Do you run headers ?

[x Baldwin Motion]

Running Hooker super comp on what was a mostly stock 350. With the upcoming engine change my only decision is leave 'em black, or paint them white? I think if I paint them white, then I will need the yellow spark plug wires also

[Keith Tedford]

While I like the look of a restored car, we drive ours and I too am a Day 2 guy who likes to have a musclecar that looks the part. As a matter of fact, Dale and I were out for about a 30 mile run in the old 396 car today. The first run since last October. Our 427 car ran Hedman headers from Day 2. We had a '72 with a '68 L78 and headers. Our '69 396 car has the headers that came on it in '97. Our '69 el Camino also got headers when I was freshening it up. The 455 in our '72 Lemans Sport got them too. My only experience with Hooker was that the collectors were way low. The Flow Tech headers started showing rust after one season. If you want to buy a nice fitting header, go with Hedman or others that fit, then take them to a company that does ceramic coating. The results seem to be a lot better. Flushed with money, go with stainless steel headers. They should last a life time, or certainly longer than us old guys are going to be around.

[Salvatore]

Had hedman Huslers on my 1969 nova back in 1972. You are the man Keith!

[olredalert]

-----Keith,,,Headers that fit??? Whats that like, buying a set of headers that fit??? I have never bought a set of headers that FIT!!! ......Bill S

[Keith Tedford]

I used "FIT" very loosely. All header fit is bad. Some are impossible. Some of the manufacturers forget that you mightwant to change sparkplugs, or even use plug wires. Then there are those that hit on everything and need to be massaged with a ball peen hammer. I just found the Hedmans the least bad....if that makes sense. I can see why people stay with manifolds. Thankfully unleaded gas cuts down on the plug changes. On our L78 I've only changed plugs once in the 34K miles that we have had the car.

[Salvatore]

Bill, honestly I have Hooker SC's on my 1969 Z/28 non power steering car and they really fit quite well. They are even the bigger tube style. In the old days it was tougher I think but lately if you buy a good header they fit pretty well.

[olredalert]

-----I dont know if Tom is still running them or not but back when I put the raised-port A/R head engine in Red Alert I really wanted a set of step-headers as well. A guy that used to work for Lemons Headers in Ca. and had gone out on his own got refered to me. We talked, and he said he could do the job without the car. He said "I have all the dimensions"..... Ill never forget those words!!! I got the headers and after a couple of weeks of tweeking got them on. Thank God Red wasnt a plug-eater though as the plugs were about a 4 to 5 hour job with all the expected cursing and skinned knuckles. Add into the mix the 14 to 1 pistons that required very good plug indexing. That amount of time never went down either. I would have way rather pulled the engine. He//,,,That was easy.......Bill S

[sYc]

Bill, yes still have the step-headers, and yes, they still suck.

[BUIZILLA]

Hedman 4-2-1's...

[Survivor 69/Z28]

I heard the Hedmans were the best fit headers for a 70 BB Chevelle.