Headers

[luckywingnut]

I have a question to the guys that have short headers, those that end at the cowl. Do you get a lot of exhaust in the car as you are driving down the road? I was going to use sprint style headers on my build, but the front tires will hit the front tube of the headers. I like the look of lake style headers, but was concerned about exhaust getting into the car. I might be able to use the hi-boy style headers, but they might hit also.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

I'd like to hear the reviews as well. I plan to run fenderwell headers (if I EVER get back on the project) and I've breathed enough noxious fumes... make that too many noxious fumes... burning rubber and nitro excepted. [ddd

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[Bamamav]

Put the exhaust coming out a tube on the bottom of the collector, under the car, back toward the rear. Have a bolt on cap on the end of the collector to close it off, when you want to run it open, just take the cap off. Lots of rods have used something like that for years.

Not only are the fumes bad for you, the noise level will make you deaf! OK for short trips, but after a while it will start to pound on you. DR C, you could do something similar, put a flanged tube out to the side with a removable cap while the rest of the exhaust runs toward the rear. Did a Chevy II like that years ago, when we wanted to race we'd uncap it and let it roar....

 

[luckywingnut]

I have seen exhausts run that way and maybe I'm being a little hard headed, but I was going for a look. I was originally going to run the sprint style headers with an extension back to about 3/4 of the door or more. Noise is noise and can be controlled to an extent, but I was more concerned about the exhaust gas in the car. I really didn't want to run the exhaust under the car.

 

[Old Iron]

Here's two that I've done.
I know they are sprint style but, the turnouts are what makes them work and you could use those on the lakestyle.
My Nailhead headers I had to build myself

These are Peabody's that I purchased and installed on his 37 GMC

Neither one of these have exhaust fumes that enter the inside of the vehicles.
What makes this possible is the turnouts I put on the end of the collectors.
These have an auger style baffle in the header collector to help with noise.

 

[luckywingnut]

Love those headers. That's what I wanted to run but have interference issues. I didn't think the turnouts would help that much. Maybe the Hi-boy headers would work with the turnouts.
On another note, don't those inserts create a lot of backpressure? Seems you would want more flow than that.

 

[Old Iron]

It's surprising how good they flow.
Just enough back pressure to give the engine some torque.
I have put these on six different vehicles and they all do well. I have a set on my 65 GTO prosteet that runs low nines.

 

[luckywingnut]

Nice! Thanks for the info. Love the cars too.