BBC Headers - Who's Got What?? UPDATE w/shortys!

[nvrenuf]

Anybody running any type of shorty or block hugger headers? Any mods to make them work?

I have some Chevelle headers I wanted to use but the tubes hit the frame and the collector hits the bellhousing and I'm still an inch away from the head. Standard application stuff will work fine but if I can find a nice tight set that will work I'd rather use them.

 

[onetonbb74]

I have the regular full length hookers on my bbc, they are standard application headers for a 4x4 truck, they were fairly cheap as well, and fit great. The Pass side is even higher to clear the shaft but to install them, my starter and front driveshaft have to come out. The driverside fit w/ the oil filter still on the motor. hok-2463hkr is the summit part number.

 

[Greg72]

Subscribed.

Looking for a set of BBC headers in a 2" primary with a 3.5" collector for my 502..... it's not easy to find out there.

 

[JDNobodi]

I can't help with block hugger headers.
I have fenderwell header from the Fabshop.

 

[USSkoval]

^^How did you route the rest of the exhaust? Did you keep it outside of the rails?

 

[nvrenuf]

I have the regular full length hookers on my bbc, they are standard application headers for a 4x4 truck, they were fairly cheap as well, and fit great. The Pass side is even higher to clear the shaft but to install them, my starter and front driveshaft have to come out. The driverside fit w/ the oil filter still on the motor. hok-2463hkr is the summit part number.

Yeah, my last set were standard application Hedmans and they fit great. What I'm trying to do this time is find something that has short / high collectors so it'd be easier to build a "Y" pipe for single exhaust.

 

[JDNobodi]

^^How did you route the rest of the exhaust? Did you keep it outside of the rails?

Have not got that far yet. I've been running open headers. I'm a little broke now.
But yeah the exhaust is going on the outside of the frame.

 

[nvrenuf]

I called Hedman and their tech line suggested part #69570 ('92+ 2wd Suburban/truck w/ 454), SummitRacing.com shows them to be $412. Ouch! I'm not ready to spend that much yet, back to the search...

 

[folkenheath]

Subscribed.

Looking for a set of BBC headers in a 2" primary with a 3.5" collector for my 502..... it's not easy to find out there.

I just went through the same thing. I just finished building my 489 which will run in the mid 500 hp range. (sand, snow, mud) I was thinking I had to spend over $500 on super comps (1 7/8") or even more on custom 2" headers and my engine machinist (perfectionist who also assembles and dynos engines) said to not bother. He told me he has dynod 496 big blocks with regular 1 3/4" hooker comps and then switched to super comps or 2" primaries on some truck pull engines that were over 630 hp and he said below the peak the engines were the same or better with the regular comps. And he said at the peak they might raise 7 - 15 hp but only within 100 -200 RPM around the peak. Basically he said it's not worth the money because I probably wouldn't be able to tell a difference unless I was racing and kept the engine in that small RPM range and every millisecond counts. Which isn't going to happen. And my engine is not built to the mid 600 hp level either, so the difference may be even less. So I just bought the hooker comps. You might be wasting time and money looking for custom headers that you won't be able to tell the difference. But I don't know what your combo is. By the way, the ports are sized and shaped more square like at the flange to match the BB ports, so even though the size is only 1 3/4", there are no rapid steps or anything for the exhaust on the way into the tube.

 

[thatK30guy]

How 'bout side view shots?

 

[Greg72]

I just went through the same thing. I just finished building my 489 which will run in the mid 500 hp range. (sand, snow, mud) I was thinking I had to spend over $500 on super comps (1 7/8") or even more on custom 2" headers and my engine machinist (perfectionist who also assembles and dynos engines) said to not bother. He told me he has dynod 496 big blocks with regular 1 3/4" hooker comps and then switched to super comps or 2" primaries on some truck pull engines that were over 630 hp and he said below the peak the engines were the same or better with the regular comps. And he said at the peak they might raise 7 - 15 hp but only within 100 -200 RPM around the peak. Basically he said it's not worth the money because I probably wouldn't be able to tell a difference unless I was racing and kept the engine in that small RPM range and every millisecond counts. Which isn't going to happen. And my engine is not built to the mid 600 hp level either, so the difference may be even less. So I just bought the hooker comps. You might be wasting time and money looking for custom headers that you won't be able to tell the difference. But I don't know what your combo is. By the way, the ports are sized and shaped more square like at the flange to match the BB ports, so even though the size is only 1 3/4", there are no rapid steps or anything for the exhaust on the way into the tube.

Another good data point, thanks!

Yeah, basically the 2" primary / 3.5" collector is the recommendation straight out of the GM 502 installation manual... no other reason for that size other than that's what they suggested to use.

You're probably right too, a smaller primary tube may not make much difference especially at the low-end which is what my 502 was built for... going with a smaller 1-3/4" or 1/7/8" primary will give me a lot more off-the-shelf options too and should save me a few $$$.

 

[cheyennek20]

How 'bout side view shots?

X2 I'd love to see how these things look around the shackle.

I ended up using Hedman's. Other than how well they were made, they fit like crap. The Ball and Socket collector was nice though.

I'll have to look for the post with the part #. Once I find it, stay away from that set.

 

[cheyennek20]

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229076&highlight=Header+install

Post #10.

That says it all.

 

[tRustyK5]

I can't help with block hugger headers.
I have fenderwell header from the Fabshop.

So were these custom made or?? Can I ask what they are worth roughly? I really want to route my exhaust this way on my Crew Cab build, but most catalogs don't have much info on fenderwell headers...

Rene

 

[nvrenuf]

This looks to be the most promising set yet - http://www.sandersonheaders.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_23_36&products_id=176

 

[thatK30guy]

I knew Sanderson makes good headers but $325 for a plain steel finish? Wow! They must be color blind and think they're gold!

 

[JDNobodi]

Sorry it took so long to reply, I've been busy last week getting my blazer ready for a race at Lemoore. And after the race, I couldn't get on a computer.

How 'bout side view shots?

Sure,

I knew Sanderson makes good headers but $325 for a plain steel finish? Wow! They must be color blind and think they're gold!

If you were complaining about $325 set of headers, you would have a heart attach at over the $1200+ I've paid for mine. Yes, I paid a **** load of money for those header. Not for the faint of heart or hearing.

 

[mnstrburbon]

I run Doug's ( not Doug thorleys) headers and am happy with them ceramic coated i paid 300.00. I had to trim the pass frame rail about 1/2 inch so they would clear one tube a section about 3 inches long. I think with the diy4x motor mounts it would clear.

 

[nvrenuf]

Update -

I went with Sanderson Headers, they were the only company I found that offered shorty's specifically for 73-87 body style trucks. I checked and they are a perfect fit with room to spare. The quality is far beyond what I expected, easily the nicest headers I've ever bought.

There is one thing I'd do differently, I should have ordered the ceramic coated version instead of "bare finish". After weighing different coatings and paints I decided to go with Jet Hot which will end up costing me about $125 more than if I had just sucked it up on the initial purchase.

Anyway, now on to Jet Hot...

Jet Hot offers 11 colors, since only 2 specifically say either "flat" or "semi gloss" I assumed all other colors are shiney finish similar to the look of powder coating. Wrong! I found out the hard way that ALL colors offered except for sterling silver (chrome-ish) are FLAT. I mean flat like primer.

After talking at length to Jet Hot they have offered to strip & recoat the headers in the sterling silver at no charge. There is nothing wrong with their workmanship but I just don't want to spend that much and have them look like I used Krylon primer. So... I'm sending them back and will post new pics when they return.

I do have to say that Jet Hot has shown excellent customer service so far and is working very hard to make me happy with the final product. Once they're back with the new finish I'll post more pics both off and on the truck.

 

[blazin_blazer]

shoot, see if they will just put the shiny over that flat black & you'd have 2 layers of ceramic coat..