the first time you beat a set of headers onto a car

[moparedtn]

Typical story, late 70's, Chevy small block and Blackjacks - only cheaper header in those days were
the JC Whitney ones, I reckon - but everyone knew you had to beat a set of Blackjacks on whatever
engine/car you were fooling with, didn't matter what brand.

 

[WileE]

forgot about Cyclones!

I was cleaning up the other day and came across a set of "Sonic Turbo" mufflers under one of my carcasses

Does anyone know how the term "turbo" mufflers originated ? I had a set of original "turbo" mufflers on my car.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Does anyone know how the term "turbo" mufflers originated ? I had a set of original "turbo" mufflers on my car.

Those mufflers were originally from the Corvair Spyder Turbo..

 

[WileE]

Those mufflers were originally from the Corvair Spyder Turbo..

We have a winner ! And they were pretty sizeable suckers ! I remember getting a pair from the local Chevy dealer, and my first thought was " Damn, these are big " !

 

[1 Wild R/T]

We have a winner ! And they were pretty sizeable suckers ! I remember getting a pair from the local Chevy dealer, and my first thought was " Damn, these are big " !

Then you saw a Hemi muffler.... LOL Or those old Imperial mufflers...

 

[eldubb440]

if every male were required to install one set of difficult headers before the age of 21; the world would be a better place

 

[Richard Cranium]

Because of the limited room underneath due to the torsion bars on a Mopar, they just aren't worth the effort for a street driven car.

 

[Skytrooper]

My memory is a bit fuzzy about my experience. In 1984, right after I got my 78 Ramcharger, I needed to replace the headers. The ones on it were paper thin annd developing pin holes everywhere. I do not remember the brand I purchased, probably Blackjacks due to costs. I also bought new straight pipes and glasspacks for it.
The first thing I should have noticed was how battered the old ones were, but being oblivious...I just forged ahead. Now one would think with all the room under a Ramcharger hood it would be an easy task. Maybe it normally is but not in my case. I had to make many, many precision percussion adjustments. By the time I was finished, they almost perfectly resembled to old ones, except they were new and black.
It was a long day, 8am until midnight when I finally pulled out of the garage.
Thus my hatred of headers began.

 

[1967coronet]

if every male were required to install one set of difficult headers before the age of 21; the world would be a better place

Out in a rock drive, 45 degrees, 20" craftsman carry box , hacksaw with a crap blade and a buddy that don't know "1/2 from "9/16

 

[padam]

Does anyone cut the flanges apart?
Will they seal better or worse?

 

[1967coronet]

Does anyone cut the flanges apart?
Will they seal better or worse?

Back in the 70s the cheap brands did not have a solid flange,
They would warp 1st heat cycle and were a sob to get sealed.

 

[chargervert]

In 1980 my first Charger,1969 318. I put a new pair of Heddman headers on it. It took me two days to install them,laying in the dirt in the backyard. I remember being pissed off about having to dismantle the tie rod and pittman arm to put the header in on the drivers side! I thought it was a stupid design! I painted them with VHT white header paint,and was extremely careful not to get greasy handprints all over them. As soon as I started the car the paint vaporized! It almost completely burned off,and they claimed it could withstand 1000 degrees!

 

[eldubb440]

In 1980 my first Charger,1969 318. I put a new pair of Heddman headers on it. It took me two days to install them,laying in the dirt in the backyard. I remember being pissed off about having to dismantle the tie rod and pittman arm to put the header in on the drivers side! I thought it was a stupid design! I painted them with VHT white header paint,and was extremely careful not to get greasy handprints all over them. As soon as I started the car the paint vaporized! It almost completely burned off,and they claimed it could withstand 1000 degrees!

and you remembered every detail!

 

[Cranky]

Then you saw a Hemi muffler.... LOL Or those old Imperial mufflers...

Had a pair of those once....too quiet for me.

Because of the limited room underneath due to the torsion bars on a Mopar, they just aren't worth the effort for a street driven car.

Whimp....and speeelded it that way on poipous

Does anyone cut the flanges apart?
Will they seal better or worse?

Thought about that once but never did it. Figured it was more for bolt hole alignment.

My first set of headers went into my car when I did my first engine swap. It's also when I found out the magazines didn't know their asses from a hole in the ground when they were saying crap like you had to change the K frame from a small block to fit a big block and that was over 50 years ago! Anyways, my headers, 727 and torque converter came from a freshly wrecked 69 Super Bee. The yard had just pulled the engine and trans and had the headers laying close by. Just happened to look at them as I walked by and they looked familiar so asked them what they came out of and they said same car as the engine and trans so got them too. They were also Hookers and were pretty nice and no dents and then still had no dents after sticking them into my first car....a 66 Belvedere.

Years later after the military etc, did my second set of headers on my 66 Fastback Mustang. They went in easy too but don't know the brand they were. They also came out of another car iirc. Fast forward another several years and bought a 71 Cuda 340 with Hookers on it already....and no dents. Could even swap the 'short' starter without loosening them but you really had to hold your mouth just right for that to happen. For those that don't know, 'mom' made two different size starters with one being just a bit shorter and little bit less power but it turned that 340 over just fine.

One more tidbit about leaking headers....read an article way back about how to install headers and not have leaks. It was mostly about gaskets but there was a short paragraph about making sure the flange was good and flat with good tube fitment and no protruding welds etc and said a large flat file was your friend. Well, still have that large flat file and have used it a few times on header flanges. Those Hookers on my first car had a leak and meant to chase it down but Uncle Sam got me before having the chance to do that.

 

[eldubb440]

Because of the limited room underneath due to the torsion bars on a Mopar, they just aren't worth the effort for a street driven car.

myself and other members will collectively spare you the red X

I put a cheap pair of headers on my GTX in 1986 without issue........ even used the full size starter

 

[chargervert]

and you remembered every detail!

Remember when you took the blonde girl behind the barn and did naughty things to her,well Pepperidge Farm remembers!

 

[eldubb440]

Remember when you took the blonde girl behind the barn and did naughty things to her,well Pepperidge Farm remembers!

Boone's Farm remembers too!

 

[chargervert]

Boone's Farm remembers too!

That's how you got her to go behind the barn with you in the first place!

 

[eldubb440]

That's how you got her to go behind the barn with you in the first place!

Strawberry Fields if I remember correctly!..... 2 bottles, cause it was like soda pop

 

[eldubb440]

Strawberry Fields if I remember correctly!..... 2 bottles, cause it was like soda pop

my bad