And then there were 2...

I already have the parts I'm going to use so there's only going to be a minimal, if any, additional cash outlay at this point.
 
The K is out and the 440 bolted on, my Hedman shorties are a no-go.



Truck manifold may work, I just need to check the column clearance.



Here's where the mount bracket needs to be clearanced



Top shot



Passenger side is nice



Pan needs a dimple for idler arm full lock

 
will big block valve covers bolt on 180degs?..yours seem to have classic clearance cuts on the exhaust side for clearing intake manifold issues
 
ahh yeah boat manifolds probably needed the clearance for water bungs or something...but i gotta admid..ive never seen a set of coveres exhaust side clearanced
 
thats cause vintage cal-customs are the BEST....actualy so are the not so vintage(old with the pcv knockout that had the big C logo) ones..but the "last" generation had a big rectangle blank name plate that made them look like crap

TheIronSausage said:
I like those valve covers a lot.. super cool..
Click to expand...
 
Other than the OE 440 piece, there is no factory manifold that will clear the steering column of which I'm aware. To my knowledge, it's TTi or fenderwell headers. Doug's used to make a set, but I don't know if they do anymore. Regardless, they were around $600 when they were available. You could always build your own. The Hedman center-dump shorties are notorious for not fitting anything, which is why they changed the exit on the small-block versions. Nodda could tell you a thing or two about those, but not without swearing.
 
I knew from the start the first part of the exhaust was going to be the most expensive. If what I have will work I'll use it, if not I'll find something that will.

Fenderwell headers have never been an option for this car, I'm not going to run pizza cutters on the street. If TTi is my best option, I don't want Schumachers Tri-Y, then I'll concentrate on other parts of the car. Maybe I'll get started on the 8-3/4 and scrape 60,000 pennies together for your 4.10's Doc.
 
you dont have to run pizza cutters..well that mostly depends on offset and ride height....i always wondered if the layout of fenderwells was done different if it would have given more tire space without sacraficing HP
 
Unless you want '70s stock-car front wheel opening cutouts and tires protruding 3" or more past the side of the car, yes, you do have to run pizza cutters with fenderwell headers, be they four over or three over/one under. Even with pizza cutters, that dimple in the oil pan will be totally unnecessary, because the tires will be against the headers long before getting anywhere near full lock. A typical RH turn from a stop sign puts the sidewall dangerously close to the header.

A large negative offset is hell on wheel bearings and suspension components, too, never mind the "retarded redneck" look of tires protruding past the wheel openings.

From my admittedly limited readings over the past few years, the tri-Y design has recently been found to be a real horsepower killer in terms of headers, so good on ya for forgoing the Schumachers. Outside of turbo setups, scavenging is key and you just ain't gonna get it without a 4-into-1 design or a truly-bizarre (and impossible on a street car) 180° tri-Y setup. Best scavenging on a typical V8 is proven to be achieved with a primary length of 35-36" which is why all your competition-style equal-length headers have primaries about that length.

Meanwhile, in my exhaust world, the search for a pair of 1/2" thick B1-BA-pattern header flanges continues... :wall:
 
keep this in mind with headers on an A body..LOW and headers do not go together..been there trashed em...hell you wont make it over a low speedbump at anything lower than stock height and will rub assuming you crawl it and dont bounce.....there is a reason in HS i had my front end maxed out.....i got the headers stuck on too much shit running pretty much the same tire you plan on running save for being a 14

theres a reason my 67 fish didnt end up with a set of headers....i wanted to keep the nose low!..k member JUST enuf to get most big floor jacks under without issue 225 60 14s

the last set of fenderwell headers i saw was a LONG time ago...they went WAY out on the car and then hugged the firewall which allowed a normal size tire full lock at just a lil above stock height...mind you the clearance on it was stupid tight and i wouldnt want to bounce while turning...but it cleared
 
If I recall correctly - and it was over 30 years ago - we ran the stock front tires on my big block Dart with Hooker fenderwells.
Yeah, they rubbed the headers long before full lock... and the front end was cranked higher than stock... and the car had to be driven very carefully over anything higher than a quarter laying flat on the asphalt. Most times, angling over the bump was the only way to keep from bottoming out.
Oh yeah... it was frigging noisy too. Those big pipes sitting where Ma never intended them to sit, with added crispness of steel tube exhaust over cast iron manifolds... It sounded incredible when the headers were open, though. :)

Fun times, that car was. Fun times.
 
TTI makes under chassis headers for these A-bodys and early A-Bodys :giggedy:
 
restoman said:
If I recall correctly - and it was over 30 years ago - we ran the stock front tires on my big block Dart with Hooker fenderwells.
Yeah, they rubbed the headers long before full lock... and the front end was cranked higher than stock... and the car had to be driven very carefully over anything higher than a quarter laying flat on the asphalt. Most times, angling over the bump was the only way to keep from bottoming out.
Oh yeah... it was frigging noisy too. Those big pipes sitting where Ma never intended them to sit, with added crispness of steel tube exhaust over cast iron manifolds... It sounded incredible when the headers were open, though. :)

Fun times, that car was. Fun times.
Click to expand...

Yes, pretty much describes the driving experience of my '74 duster nicely. I eventually put some short tires on the front, I think 24", to help with that. My car was actually dangerous to drive, looking back on it. It had a TOTALLY worn out front suspension, /6 torsion bars, no swaybar, and a steering box that allowed a quarter turn of the wheel with no change in trajectory. It was so worn at one point that a front tire sort of folded up under the car during a tight parking lot maneuver. Ran 10's and low 11's in the quarter like that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

SiteLock

SiteLock
Back
Top