Shorty headers ?

[Deni2nd]

Has anyone ever tried both shorty headers and long tube headers on the same engine and car?

If so what was the results?

I like the idea of easy fit and a clean looking engine compartment.

Let me know

[MCfan]

Don,

 

I don't know if you have a small block or big block Monte, but I've had one experience with long vs. shorty headers on my '70 402 4-speed Monte.  I suppose "conventional wisdom" favors full length headers over shorty headers for "better performance" but you seem to have an open mind to consider other factors.

 

This past spring I replaced a set of rusty, force-fitted, long tube, tuned, 2" headers with a set of 3/4 length, ceramic coated, 1 3/4" tube headers when I upgraded my exhaust system from 2" to 2 1/2"(see photos beow).  In addition to much better appearance, there are several other benefits:

 

1.  The shorty headers are more compact and take much less room so they are far easier to install.

2.  The shorty headers are configured to allow clutch linkage clearance so they can be used with manual transmissions also.

3.  The shorty headers provide lots of clearance with a stock starter which virtually eliminates starter overheating problems.

4.  The collector flanges are up out of the way so there is more street clearance with the front portion of the exhaust system.

5.  In my case, the smaller diameter tubing potentially increased torque and allows much easier access to all of the spark plugs.

 

But what about performance? There is no question that long-tube tuned (equal length) headers offer more performance potential than long-tube unequal length or shorty headers.  However, unless your engine is set up to take advantage of that potential, the performance advantage is mostly psychological.  For a stock or slightly modified engine, the biggest performance gain will be going from stock exhaust manifolds to ANY tube header.  Although my 402 was highly modified when I bought it, any performance loss from going to smaller diameter shorty headers from larger, tuned full-length headers was probably offset by replacing the 2" stock exhaust system with a 2 1/2" system.  I don't race my Monte and never will so I was happy to risk a bit of performance potential for the other benefits listed above.

 

BTW, there are several full length tube headers (tuned or not) made for BBC first gen Montes with automatics but I could not find a single set by any of the popular header manufactures that claimed to fit a BBC Monte with a 4-speed.  They all sweep the #7 cylinder tube back so that it interferes with the Z-bar.  That is not a problem with a shorty or 3/4 length header, however, so there are several brands to choose from.

 

I did encounter one significant drawback when connecting the shorty headers to the exhaust system.  I could not find a single manufacturer who supplied a short/compact 45 degree connector from the flanged collector to the head exhaust pipe.  The driver's side collector flange on my Patriot shorty headers was a full 3" lower than the passenger side.  While I could use an off-the-shelf 45 degree connector on the passenger side, I had to fabricate a much sharper angled connector for the driver's side.  Of course, any muffler shop that has a mandrel tubing bender can connect your exhaust system but I enjoy the challenge of doing projects myself, if at all possible.  Or, you might be able to find a complete exhaust system that includes shorty headers and all the proper connections.  Good luck.

 

[Deni2nd]

Thanks. I have a factory stock 350 four barrel engine. Only mod has been the intake and carb. Does the shorty headers come with equal length pipes to the collector?

My car is being set up for street. Not going to be racing it but we all know how difficult it is not doing a burn out.

In my opinion the fun is the looks you get and that traffic light to next light accelaration.

I do like the room in the engine bay with short headers.

Next is trying to figure out what exhaust size and mufflers to use.

Wish I could just hear several different set ups because how she sounds is also on top of my list.

[Murphy]

Don, if your SBC350 is fairly stock, don't go larger than 2.25" exhaust tubes. My 350 is overbored .030 (355) reworked heads, performer intake, hedman long tube headers and Flowmaster 44's with 2.5" exhaust and she sounds killer and runs great.

[MCfan]

Don,

 

If there are shorty headers with equal length tubes, I've not see them. Even if they exist, they would be in no way equivalent to long-tube, equal length, tuned headers.

 

The whole purpose of equal length primary tubes is to create a "scavenger effect" for exhaust gases in a specific rpm range.  The exhaust "pulse" entering the primary tube actually creates a vacuum behind it as it moves toward the collector.  If the primary tube is long enough, that vacuum still exists in the primary tube when the exhaust valve opens again and actually sucks or scavenges the next exhaust pulse out of the engine.  It's a bit like the principle of stock car drafting.  The reason for equal length on long tube headers is to provide exactly the same exhaust gas scavenging effect for each cylinder, hence the term "tuned" headers.  Of course to be an equal length to the collector, the primary tubes have to be snaked around wherever there is room in the engine compartment, making fitment and installation a real challenge in many cases.

 

There are many long tube headers available that do not have equal length primaries and do not offer the tuned scavenger effect, BUT, they look cool and are considerably easier to connect to the rest of the exhaust system.

 

I went with Summit's standard galvanized steel 2.5" header-back exhaust system.  I comes with "turbo" mufflers that are actually much louder than the reverse flow mufflers I had.  Frankly, I didn't want or need louder mufflers, but I can live with it - I just don't get on the loud pedal until I am well our of my (retirement) neighborhood.  IMO, you will be wasting your time and money if you go with any exhaust system larger than 2.5" in diameter.  Same goes for any header with primary tubes larger than 1 3/4".  Again, JMO.  Good luck.