I see the topic is shortys headers. I am restoring my 84 Z and I want to replace the stock manifold with headers to get a little horsepower out of the motor. I am doing a complet rebuild on my 305 H.O. . I know, I know put in a 350. Fact is I dont want to. I like to keep the car semi original. Anyways, as most of you know my stock manifold has the "air tubes"---lack of better term that screw into the manifolds. I have done some checking and see that some companys sell headers with these air pipes on them. I do not want to have to deal with emision proplems and don't want to tear a bunch of stuff off my motor. MY quetions are. What are the headers that are good for my car that won't cost an arm and leg to purchase, and is my Y pipe that is on my car now any good for the install. It is fairly new and I hate to scrap it. Thank you all for your time in reading and if you can help please post. Thanks

P.s. Please forgive me if this is a reduntant question but I can not fine a thread with my application.

Pick up a summit catalog or a jegs and start looking. Make sure that what you decide on is emmisions compliant. They usually word it that way, it will say if it has the 02 bung in place, etc. Also how much are you going to spend. If you are going cheap, I would say hedman, but if you are gonna spend some money slp's are nice. In my experience, the factory ypipe will not directly bolt up. Make no mistake, it will work, its just gonna have to be modified. I would say order the ypipe for the headers, make it easy on yourself.

As everyone knows the room for headers in the front of f-bodies is limited. I wounder if I need to have ceramic or not. I heard headers get real hot and melt everything they come in contact with. does the ceramic stop this or just stop the pipe from breaking down.

I'm not sure how you get away with using "restoring" and "headers" in the same topic. The only way to "restore" the car is to use the proper factory type cast iron manifolds. Of course, you can "cheat" and port them out on the inside while maintaining the factory appearance on the outside.

However, if in fact what you are doing is "rebuilding" the car, returning it to operational state, then headers are the proper route to go. The "best" choices amoung headers, for what it sounds like you're after, would be to get emissions-legal types that have the A.I.R. connections and y-pipe. Edelbrock TES has a set made to fit your application, but frankly you don't want headers made for your application because they will retain a point of restriction from the factory that you're trying to rid yourself of.

So, per the stickies at the top of this forum, you should get headers and y-pipe made for the '86-'90 TPI single cat application. No, that's not what you have exactly, but that's what you should get. You may have to modify the driver's side A.I.R. tube routing, but that's no big deal. And, you'll want the rest of the exhaust system from the aftermarket made for the same application, and it will support your performance needs just fine.

Now, as to coated vs. non-coated: Coated will definately reduce heat, but you still don't want to lay fabrics or polymers on them. Do the right thing and get plug wires that fit and route properly without interference. Use a dual-snorkle cool-air inlet air cleaner (which is beneficial even if you do use coated headers). Uncoated headers won't necessarily fall apart (mine still look fine with high temp paint after 2-1/2 years of year-round daily driving), but coated will last longer.

I'd highly recommend Hooker 2055 headers. They aren't perfect, but have the fewest nits from what I've seen and heard. If you want them coated, ACS, our sponsor above, will even turn that driver's side A.I.R. manifold around for you before they coat them (for a slightly higher fee, of course).

Sorry Five7kid I didn not mean to offend you. I am tech doing a rebuilding job on my mostly orriginal Z. I am rebuilding my 305 with only mild mods i.e. cam, and headers. The restrictions that are talked about in here I though only delt with stock maniforlds. Five7kd is telling me that I can still have a restriction when I use headers with A.I.R. tubes. or are you saying with just a few makes of headers. By the way when I put my engine back in my car is it anyway possible to put headers on first before i install. Its is going to be a real pain to do it after. I really do appreiate the feed back from you guys. it helps not to invent the wheel again.

you can put the headers on the engine first. I did this the last time when i put the 350 in. We didnt have the angle adjusted right on the engine/tranny and i had to take the drivers side off to clear it. But, if you get the engine at the right angle, yeah it'll go right in with no problems.

I think the edelbrock headers made for the l69 has a 3 inch y pipe output with a 4 bolt cat flange, so i dont think this will be a restriction and he will still be able to use his factory exhaust.