does it run yet?
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
Burnout videos!!!!!!!
Hoping for this weekend. It's been under 10° this week but I've done a few piddling things. Been waiting for the headers to show up to make more serious progress.
Be sure to angle the O2 bung up at least 10 degrees, preferably more, when you weld it in.
The headers are part number 7544. Technically Hooker lists a different part number for 73-74 squares. @folkenheath and I combed the instructions and the only difference we found was directions on bending the linkage for a column shifted 3 speed, "3 on the tree". We figure 73 & 74 were the only years you could get a square with 3 on the tree. The headers look identical in all the pictures.
The big reason we were looking at the difference was to save about $80. So I got the cheaper set listed for 75-87 trucks.
Looks like they should work. Need to grind a bit off the frame on the drive side.
And the passenger side needs the brake & fuel hard lines adjusted some along with the fuel tank sender level wire. This side might be the hardest part.
Other pictures.
The big reason we were looking at the difference was to save about $80. So I got the cheaper set listed for 75-87 trucks.
Looks like they should work. Need to grind a bit off the frame on the drive side.
And the passenger side needs the brake & fuel hard lines adjusted some along with the fuel tank sender level wire. This side might be the hardest part.
Other pictures.
Looks good , 83 still had three on the tree.
I was going to say my dad ordered a brand new GMC in 82 with a three on the tree.
Looking good Scott!
Does that drop out at the bottom where you expected for a 2WD crossmember?
Can you just put some welding gloves on and bend those hard lines back closer tucked into the frame more? That would be fast and easy if done right. You might want to wrap some heat insulator around them when done in that area.
How thick are the flanges on those stainless bad boys? They look plenty thick?
Can you just put some welding gloves on and bend those hard lines back closer tucked into the frame more? That would be fast and easy if done right. You might want to wrap some heat insulator around them when done in that area.
How thick are the flanges on those stainless bad boys? They look plenty thick?
The 1987 R10 came standard with a column shifted three speed.
Martin
Martin
It's still unkown why Hooker would make the cutoff from 69-74, and 75-91. It doesn't make any sense. Its like the years are shifted 2 years on the earlier model.
I have the earlier model on my truck for a BBC, I don't even think they had the later option then. But there must be a reason....anyone know?
I have the earlier model on my truck for a BBC, I don't even think they had the later option then. But there must be a reason....anyone know?
I do not. They might have changed the shift linkage? The ‘73-‘74 trucks have a few different things from the ‘75+. The ‘73-‘74 use a different fuse panel and bulkhead connector. Might be something like that?
Martin
Martin
The shift linkage was the only thing mentioned in the instructions that wasn't mentioned in the new part. I think if you find an older set of instructions for the older model, they used them on the entire lineup. Now they have a separate model for the newer ones.
A manual transmission?
To be honest, I hadn't really thought much about how the crossmember might come into play. I haven't had a truck with a factory trans crossmember in a long time. It's going to be interesting. I need some pipe to hold up there to see for sure how it's going to line up. I might have to put a little dog leg in the pipes coming off the collectors. It's going to be close either way. I was thinking I might also be able to get away with making the pipe a little more oval shaped.
My only big concern with the hard lines, is being able to get good leverage on them. I was planning to put some head shield wrap on them for good measure because I happen to have a piece on hand.
The flanges are 5/16". These headers feel very sturdy.
For the sake of curiosity for any interested, this is a comparison of the product image and instructions. I starred the only section that is different between the instructions. Everything else is verbatim the same wording.
@mrk5 if you would take some pictures of the spark plug wire routing when you get to it, I would appreciate it. I looked at some of the Hooker headers, but I couldn't visualize how much of a pain it would be for the wires.
And would you be able to pull the brake lines out of the frame more than they are, then drop them down some?
And would you be able to pull the brake lines out of the frame more than they are, then drop them down some?
Correct.
The C10, C20, K10, and K20 were all standard with a column shifted three speed manual transmission from 1973–1981.
Martin
Last edited:
Those headers are easy to route the wires in pairs from the top with 90 degree boots. So you would pair up 2&4, 6&8, and 1&3 and 5&7 and then have them go out at the bottom with 90 degree boots.
The #5 & 7 may need to go over or under the #7 tube, I don't remember that, but I don't remember having a problem when I put them on my 355 before I had the big block in the truck.
The #5 & 7 may need to go over or under the #7 tube, I don't remember that, but I don't remember having a problem when I put them on my 355 before I had the big block in the truck.
I got stuff done, but don't feel like it was a lot. Just trying to do things well. Like properly routing the wire harness down to the starter. You can quickly see why a lot of people ditch the oil pan mounted clamps for the wires, battery cable, and trans cooler lines. But I like knowing they're firmly held in place. 30 years ago the very first time I installed headers I tried to burn the truck down with the battery cable on the header.
Plus there's always the unanticipated troubles. Had to trim the plastic dust shield for the torque converter. Needs a bigger cut out for the 1-piece rear main seal. Whoever invented the nut and bolt combo for torque converters versus captured nuts on the converter is not my favorite person. Plus the nuts on the new hardware were too tall. Figured out the old style, 1-wire, temp sender won't fit in the new heads; 3/8 vs 1/2 NPT. I probably spent the most time messing with good old header stuff.
I always forget what I "love" so much about headers. The driver side is pretty good; I could actually get a torque wrench on all but 1 bolt. The passenger side I can't get a torque wrench on any, and 2 of the bolts I need to sub for the type with the smaller 3/8" wrench heads to be a little more accessible with a wrench. There is 1 spark plug on each side that you can't get a socket on because a tube is just slightly too close. Laying under the truck later to install the starter, I'm think it might be easier to get to the spark plugs from underneath.
I also decided you have to earn the privilege of keeping AC with headers, especially the old school compressor like mine. Putting it on was a bit of a jigsaw. I'll have to post more when I get some pics of the brackets as it's too much to try and describe with words.
The exhaust clears the crossmember on the passenger side perfectly. The driver side is just touching. I will have to make a little 1/2" dog leg on that side. It's so close. Maybe if I still had old worn out motor mounts in, it would have cleared.
In the background of the first picture you can see my quick fix relay for the fuel pump. That wiring job is a thing of beauty.
Plus there's always the unanticipated troubles. Had to trim the plastic dust shield for the torque converter. Needs a bigger cut out for the 1-piece rear main seal. Whoever invented the nut and bolt combo for torque converters versus captured nuts on the converter is not my favorite person. Plus the nuts on the new hardware were too tall. Figured out the old style, 1-wire, temp sender won't fit in the new heads; 3/8 vs 1/2 NPT. I probably spent the most time messing with good old header stuff.
I always forget what I "love" so much about headers. The driver side is pretty good; I could actually get a torque wrench on all but 1 bolt. The passenger side I can't get a torque wrench on any, and 2 of the bolts I need to sub for the type with the smaller 3/8" wrench heads to be a little more accessible with a wrench. There is 1 spark plug on each side that you can't get a socket on because a tube is just slightly too close. Laying under the truck later to install the starter, I'm think it might be easier to get to the spark plugs from underneath.
I also decided you have to earn the privilege of keeping AC with headers, especially the old school compressor like mine. Putting it on was a bit of a jigsaw. I'll have to post more when I get some pics of the brackets as it's too much to try and describe with words.
The exhaust clears the crossmember on the passenger side perfectly. The driver side is just touching. I will have to make a little 1/2" dog leg on that side. It's so close. Maybe if I still had old worn out motor mounts in, it would have cleared.
In the background of the first picture you can see my quick fix relay for the fuel pump. That wiring job is a thing of beauty.
Does your collector adaptor neck down smaller than the collector and then back up again suddenly? 2.5 down to 2.25 back up to 2.5 again? I think I would avoid that if possible. Even if it means cutting the flange off and welding it on to your pipe directly.
If it only barely touches the crossmember, you could probably put a cut in the pipe from the top, but not all the way through, then bend it so the cut is touching again, and weld it shut. It may angle the pipe just enough to clear the crossmember but won't crush the pipe any, and the angle will be so slight it shouldn't hurt performance.
If it only barely touches the crossmember, you could probably put a cut in the pipe from the top, but not all the way through, then bend it so the cut is touching again, and weld it shut. It may angle the pipe just enough to clear the crossmember but won't crush the pipe any, and the angle will be so slight it shouldn't hurt performance.
The box with Hooker collectors showed up with everything but the collectors. It was apparent the original tape didn't stick and UPS re-taped the box, but obviously not before my collectors fell out. They are sending me a new set, but I won't get them until Wednesday. I wanted to get a plan for the exhaust so I bought some $26 collectors from O'Reilly and the only thing they had with 2-1/2" input was 2-1/4" output. Had to use the adapters to get 2-1/2" past the crossmember.
Haha! That's exactly what I was doing 30 minutes ago on my "get away from the desk" break. Honestly I think it's kinda fun to come up with exhaust routing solutions like that.
I just remembered something else I had a little battle with this weekend. You ever have a nut with messed up threads that end up causing you grief. I couldn't figure out why the damn thing couldn't thread on. Finally figured out the threads on the nut were messed up, which would in turn messed up the bolt threads further compounding the trouble. Threw that damn nut in the trash!
I've had that happen with bolts that had a thread damaged.
The worst time was when I bought a pre bent crossmember from ORD. Turns out my frame was bent from a previous crash, so I had to shorten the crossmember an inch for my lift height. I had a friend turn it on the lathe at work at the time, was about 20 years ago. Brought a tie rod end to test the fit. For the life of us we couldn't figure out why it wouldn't thread in, there wasn't a single burr on the threads and we cleaned and deburred more than once.
I finally figured out we had cut the LH threaded end off and I had only brought the right hand threaded tie rod end.
The worst time was when I bought a pre bent crossmember from ORD. Turns out my frame was bent from a previous crash, so I had to shorten the crossmember an inch for my lift height. I had a friend turn it on the lathe at work at the time, was about 20 years ago. Brought a tie rod end to test the fit. For the life of us we couldn't figure out why it wouldn't thread in, there wasn't a single burr on the threads and we cleaned and deburred more than once.
I finally figured out we had cut the LH threaded end off and I had only brought the right hand threaded tie rod end.
