Might be a stupid question and I should be swapping or trying to get them swapped but basically, My friend who recently purchased his 1989 T/A GTA got a pair of full length headers that from my searching and comparing are or what seem to be the Hedman 68460. I have heard storys of full length headers being a nightmare to work with with stock starters and k-members and just wondering what you guys think.

Basically, I can get them for cheap or free if I asked nicely since I am helping him do the body work on the T/A but in the end I can probably pick them up for cheap. They look ok and not that beat up, sadly my Edelbrock TES look more rusted then them. I was thinking of giving him $ and my current TES headers and local shop made Y pipe since he has currently stock headers.


What do you guys think, I figured he would not want to mess with the car just yet until he gets the body work done, me on the other hand, would rather get performance things in before I get her painted but I remembered that I forgot to ask about them and want to see if the headache would be worth it if theres any. The thing that really makes me want to do this is the fact that my exhaust needs redone anyways so doing this would be perfect timing.

 

I'd keep the shorties.

 

Any specific reason why? Would like to know my options since well like I said, their basically almost free.

Another thing thats really going towards the full length is due to the fact of my Local muff shop Y pipe, Its bent and badly done and would require me to get a replacement Y pipe from Edelbrock and re-do it the right way.

So it really boils down to if I should get the longtubes to replace the Edelbrock TES Shorties I have now. I currently have no exhaust, right now its running from the Edelbrock TES to bad Y pipe to no name cat, to a badly merged 3' pipe and ends about less than a foot before the differential. So exhaust needs to be re-done either way. I might even end up taking out the Edelbrock to either wrap them or give them a pass of paint.

This is what my current Y pipe looks like,




Keep the opinions coming, I would LOVE to hear of people who own the longtubes say about them. Mostly have installing them went.

 

I've got 68460s on my 84. There's more fabrication involved in building an exhaust system for them than there would be in a new Y pipe for your shortys, and with the shortys you don't have to give up ground clearance.

 

Ground clearance won't be a problem, as for exhaust work, that should be simple. I am more worried at the work trying to get them installed without replacing anything or something getting in the way.

 

Lots of things will get in the way. You'll have to do some cutting on the K member to get them in.

 

We shall see, I got em for free, I am gonna give it a day of trying to get them to fit, if all fails, I will sand the old TES headers and give them a VHT coat and get the Y pipe for it.

 

As long as you're prepared to cut the K member on that day, then. They will not fit without it.

 

As long as you're prepared to cut the K member on that day, then. They will not fit without it.

 

That "Y" pipe is terrible. That has to be costing you a lot of power. I agree with Apeiron and would go with the shorties and square away your current exhaust system.

 

How much cutting are we talking about Apeiron? Thanks for the info so far, its giving me a heads up on what I might walk into.

@1989

Yea it is, I have no idea how it got bent, The whole exhaust besides the headers is a nightmare. Everything I am gonna replace. The Edelbrock Tes look a bit rusty but no leaks as far as I can tell, as for the Y pipe you can see the bent, but the thing is I dont see why if the shop bent it to fit since I see no clearance issues. The merge welds look horrible and sound like it might start develop holes soon. Then its into a no name Cat which was around $45 at the time when I got it from the same shop, then it merges from what looks like a 2.5' to a 3.0' then onto a no name muffler. It sounded great and was very neighbor friendly. It just all has to go.

Also a quick question, I find it weird that my driver side has the air tube holes straight up and not curved like the ones that are supposed to be for our cars, they look like these:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-68713/?rtype=10

Which look like those are it, and from guessing from that, I presume the replacement Y pipe would be:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-65930/?rtype=10

I might give Edelbrock an email to double check and be in the safe side if I see the lt's are too much of a headache.

 

For sure you'll need to trim the A-arm mount on the drivers side. Maybe the passenger side as well, and maybe even a little clearance on the top of the K member.

 

I didnt have to do anything to my k-member for my 68460s. Mild trimming on the A-arm was all that was necessary.



Wasn't a big deal at all. Had to dent one of the primaries near the steering box I think... but aside from one dent and minor a-arm cutting it really wasnt bad.

That said i'd recommend staying shorties if you EVER want to lower the car, EVER. The only reason Im okay with mine is because I've got a notched crossmember with my T-56... ground clearance is almost as good as stock. Mine merges into a single 3.5 inch pipe anway, so it's still not "duals" by most people's definition.

 

I really do not know if it has been lowered but sure seems so. Atleast in the rear, rear springs are not even rusted with the cars body being 154k miles. I do not plan to lower it since even know speed bumps are everywhere in my area.

I will probably remove my TES after the rear end is in and have some fun with them and see what needs to be done to get em to fit.

 

I had those headers on my car. I had to notch my A arm mounts and they still hit the crossmember. It sounded like my motor had a knock, but it was just the headers bouncing on stuff. When I pulled them off I had dents in a few primaries where they were hitting stuff. Ground clearance was ok though. They seemed to sit much higher than the Dougs longtubes I have now. I built a notched crossmember for the trans and my exhaust sits high enough that you actually have to get under the car to even see it. Its higher than factory exhaust. And I have true duals.

Personally if it is just a fun street car, I would keep shorties on the car. You can still build a nice exhaust off of them. I built an exhaust for my brothers 85 TA with shorties. His is true dual 2.5" with an X pipe and it tucks up high, except for one spot where I didnt measure right.

 

I had no problem with my 68460s. i don't even remember having to do any clearancing.

i literally CUT them out of my car to install a set of hooker 2055s. i was tired of having to replace the y pipe every two weeks and wanted some more ground clearance.

I see they've jumped about 50 bucks in 5 yrs...

 

"Edelbrock Tes"

Geez, I will say those are better than the stock manifolds. At this point I say whatever. Long tubes, short tubes.

 

What header gaskets do you guys recommend?

 

A lot of us here in SoCal are running the Earls header gaskets as sold by Summit with very good success. Myself and at least one other car lost a header bolt and still no leaks.

 

Whatever you get, just make sure it is not the multi layer aluminum ones. Me and a few people I knew tried them and we all had problems with exhaust leaks between the layers.

 

Sorry for the late reply,

Headers went in without a problem, nothing needed to be trimmed, the headers were used before so it already had the small notch for the k-member.

 

I myself would never cut a thing on the car or "dent up the headers" to make a pair fit. Shorties go right in and with a good Y-pipe your good to go. To each his own I guess.

 

i too had no fabricating to do on my car. it was a pain. but a little shoving got its thru just alright! but other than that. no trimming of any sort at all! lol