We all know the problem with the long tubes headers and that stubborn #7 plug, well instead of me bringing the ball pin hammer to it I decided to look into a long term solution for permanent fix. What I did was cut that dreadful #7 tube off and replace it with a bigger 2 1/2 radius J-bend tube. The tube was tig welded for the nice bead. Now I can fit my regular spark plug and Taylor 90* boots without a problem. Here is a few before and after: 1st picture shows where the plug is hitting the tube.

2nd picture

1. Modification:

Trial fit after tac weld.

finish product:

nicely done. elegant solution to a annoying problem.....

are you going to have thoes headers ceramic coated?

Yes, they will be coated, but i'm going to wait until I get back from Korea (Mar 2007), just don't want them to be freshly coated and sitting collecting oxidation while i'm gone. I will be getting the custom mandrel 3" Y-Pipe made within the next week and I will post pictures once that done.. Then I will send it all out to HPC Coating and have everything ceramic coated...

awesome job. ™

I would think the oxidation would occur while they're sitting around waiting to be coated.

They have the black paint on them now except for where the tube was modified. Are you thinking it would be best to have them coated before I leave and let the coated headers sit on the car for a year? The car is going in storage in N. Carolina where temperature average between the low 25-35 winter & 85-95 summer.

so strange i hear all the problems with the 2210's.
i had a set when i had the small block in my car, i purchased them back in 2000, used, from a friend who bought them new in 98-99.

mine fit perfect, without any holdups or wire issues.

Very nice job

The reason is people are using different types of heads, it's NOT the headers but how the heads were designed and machined. If everybody ran the same type of heads that has no clearance problem the subject would not be an issue. But, we all have different types of heads, so that why you see people with the problems of hookers 2210. In reality it's not the headers, but the heads. Hope that clear it up for you and the "So Strange" feeling is resolved.

Don't forget the varying condition of different cars' motor mounts.

yes.
the motor mounts are a huge issue with these headers.

what type of head do you run that causes so much trouble?
ive run 2 different type of stock castings on them, one set of dart pro ones, the guy i got them from ran a world cast iron head, and the guy i sold them to not too long ago runs a stock 305 head(lol) on them and didnt have problems.

trying to see which head the problem lies. not doubting, i just like being in the know.
thanks


great work on the tube!

Airflow Research (AFR-195) Straight plugs...
If Hooker was to make headers for every Camaro chasiss and head combo they would probably file bankrupt. The headers was made by hooker to clear the stock casting heads for the Camaro and Dart probably follow the same design as the stock GM, however AFR which I run is a bit different...

Hummm... may have to attempt this now that I've seen it done. Nice work btw, running the same AFR 195 heads, straight plug and also energy suspension poly motor mounts. Both headers slip in and out from the bottom with ease.

Yes, I would, with out a doubt, coat them now! Your header coating is ceramic and since (you should ask for!) they are coated inside and out, there won't be any oxidation. The paint, on the other hand, is only on the outside, and the oxidation will start on the inside while your gone. If they have to dip the headers before they coat them for you, due to the inside surface rust , they will ding you an extra $100.00! Coat them now! Nice work on the tube.

I have to get the custom mandrel bend Y-Pipe made this week, he said no more the $300.00. Plus I just bought the Katzkin seat cover that set me back $850.00, but that is in the plan to have the whole system coated( headers, Y-pipe, and Hooker Catback System before I go do this year in the Republic of Korea.
Dave

Just got the pics of my fixed headers.

Very Nice Job!

I have a few simple questions for you?

First,how did you get the pipe squared off to fit into the Hooker flange like in this pic?Just some gentle messaging with a bench vise till it fit?

Second,aside from the #7 tube,did any other tubes need any work to clear any other straight plugs on the AFR 195's?

I ask because I am picking up a set of 2210 in a few weeks and plan to modify them in much the same way for the #7 plug, but am also looking for any other possible areas that may need to be modified as I also run the straight plug AFR 195's.

Not sure if I clearly understand your question but I used a 1 3/4 tube with a 2 1/2" radius that allowed it to clear the spark plug. After Tig welding the pipe we used a benh grinder to smooth the tube. all other plugs fit without a problem.
hope this help.

Sorry to confuse.

That answers my second question.

To clarify the first question,How did you make the pipe square off to fit in the Hooker flange like you did in this pic?

This was tig welded and than grinded down with a bench grinder.

Huh… nice… but unless I’m mistaken in the direction that it’s moving, it looks a lot like you could just cut the tube free of the flange, or near the flange, add a little wedge shaped piece to space it off and then tweak the existing tube a little and weld it back up

What is your definition of "tweaking"?

bending it/moving it around some...

You are too smart for me! I like to keep it simple by using a pre-bent J-tube pipe for $12.00, which allowed me to cut and weld without the tweaking, bending, and moving.

Heh, I sense some sarcasm…

My point was that you took and cut out the bend, bent the remaining tube out some or possibly welded that section in so that it ended out some, and then added a J with a straight section by the flange to space it away from the plug.

What I’m saying is that if you cut roughly in the area where you used the straight section of the J, and if you’re a little creative you should be able to move that tube out enough to add a section to space the original bend out some… they look to be very close to the same radius, it’s just a question of getting it positioned correctly.

If you’re not good at making metal do what you want it to do, you might still do it that way by taking a small pie cut (probably more like the thickness of the curf of whatever you’re cutting with rather then a true pie cut) out of the tube further down to bend it out some. It wouldn’t look as pretty as yours, but real world I doubt a couple of degrees of a cheated bend would effect flow more then the over 90* of bend just above it.

The only real reason that I even said anything is that for some people, moving a section is a lot less traumatic then removing it, I’ve tried to teach someone how I fit things like that and custom brackets together and found that once you have 2 pieces it turns into a big mess that just never looks right, where if you can show them how to move it one bit at a time everything is fine.

Why didn't you just use the shorter accel plugs like i did when I bought my hooker 2210 headers, no welding needed??

I tried using the accels with MSD wires and the boot was right on the header tube. I didnt the above modification with a 2.5" J bend tube from Summit and it is perfect now. I then ditched the crappy Accel plugs and bought new Borsch non platnium plugs. The Borschs where about 1/16" longer then the Accles.

I am thinking of going with these headers and I have engled plugs. I wonder if I will even have a problem then?

I tried getting the Accel Plug and it was still on the headers also, you have to take in the different type of heads and motor mount. What works for one might not work for the other. "Just food for thought". I think the modification is the less headache problematic approach. I had to order a shorty plug when I was trying different types of plug and just got fustrated and looked for a different course of action. Some may like the modification and others may think its too much trouble. Now we have two different solution to the problem and like the old saying goes " There is more than one way to skin a Cat".

having a spare head around help with the modification a lot. If anyone has intentions on doing this mod then I would highly suggest finding an old SBC head to use as a mock up. word of advice, tighten the header down tight whe finish welding. This will help with header flange warping from the heat. Also, you will have no choice but to grind off the back side of the flange in order to get the header tube put. You will have to reweld a square lip around the port and then grind it down so it matches the other 3 lips. I used a straight edge to insure it was my lip was the same height as the rest so it will reseal again.