I'm in the midst of buying parts for an engine rebuild and thought about putting some shorty headers on the car (L98 w/emissions & AC). Been looking at Mac, Hooker, and Hedmans. I'd look at long tubes except for the extra clearences needed when installing (and do they make them with air tubes?)

Anyway, a good friend of mine swears that the shorties aren't worth the effort. I'm inclined to believe him as he had a 91 L98 with SLP shorties. Any other opinions? Any thoughts on the longtube issue? I've done my searching...and am still reading.

EDIT: I should note that the car will be a stockish rebuild and already has a Hooker catback.

 

I recently put Edelbrock shorties on my LG4 and noticed a world of difference. almost 2 full seconds off of my 0-60 time.

 

Well... I'm basically doing the same thing as you but a little more, in reguards to the stockish engine and I bought the hooker 2055's with the air tubes. Now I haven't installed them yet (very soon to start the tight fitting task) but their beautiful and worth every penny. Everyone else is running headers so that must mean something As for your friend, well of course he doesn't think that their worth it, he bought slp's!

 

I actually LOVED the SLP's that I helped install... We did have a modified engine (over 400hp) and they were the only 1 3/4" headers we could get. They also had that CA number for california emission legal status. Like I said, we loved ours...

Dyno Don is building 1 3/4" shorties with y-pipe and they look good!

Did your friend put 1 3/4" SLPs on a stock engine? I could see losing some bottom end on a weak powered engine with big headers. He probably should have used the 1 5/8" parts...

 

I believe he had a pretty stock L98 with a cat-back and a stall. I'll have to search for Dyno Don's headers - haven't seen them yet.

Any others?

 

your buddy that said shorties arent worth it is an idiot. Anthing is better than the stock manifolds

 

Wel, i think the shortys are easier to use and clear better. Id only reccomend the full lengths if max power is a concern. My buddys 91 RS with a brodix headed 355 had shortys and he has no problems making power.

 

I converted an 86 sport coupe from v6 to v8 and originally installed long tube headers and just recently went to slp shorties... and i am far happier with shorties, and yes they are much better than cast iron manifolds..... IMO

 

my my daily drive Z28 has a pair of shorty headers from JEGS (www.jegs.com), they were inexpensive and worth every penny. ive had them for awhile and have had no problems whatsoever. your friend who had SLP Shortys probably didnt like them becuase SLP headers & exhaust setups are junk.

 

Definitely worth it. I changed from the bigger L69 manifolds to a set of 1-5/8" shorties, and it was a very noticeable difference even on a mild low compression 350.

 

if you get longtubes go with stainless works, they have the most ground clearenece, that is next on my list to add to my car.

 

Headers were the biggest difference I ever made on my LO3, well worth it and the only reason I can see not with SLP headers is because 1 3/4 would lose low end on a near stock motor.

 

BTW, my car still passed emissions with shorty headers and a cat without the AIR system or anything other than the cat.

 

So - 1 5/8 shorties it is. Thanks guys.

 

The biggest single improvement horsepower and seat of the pants powerwise to my car was the addition of headers.

 

 

I gained 2mph in the 1/4 mile by removing the stock manifolds/ypipe and replacing them with coated 2055's and Y pipe. I don't know what your friends problem is if he didn't notice a difference after the install.

 

It wasn't that he didn't notice a difference - it was exactly as you say. He noticed about 2 mph in the quarter. You could attribute that to a good launch, better air that day, or a few less burritos at lunch depending on your drag-strip style.

I'm thinking it will be worth it for the different sound and easier plug access, not to mention not having rusty manifolds anymore.