See https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/001942.html for my original post about Hooker 2055 shorties.

Yesterday, while poking around on the Holley website, I saw the Hooker link and started poking around there. They have a tech email, so I copied the letter I wrote them back in June and emailed it last night.

I had a response by 6:30 this morning. Here's what they said:

"We had to make the ball flange that small for a good seal. the exhuast gasses have actually slowed down a bit by the time they get there and it has never been an issue as far as flow. It is not necessary to trim the
gaskets as they will burn off any where they hang into the port anyway."

Despite their reputation, I'm not sure I buy into either part of that response. My plan is to go ahead and open up the ball flange centered on the down pipe (after a fit check), and get gaskets that match the exhaust ports on the head and clean up the primaries accordingly.

Lessons learned:
1) Forget snail mail. I never heard from them that way, got an immediate response with email.
2) It seems everyone has some issue with header installation, regardless of application or manufacturer. I guess this can be explained by, "You are unique - just like everybody else."

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, ZZ3 intake, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/'87 LB9 block, ZZ3 cam, ported World 305 heads, Hooker headers & y-pipe, 3" Catco cat & 3" cat-back, Spohn SFCs).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7 CR forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet (Holley 3310 on the way), GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 600 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).

 

(enter fustration here)
AAARRRGGGG!
(end fustration here)

And here I was almost sold on these headers!
I tell ya, invent headers that work, FIT, and perform on thirdgens and you will be a very very rich man!!!!
A VERY RICH MAN !!!!

This REALLY scares me! The gasket will "burn" off??? And just where does this burnt gasket go?
MY guess would be not any further than the cat or the muffler.

So ya go out spend $350 for a new set of 2055's along with a new cat and muffler. Weeks/months down the road I wind up buying another cat or muffler???

Please tell me I'm over re-acting.

On a side note though.....
Do you think these would be good headers on a stock 305 TBI that would include a 3" single cat system??

 

I'd just like to add to my prior post.

I gotta say the header topics really chap my butt.

For beginners... I'm no expert mechanic, but then again I've done all of my own repairs, mods, and rebuilds on my personal cars for over 15 years. And I've only had the opportunity to work on my 3rdgen for the past 3 years.

So I'm a novice when it comes to 82-92 Camaros.

I'd really love to get a set of headers and run a full 3" exhaust, but this is the ONLY car we own and it's our daily driver.
I can take a weekend to do the install on the headers no problem, but from all the problems I've heard about doing this mod... I'm better off to wait until we get a second car and take this one off the road for the repairs.

With that being said, I have to reflect on my previous statement of design a header that fits and performs on thirdgens.

Is that too much to ask for from these aftermarket companies??

I've seen headers that cost from $99 - $500 for our cars and all of them are either a PITA to install or you wind up going to the muffler shop for parts to be welded.

You would think as mass produced as these camaros are they would have a header that would just bolt on.

Are there THAT many differences between the years and models of Camaros to the point where custom fit headers are the way to go?


Is there ONE header manufacturer that can offer me.......
1) A simple no hammering this or that install?
2) The y-pipe fits to my cat and has a O2 bung
3)After the install, I just fire up the car and drive down the road.

I thought the 2055's where that header and company.
Guess not.

Thanks for letting me vent.
This has been bothering me for over a month now.

 

they told me the same thing about the ball flange. I'm not gonna use their carboard gaskets though. I got some steel centered Fel Pros

------------------
-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

305, TBI, auto, 14x3 chrome flat based open element with K&N, Milodon 160* thermo, functional Formula hood, cross-flow Flowmaster, '99z28 rear pipes and tips....

To be installed eventually far far far into the future: Yours if the price is right and I don't have to ship :
Hooker 1-5/8" 50 state legal headers, Dynomax 3" I pipe (PN 44063 and 43248), Catco 3" cat, and injector spacer.

Super GRK_Taz World
F-Body Dual Exaust
EFI & Intake Options
AOL IM: superGRtaz

 

Hooker doesn't supply a really good gasket, like say a Felpro. It is mostly cardboard type stuff, so when they say it will burn off, they are right.

Felpros are, I believe, a much closer fit.

I've got Shorties and I like 'em!

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1986 Camaro Sports Coupe
T-tops, variable wiper, power hatch, rear defrost, third brake light
LG4 305 V8, Hooker Shorty headers, 3" pipe into Walker Quiet Flow dual exhaust
Edelbrock Performer intake, "Damonized" Q-Jet 4bbl, K&N filter, Crane ignition kit
TH700R4 transmission and Derale cooler
Air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, power brakes, power steering, tilt wheel
Kenwood cassette, Pioneer 6x4 component front speakers
Rockford Fosgate 6x9 Punch rear speakers
Z-28 front and rear sway bars
Aluminum slots and Goodyear 225x60R15 Eagle HP tires
243 horsepower and 326 foot pounds of torque at the flywheel
_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _
Yea verily, and he smote the smog heathens from his small block Chevy, even from the air pump to the converter ...
Todd 1:1

 

I can honestly say that my edelbrock TES were easier to put on than the old manifolds were to take off. The Y-pipe bolted in fine, and I had the end of the cat enlarged so I could slip the y-pipe into it and clamp it down. I could see doing everything in a weekend if well prepared.

 

Not many of us out there have a) installed headers from each company on like vehicles; b) installed a given header on different varieties of our vehicles; or c) installed headers from each company on every variety of our vehicles.

I can believe they are easier to install than it is to take off the old manifolds. But, I'm doing this in parallel with an engine switch, so most of those issues won't apply to me.

I would think they would still be a very good choice for a 305 TBI. I'm going a little farther with my 305, so I really wanted them to do what they're supposed to do without causing problems of their own.

In a lot of ways, we like making what we have better; I guess we'll just have to apply that concept to our headers, not just expect to be able to bolt something on.

Sure would like to avoid the hammer, though...

[This message has been edited by five7kid (edited August 23, 2001).]