Shorty block hugger headers vs ram's horns for performance.
- Thread starter Skip FIx
- Start date
425/409ER
Well Known Member
Before I put the current 409 in our car we had a decent 400 SBC in the car. When I put the car together I used some older Thorley long tune headers. After so many years they rusted out and I bought a set of Sanderson cast iron manifolds which all my buddies said were as good as the old long tube headers. Well after making the new pipes I took the car out for a test run and boy was I disappointed. The car had much less top end power and the car ran a little warmer then before with the headers. The car was quieter with the manifolds, but since I was going to put in the 409 I didn't get another set of headers. The only engine I have ever seen that manifolds work well on are LS engines, not sure why but my best friend's 2000 Camaro ran 12.36@108mph, with Kooks headers he ran 12.0@114mph, but low 12's with manifolds and a dinky y-pipe is pretty impressive. This year after the rear end swap I am taking off the 409 center dump manifolds and putting on the Doug's headers we have. I miss the extra power and you will too if you run the short ones.
Took these 1 5/8” off my 70 thinking i had to have 1 3/4” and wish i had left these on! Oh well! Competition Hookers in really good shape! $150.00 well boxed and shipped! S pipe is not big horsepower killer! Food for thought! For some reason it would only load two pictures
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brackets sold separately
No short headers will match good long 4 tube. If you have to keep the side pipes side pipe mufflers are very restrictive so might as well do rams horns with the side pipes
425/409ER
Well Known Member
I always wanted to try C-3 Corvette headers form a SBC as they kind of had the same engine frame as our 63 Biscayne. One year I looked at both cars as I owned them and I thought all you had to do with the Vette headers was to cut off the collectors and turn them 90° but since headers were cheap back in the day it wasn't worth my time to try it.
Some of those shorty headers have 3" collector on them, not sure I would ever buy shorties with a 2.5 like most have. You can always reduce down the exhaust but modifying the shorties would be a pain. That goes for the 348-409 engines too.
JWahlstrom
Active Member
Here's what I'm planning to use for the alternator. I haven't tried it on the car yet, but it looks like it'll work.
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Well lets see some pictures of this Corvette Skip!!
Pretty car Skip!!