Manifold or Headers, H or X pipe, muffler brand

[Mmorgan32]

I have the same engine as you I have stock manifolds for 2 reasons, I have my engine set up to look completely stock, and I get tired of changing header gaskets its a pain I. The ass and with this engine you won't notice the hp anyways, the ticking of a leaky header gasket drives me insane. I have true duals, h pipe and 40 series flows my truck sounds amazing not super loud at idle but when I hit the gas it sounds like a muscle truck which in my opinion that's what these trucks are supposed to sound like. I live in Fresno where it's over 100 degrees everyday I drive with the windows down and I just turn the radio up louder. Personally I think magnaflows sound terrible on old trucks. Oh my whole system cost $425 out the door mandril bent and all welds no clamps

[BossHogg69]

I'm using Hedman Elite Hedders on the BB in my '69, and they are nice. They have thick flanges, thick tubes and are coated. I wouldn't even mess with an uncoated header, but that's my opinion. They start looking crappy pretty fast. I'm using 3" pipes, an H-pipe and Borla XR-1 mufflers. They are loud as hell at idle and are deafening at WOT. It's not my daily driver.

On the daily driven small block equipped trucks I've had, I like 40 series Flowmasters or Flowtech Terminators. I've also had headers on every daily driven truck I've had and used copper gaskets and NEVER had an issue. The only leak I've ever had was from using a paper header gasket, and that only happened once. Anyhow, both of those mufflers are loud when you get on it, but not annoying at idle or cruising - but I like loud pipes. I've used H-pipes and X pipes, to me there really isn't much difference. The H pipes are a little more boomy/more bass, the x pipe is a little more high pitched and raspy. Mufflers also have a huge effect too, personal preference I guess. I currently have an x pipe with stainless long tube headers & 2.5" duals with Flowtech Terminators on the '05 GMC in my sig - it also has no cats on it and sounds like a hotrod.

If I were you I'd do some nice coated 1 5/8" long tube headers & get some copper header gaskets. Throw away the paper gaskets that will most likely come with the headers you buy. Then true duals, and maybe an H-pipe, since to me (just my opinion!) they're easier to package under these trucks and some Flowmasters. I probably wouldn't even worry with the H pipe, as I don't know if you'll see much of a gain, but it's just cool to say you have one. I just like the way Flowmasters sound on Gen I small blocks.