Headers

Patriot headers makes a nice shorty header.Unless you could find used eddy ones.

 Interesting. Mids give you about 15HP Longs much more.  So are the factory dog leg manny's considered free flow?

Long tube headers give about 15 hp and 20 foot pounds of torque over free flows or shorty headers (which are virtually identical). Someone posted a dyno test here a while back and that was the result. Seat of the pants feel with headers vs free flows or shorties is that the long tube headers have the best effect in the mid range, which does not show up so much when you are just talking peak hp/torque. You get a nice fat mid range torque boost from the scavenging effect of tuned headers, which is what you want on the street as opposed to the track.

Chris

PS: In answer to your question, go free flows if you are super concerned about clearance. They will seal best , be quietest and have excellent clearance. I don't think shorty headers do anything FF's don't except cost money and give sealing and eventually rust issues.


Edited by ccowx - Dec/29/2017 at 10:06pm

Something that may not matter at all to some but will to others is the sound of an engine with headers. Headers will make it sound like you put in a lumpier cam. If you think that doesn't matter to anyone, consider that cam grinders offer cams that specifically produce an aggressive exhaust sound. For example, Comp Thumpr cam grinds.
Old cars are mostly toys to show off and spend plenty of time at cruise nights. Headers have plenty of problems but engine performance and drivability will not suffer. Purposely putting too aggressive a cam can negatively effect drivability so if exhaust sound is what you're after, which is the better option?

Dave Z

i have a set of shorty headers on my 304 matador just changing to them did help it  runs cooler and a little bit better MPG