I have a 1984 trans am, and I'll be swapping the engine soon. I'm probably going to get an ATK performance vortec 350 with 1 piece rear seal. And this is a good time to install headers. I'm leaning towards shorty hooker or hedman. I think dyno dons are going to be more than I want to spend. This is what I need help with:

1. Do I bolt the headers on the engine and then drop it into the car? The father-son thread said that they couldn't get the engine to fit with the headers bolted on.
2. Y-pipe: I have read that the y-pipe is difficult to fit. I could have the ATK engine built with the canton 244T oil pan IF that pan works well with a y-pipe and has no other drawbacks. Or, I could take the car to an exhaust shop after the engine install and ask them to fabricate a y-pipe.
3. O2 sensor: I guess I have to get a header reducer for this. Were is the reducer and sensor installed?

Any advice is appreciated. I'm obviously looking for decent headers, good fit, good ground clearance, and total cost. Thanks

 

1. You can set the headers in the car first and then sit the engine on top of them. That's worked for me in the past, albeit not in the thirdgen (didn't try it in my 3rd). Alternatively you can set the engine in but leave it hooked on the crane. Raise the car up a few feet and install headers, using the engine crane to raise the engine when needed. It'll speed up the install greatly.

2. If you're going through the trouble of installing a non-stock oil pan and you're worried about clearance, then fabbing something up with mandrel bends is your best solution imho.

3. O2 sensors are installed as close to the engine as possible, I'd say weld the bung right after the header on the y-pipe as long as you're able to route the wires w/o burning them.

 

Used 2210s plus they make great power.