it in the forums. It will be a while before I can report on how it feels on the road. This is all mock-up now and is all coming back apart. The cab is coming off and the frame will be blasted and painted. I'm also going to disassemble the engine some to get it cleaned up and painted to look new.

[roger55]

Plenty of room now with my 400 box. I'm impressed with the quality of these repro Corvette 2 1/2" ram horns I got on ebay. Standard 2 1/2" header reducers fit these too.