Phoenix79

I've been looking through the summit magazine catalog and came across many headers and many questions. I'm new to the vette and over the months learned alot, but my knowledge in the exhaust area is pretty shady and with headers in the equation my knowledge is close to none so please bear with me and answer my questions and add your experiences on the subject as well. I have a stock SB 1979 Corvette with A/C. I've been told Vettes are alittle out there in the exhaust area due to the manifold or headers exiting down towards the road for clearance issues. My budget is pretty tight so I don't want to spend over $400. I've been eyeing these Hooker Street Rod Headers from the Summit catalog. The straight black price is 139.95 with the Ceramic Coating being 265.95. I know the Ceramic Coating greatly lowers the heat issue but if I wanted to save even more money would the straight black do alright in the car as well? My other big concern is can I keep the regular stock piping and cat. Do the Hooker Street Rod Headers bolt onto the existing exhaust setup like the Manifolds did?

I really want to buy the headers and new exhaust tubing for the car so I can get it over with and not worry about it for awhile but my budget is tight. For the moment it seems a 2-1-2 setup is my only bet with the tight budget and the emission laws in IL. What kind of setup do you guys have and how much was the total cost? Looks are not an issue right now, just dependability, ease of installment and emissions. I've been looking at Hedman Tight Tube headers, Hooker Street Rod Headers for Small Block Chevy, and Afterburner headers. I'm so far out there I can't even think of good questions to ask my vette forum family. Please shed some light on the situation and lift away my ignorance of the exhaust system and how headers install on a SB Vette.
:confused: :confused:

Chris Fowler

I don't think you'll gain much of anything with headers if you're still running through a restrictive 2-1-2 setup.

If you can, stay with the stock exhaust manifolds and get to a true dual setup first. Then get headers...

someone slap me if I'm wrong. :D

Phoenix79

My plan is to get things piece by piece for the time being. Since I lost my left manifold due to a good chunk breaking off, I figured I'd go for headers and over the months start replacing things. I was going to change my mufflers BUT with the manifold problem decided to start there. Performance gain as of right now isn't a big issue, I just want to have something to replace my exhaust manifolds and over the next few months go for a muffler change...etc...etc. Maybe get away with true duals!

427V8

Take a serious look at dynomax. Low cost, small tubes. Just what you want!

Street rod headers, arn't they really shorty headers? If so do'nt bother :U

emsrescu

I agree with 427v8 i got the dynomax out of summit for like $208 they are made for your vette and have lots of clearence for the plugs and bolts. I will be installing mine on saturday. I just got the motor set in on Sunday. :yesnod:

Alwyn678

I used the same setup on my 74..Installed 2 weeks ago...Fit and quality are excellent..i am quite pleased :cheers:

ylose

I also am another dynomax user....they are great,,,and at a damn nice price too.

Phoenix79

So Dynomax it is, do they install onto the existing exhaust hardware? That's the part I'm questioning the most. I'm looking on page 182 of the January-Feburary 2002 catalog at the Dynomax Headers: 89.95 for Standard painted, most V8 apps and the 215.69 Ceramic coated one. It says to specify make, model, engine size and year...etc. Is it safe to assume that once given the make, model, year..etc I will get headers that bolt onto the existing piping including a setup for my A/C? I just wanna make sure before I get them so I don't have to order something else once I get the Dynomax headers in the mail and notice they won't install on the stock piping.

Also is ceramic coating a must have for headers?

terryrudy

I don't believe in doing stuff twice. I'd save up and do it all at once. I went with dual 2.5" tubes and Heddman Smog headers (#68301) which have the AIR fittings (if you're concerned about tight emissions). Then put in dual cats. Of course thats not 100% legal. If you want 100% legal, maybe go 2-1-2 but with larger 2.5" or 3" piping and a high flow cat. I think just swapping out your cat will be the best bang for buck at this stage if you are running stock cat still.
good luck
-terry

nunus79

Absolutely, No full length headers fit the stock pipe configuration. I believe the shorty headers are a couple of inches too long to bolt up directly to the stock pipes also and they may line up too far outboard. So, if you want headers you have to get custom bent pipes to match. I'm with Terry, do the free-er flowing cat for now. It will be a noticeable seat of the pants difference.

Phoenix79

Thanks for the information so the stock pipe configuraion has to go. The reason i'm inquiring so much about headers is because my stock exhaust manifold is shot to hell. Instead of replacing it and later down the road going with headers, I figured I'd take the transition to headers now. With the old piping going out the window...its starting to look like the transition could be a PITA. What did you guys do to install your headers? How much was the total cost after your dynomax headers were installed along with the new piping? Still doing a 2-1-2 setup or right into dual exhaust? I have so many questions...it's ridiculous. I feel like a complete moron and unworthy of the vette. *Sigh* :nonod:

Metal Wulf

Here's a question for everyone... If I get dynomax headers for my stock L-48, will the headers work if I changed out the heads ? or will I have to buy new headers ?

:seeya

terryrudy

Nah, I'm a beginner too - just asked a lot of questions as well. Basically to install headers, you just unbolt a lot of old rusting crap and bolt up the new stuff. Just be sure to buy good exhaust gasket (to heads) as the stuff they give you is usually crap. After header cost, I paid about $350 for the rest of the exhaust at a local Midas. Was a fun drive to Midas with open headers. :) But I did true duals. To stay legal, you'll have to go 2-1-2 and that maybe more or maybe less. Not sure really as far as that is concerned.
-terry

Alwyn678

Yes they will still work :D

Phoenix79

I just got back from looking under the car, I know for sure I can install the headers myself and my plan is to go true dual exhaust. Once emission time comes I'll just throw in the older exhaust. I have a bunch of buddies around here who could help out if and when needed. I'm not a conformist when it comes to emissions on my vette and if doing things the knucklehead way is the only means I have at going true dual then by all means I'm a knucklehead. They have quite a few decent exhaust shops in my area and $350 for the entire setup at Midas after the headers is pretty good. I know of a shop who swears they will always be cheaper then their competition so I should get a good deal. Did you buy your headers with the ceramic coating? If not is the heat bearable?

terryrudy

I myself just have the black paint. Heat ain't unbearable but I'm sure its more than coated. But I was being cheap.
-terry

Phoenix79

Any insight on the Afterburner headers by Flowtech? Will they install on a SBC 79' Vette? Hang to low? In comparison to the other headers they look pretty darn futuristic. Just wanted to know the scoop about them from other Corvette owners.

ACLR810

Points to consider:

The black paint on the headers is not a tempature resistant paint, it is only to prevent rust during shipping and prior to install. you would be well off to remove the factory paint (sandblast or otherwise) and get some good flat black hi-temp paint. This stuff isn't expensive at all, comes in a spray can. A couple of hours worth of work will pay off big later. Don't forget the Hi-Temp primer too.

You are going to ruin the factory exhaust when you take it off, thereby not being able to put it back on for emissions time (which I cannot imagine doing, what a time-consuming pain in the butt for one-day test). Taking it off is going to require cutting, bending, breaking and a lot of cussing!! I seriously doubt you would be able to reuse it again. Where in IL do you live that tests? I live in Bloomington and have never heard of it, and I'm a cop! Must be a north of I-80 thing, guess it will filter down eventually.

I encourage the true duals thing, otherwise find a replacement manifold off of the forum or e-bay (they turn up every so often) and keep the stock set-up.

Phoenix79

Thanks for the info! I appreciate it very much, I never thought to sand blast the headers and then paint them with hi-temp paint. I currently live in Troy, IL. It's about 30mins from St. Louis. I bought the car in Missouri from a sales lot and still have yet to recieve my testing letter. My brother and father who both bought new cars within the same month give a week or two had to test for emissions whereis I did not. I have to look further into the emissions testing of IL. I may be wrong but are you saying the area you're in doesn't test cars before a certain year?

ACLR810

I have never had to test a vehicle, haven't heard of anyone around here who does. It may be something done locally, I don't know. I hope I never heve to test one. I would have figured it was a Chicago area thing due to the mass population, but maybe its the same around St. Louis. I honestly don't know the answer to the emissions test, now it has me wondering. I would check into it for sure.

Good luck!