carguy604

I need to pull my stock exhaust manifolds to do a little bit of work on my LT1 so, while I'm in there, I've been thinking of switching to LONG TUBE headers. The problem is, I'm finding that most of the big brand-name header manufacturers (Hooker, TPIS, Lingenfelter, Hedman, Kooks to name a few) do not offer long tube headers.... I'm not interested in shorties - it's either quality long tubes or nothing. So, has anyone found any good, high-quality, long tubes that you'd recommend for an LT1/LT4? If so, manufacturer's names, part numbers & photos would be appreciated.

James93LT1

ARH American racing header C4-92134300LSNC
Stainless works C492-96OR
Hooker 2151
Exotic Muscle http://emracingcorp.com/scripts/prod...p?idProduct=67
Melrose SF92-96Headers http://melrosedealer.com/92-96-c4-lt...vette-headers/
TPIS https://www.tpis.com/parts/view/272

ChumpVette

Comprehensive list above.

i wouldn’t deal with EM. Merle has become a pain in the ***.
Melrose was being complained about in another thread for non production of headers.

I would go with ARH or Stainless Works.

James93LT1

Not high quality, but lower priced.

Hooker seconds, 1/2 price.
Hooker 2151-1HKR

OBX stainless, do a forum search, some say nice fit, some say may need some fab skills. Pretty sure, made in China.
OBX headers

grandspt

I have ARH long tube headers on my LT4. Expensive, but built well.

bolowbc

I have Exotic Muscle headers that I had removed for emissions reasons when I moved from VA to CA if you're interested.

TommyFox

pics?

FAUEE

I have a set of phab headers that I can tell you will require some fab work to fit, they come with l98 emissions and 3 bolt flanges, so those emissions ports need plugged and the exhaust needs flanges added... But they're 300 bucks so much cheaper than all the others.

1993C4LT1

Based on YouTube vids of cars with same mufflers, ARH always sounds the best to my ears. Can't go wrong with ARH or SW

Mr. Peabody

I've had stainless works (C492-96) on my 95 since back in 2006. Not inexpensive but they have held up very well. I bought them on a group purchase here on the corvette forum.

carguy604

PM sent. Thanks,

383vett

ARH quicker by over a tenth compared to Hooker 2151 on my car.

KyleF

How was the install?

KyleF

There was an Epic thread on Phab headers and what a shop did to make them work. Yup, they were cheaper but ended up costing that guy a lot more in the long run by the time a shop had them functional on his car... and functional being a stretch.

FAUEE

I saw that thread. His and mine look nothing alike.

Sleazy Rider

i have a set of arh C4-92134300LSTWC which is a 1 3/4 x 1 7/8 stainless step header with cats that i never installed in the car, i sold the engine that they were to go on. i did take them out of the box to test them for oil pan clearance. i am looking to get $1800 shipped conus or to jet hot for coating. arh just had a price increase.

KyleF

I hope not

FAUEE

It's actually kind weird. One of his tubes like looped around and hung way lower than the collector, mine are all a tight bundle. I dunno what was going on there but something didn't go to plan for sure. I dunno if his shop cut and rewelded them or what. .. But it was a calamity lol.

TommyFox

Same size primaries on both?

grandspt

The headers themselves went in very easy. I also got the cats which ends up relocating the cats further back and very close to the chassis (ARH told me as long as you can get a finger between the floor and the cats that was fine, but it wasn't for me). I purchased Thermotec wrap for the floor and heat shields over the cats. I had to call them to supply an extension cable for one after cat O2 sensor. They supplied it free of charge. One of the alternator bracket support tubes going to the exhaust manifold bolt did not fit after the header install. I could have left it off because the alternator had the other brackets but I decided to cut and weld the support tube bracket and change the mounting tab hole to fit the header bolt in the location it was before with the exhaust manifold. The only things I can complain about was that the kit (back when I purchased it) did not come with header bolts, the extension cable for the one rear O2 sensor, and the heat shielding for the cats. But they were very good about sending stuff out except for the heat shielding.
I have had the headers for several years and I am very happy with them.
Access to the starter is good, spark plugs are a bit easier to change (still sucks but better than stock manifolds), chassis and ground clearance is great. It never threw a code after the installation, so the stock LT4 computer was happy.
They are expensive but they seem to hold up well and I did not coat them I just left them natural stainless steel.
I am currently doing a cam change and had to drop the oil pan. The headers clear the stock pan without issues.