Questions about headers

[tim21391]

ok do you remember when u were 17 almost 18 years old?? and you always wanted to stand out in the crowd... as you all know i got a 72 chevy.. the green and white one in my picture.. its got 402 big block that was rebuilt by the local engine shop that rebuilds race engines... he put some performance in it... and im running flowmaster 40 series and its loud dont get me wrong.. but in the spring with income tax money.. should i spend my money on some headers to really open my exhaust up to make it scream when i drive it..... and its a a/c truck.. would i have to take the a/c compressor off???..let me know if i should put headers or leave stock exhaust manifolds on it....

[tim21391]

i really love the sound of old muscle cars/trucks with loud exhaust... i wanna blow away the hondas and everything that sound like a weedeater gone mad

[bhoeger70]

unless you are going to buy a really good set of headers leave the manifolds on it. headers do make a differance up in the rev range but not much down low.

[crazy longhorn]

Call me old ....I guess, I took the 40's off my 69, & went with 50's flows. When I want LOUD, I crank up my Harley.....I found out the 2" open pipes on that will set off the alarms on parked cars(just gotta be about 2' away from them , & bast the throttle) Ok.....so im a 50 something teenager! Back to the Q(I tend to get off track.....must be adhd). A good set of long tube headers will pump up the bottom /midrange on your truck, & will probably sound off a bit more. If you are looking for more tork in you normal driving range, add an H or X pipe to the system. The crossover will tame the note just a tad, but has a sweeter(more tuned) sound . neithter crossover (H or X will hurt the top end power), but will give you more USEABLE power in the rpm range tht you normally run on the street. Thats a win/win deal.....best of luck,crazyL

[huero]

I would save your money for gas and drive it.

[70cst]

I have a 70 with factory AC and a 402BB (Automatic). My truck had Tri Y's but I am going back to the factory manifold set up with 3 chambered magnaflows or flowmasters. I am not sure which one? I liked the Try Y's but the headers hung to low below the frame for my taste. My truck has about a 3-5" drop. Also aiways remember...when it comes to fast there will always be something faster.One thing our trucks have that the Hondas and Toyotas do not have...our trucks have a "cool" factor they cannot touch. Also they cannot emulate the BB sound that our trucks have. In a shorten version I say this...your truck alreadyhas a cool factor and a sound others cannot touch. Good luck.

[special-K]

I run headrers.Some guys like this and some like that.You can get a bracket to run your compressor w/headers.It`s up to you.

[streetstar]

Headers won't make the truck a whole lot louder (if any at all) than the 40 series Flows on it now are

That said, if you combine the headers with a new exhaust system complete with balance pipe and 3" Flow 40's (or magnaflows, borlas etc.) -- then it may sound a little different

bigger diameter mufflers (inlet/outlet) are louder than smaller diameter mufflers.
The single 50 series (3") on my K5 is as loud as the dual 2 1/2" 40's on my Cheyenne

If you already have the 3" mufflers, then forget it, they are as loud as it gets on the street.

you do live in Kansas though --- plenty of people there spray garden hoses in the tailpipe to wet down their glass packs so the packing will blow out --- LOL
this gives that ultra annoying straight pipe sound, but its loud

[big_al_71]

I would most definetly go with headers powder coated ones in fact....Love the look, love the idle crisp sound.....

Go for it!!!!

[OldSkool71]

Originally Posted by huero

I would save your money for gas and drive it.

[Yukon Jack]

I vote for headers. BBC's don't seem to have the same problems that the SBC's tend to have with headers. Absolutely no spark plug issue with mine, the header bolts have never loosened and no exhaust leaks.

[ashx2]

The headers are coming off of mine and I'm going back w/exhaust manifolds.

I have an issue w/the headers being in contact w/my plugs/wires and do not like it. I don't want to have to loosen the stinking headers just to change my plugs....not to mention the fact that the headers burned up the boot on a couple of the wires.

[straitnate14]

put some hookers on it, I put headman's on at the beginging of summer and they already look like crap and they didnt fit very well. My dad did the same thing with his gto and sent the headmans back and got hookers but you know how it is , dad dont know anything

[corn]

I like headers but its not my truck.

[tim21391]

crazy longhorn.. my dad has a ultra classic harly and its loud i know what you mean ha hes 40..

but to the one guy talking about 3" flows... i only got 2.25" because my dad used to drive it and he didnt wanna spend big bucks on whole system so he just got new tail pipes to make it dual.. so i got 2.25" 40 flows on it now.. its loud but like the one guy was saying i wanna get it more of a deep tone.. if i do get headers long tube is the way?? like i had a friend get in my truck and rev it and my head was next to my tip and i got a bad headache from it haha i loved it but you think ill be happier in the long run just by leaving it?? oh and dad has been driving it as a daily driver so hes been paying gas in it.. so its not a problem with me for the gas mileage problem..... its my weekend toy to have fun in and blow the tuner cars out of the water... they can be cool with their systems but when their window is down.. i pull up and let them hear my muscle!!!

[straitnate14]

If you bump up to 3 inch you will get a deeper tone for sure my old 2.5's were verry poppy a crackly with flomasters

[tim21391]

ya i know what ya mean.... i got a news update today... dad called me and said to start saving my money that we are going to get the ride painted yellow where the green is.. redo the white.. and keep the two tone look.. and we will get all new trim..a new polished grille with the cool billit inner grille with the straight bars... and new rims... and that i can get it painted for $700 since i work at a body shop.. so he will pay half and ill pay other half so i think ill keep exhaust the way it is for now... thanks guys for your inputs i appreciate it!!

[tim21391]

i think im going to keep my stock manifolds...they are all surface rusted and everything... but i just media blasted a set of manifolds for the camaro im working on... and the glass beads that shoot out i had them both cleaned up and painted with high temp paint in less then thirty minutes..... i will do these to mine when i have time

[big_al_71]

Get headers!!!!!