Warp70

Well as some of you know I purchased some Hooker Headers and had them Ceramic coated for the old Vette. I am in the process of removing my old exhaust manifolds and I started looking out my existing exhaust Vs. The headers. I guess as a novice Mechanic I just figured that I could take off the old and put on the new, but as some of you know it's not that easy. Bolting the headers to the block seems easy enough, but what am I missing to attach the collector side of the header onto my existing exhaust pipes. I have a brand new Stainless Steel exhaust that I thought would just hook up :rolleyes: What am I going to need to do A) have a piece fabricated to connect the two B)Bend the existing exhaust pipe in some way C)Buy an existing part from the local discount auto parts store. I am really clueless, but I can't wait another month to install the headers, so since I've already started the job I would really like to finish. Oh, by the way this is my daily driver so the solution needs to be something I can do by maybe Wednesday at the latest. Thanks in advance for any help available :)

PatsLs1vette

youll need to cut your existing pipe to attach to the header ..cut it at the header and attach a collector to it..either weld it on or clamp it on...then you can install a gaskey=t between them to seal it up..

Gordonm

When I had the stock exhaust I had a piece made from the collector to the exhaust. I took off the front pipe and had a piece made to the rest of the exhaust. I took a piece of flexable exhaust pipe (Bubba exhaust) and bent it so I could drive to the shop. I took some big hose clamps and stuck it all together. It worked until I got there. They fabbed up a pipe and I drove home. Cost was 40 bucks I have since had a custom exhaust but this should work fine for your car.

PRNDL

Warp70, your new stainless exhaust system is 2 pieces (front and rear) on each side, right? You need to either cut the front piece to fit (like Pat suggested), or use some flex pipe to replace the front section (like Gordon suggested). I would recommend trying Gordon's solution. If you completely screw up, or have fit problems with the headers, you could still install the intact exhaust system with the stock manifolds. If you butcher the brand new front pipes you are screwed! Some vendors will sell you exhaust pipes for headers that include a front section that only needs some minor cutting to fit onto the headers.

I tried to install my own headers on my bigblock and I couldnt even remove the drivers side exhaust manifold!!! I ended up buying two sets of exhaust pipes!! I may try again this winter. MJ

Frankenvette

Gordonm has the right idea. I did the same. Installed the headers myself, installed some temp flexible exhaust repair tubing you can get at Autozone and drove her to the muffler shop. They welded the exhaust pipes directly to the collector. Made it reall easy and I saved the cost of having someone install the headers themselves.

Regards,

Jim

KJL

I just installed a set of Dynomax headers. I did not want to use the pipes that connected to my manifolds in case I wanted to return the car to stock. I drove the car with open headers to a muffler shop and they fit and welded the pipe to the collector coupling furnished with the kit. It took 2 guys 3 hours to do this and cost about 130 bucks. They did a great job and I did not loose any ground clearance. I can still access the bolts to my transmission pan!!
Money well spent.

69classchass

Ditto, the Drive to any muffler shop, advice. Theyll just cut , fit and weld the collectors so your pipes can get bolted to the headers. Piece of cake for any mufflershop. half hour job but charge for an hour probably.
Hope this helps..
TC

Warp70

I just ordered the Hooker reducer kit which should allow me to connect the collector to the headpipes. I know I will have to cut my front ehaust pipe to install the reducer on the end, but as long as I am careful, it should be do-able. I have a friend down the street that has a welder, so as soon as I measure everything out, cut the pipe, slide on the reducer and verify everything will match up perfectly, I can run that section of the pipe and the reducer down the street for a quick weld job. I also bought the bracket for the A/C on the right side of the block, so I can eliminate cutin the factory A/C bracket. All in all this has turned out to be a huge pain in the A--, but since I've come this far I am going to see it to it's conclusion. I think that if the company that sold me the headers would have given me a clue to the extra parts I needed it would have made things easier to start with, but I'll take the blame for thinking an upgrade like this would be quick and simple :smash:

Shutdown1

Hell no, don't take the blame. Nobody that works at these big after-market companies can do anything anymore except stare at a computer screen; and most of them have completly lost touch with their products and their intended purpose. The directions are bad, the fits are bad, and it seems like every job you get into results in days or weeks of downtime while you're waiting for the "right" part to come, or whatever else you need that should have been sent in the first place. Make one mistake (due to lack of information from the manufacturer) and you've ruined it. Now,before I buy any accessorie for my car, I have an understanding with the seller that I can return it if I don't like it for any reason. Maybe when the sellers and manufacturers start getting more back than they are selling, they will get the message. But I doubt it. Regards and hope you enjoy your headers.


'74 Turbocharged 350, "Molested to Perfection," class of '71