DRDIRT11 Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Hey guys. I havnt been on here in forever but ive been working on my car quite a bit. Im building a 454 to replace my 402. I dont want to use any of my 402 parts to keep it complete. Im wondering what oil pan you guys have gone with. Dont want anything fancy but want it to fit and look fairly stock. I like windage tray but $$$$$$$ and i have one from a 454ho im gonna bolt to main bolts. Also im going to finally do headers and dont want trouble. Whats the best decent priced. Engine builder recomended shortys but I was thinking long tube would be better. He said shortys easier to keep from leaking with thick flanges but im sure long tube has good flanges also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCfan Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Joe, are you using an automatic or manual transmission? If automatic, is it floor or column shift? Do you have air conditioning? There are several long tube headers that will fit on a big block Monte with an automatic but none that fit with a manual (#7 tube collides with the Z bar). Most shorty/half length headers work only with floor-shifted automatic and manual transmissions (which seems strange to me). Also, some support air conditioning but others don't. Since Santa offered to bring me long tube, ceramic coated headers for my '70 402/4-speed, I've just spent five days researching header choices in detail. Of course, it is possible I missed something but here's a summary of what I've found: Possible full length header choices for big blocks with automatics include: Doug's D313, Hooker Competition 2455, Patriot H8024 and H8026, Hedman 68196, and Summit G9107 and G9110. Primary tube sizes range 1 3/4" (D313, 68196) to 1 7/8" (H8024, G91100) to 2" (2455, H8026, G9107). Prices for the ceramic coated versions range from $379.96 (Hooker 2455) to $639.97 (Doug's D313). Prices for the painted or non-coated versions are less, of course. There are also seven possible choices of short/midlength headers for floor-shifted automatics and manual transmissions: Patrioit H8012 and H8013, Doug's D306, and Hedman 61618, 66617, 66611 and 68616. All have 1 3/4" primaries except the Patrioit H8013 which is 1 7/8". Hedman also makes the 66103, a shorty with 2' primaries, but it supports neither air conditioning nor a manual transmission. Prices range from $379.97 (H8012, H8013) to $649.97 (D306, 66611) for ceramic coated versions. Since I have a manual transmission. I am stuck with a shorty/midlength header. Doug's D306 is probably the best (and highest priced) but there are several Hedman choices in addition to the Patriot H8012 /H8013 which are lowest priced. My Monte came to me with an ill-fitting (read "highly massaged") pair of tuned full length headers (circa 1974) so I am really bummed to learn that I can't buy a true full-length pair of tube headers for it that fit properly after all these years. I understand that the market for big block Monte headers for a 4 speed is really small. At least folks with an automatic have some good choices now. Good luck with your header selection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRDIRT11 Posted December 22, 2016 Author Share Posted December 22, 2016 That is really good info. I could go either way as i have buckets and a console but was a bench seat car. I dont have a correct steering column yet. i have automatic and isd like a set that would work with floor shift auto or column auto. I guess it would be a good time to decide which way im going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 A few years back I replaced my tuned full length headers on my big block. I ended up going with a set from headman header wish I had the part number still. They fit really nice and cleared everything (auto on the floor with the column lock hooked up). They have thick head to header flange and had the ball and socket connection so there is not collector gasket. They hang as low as the oil pan so if anything drags it's going to be the plug for the oil pan. Most of the headers come with bolts to bolt them up to the block which I've seen to be a thread or two too many which causes the header not to seat correctly. Now I took the same old header and cleaned it up really good and painted them with Eastwood header paint inside and out for my other Monte.Doing homework on headers is wise and you will see everyone has their own brand they like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRDIRT11 Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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