First let me say this; I HAVE READ THE STICKIES!
I know that there are stickies about the headers, I have read them. I'm told by pretty much everyone that for a third gen, shorties are better unless you are trying to run a sub-12 second car at the drag strip (which I'm not). What are some of your guys opinions on what works well for a cruising/first project car. I'm guessing I will want a new y-pipe with these since it still has the stock one. Also, it has a full catback (which looks pretty nice) with a cat-delete, am I better off just leaving the cat-delete, or should I just go get a high flow one so I'm less of a dick to the environment (I'm sure my engine with 183k miles isn't the cleanest burning, even of 3rd gens)? How much would a high flow cat realistically affect power output? (other than a short ram intake, rest of the engine is stock afaik). Is it worth it to pay for coated headers?

 

just a heads up I got flotech headers and ypipe and they did not fit. The headers fit fine but I had to cut up the y pipe and re weld

 

Don't get flotek they are the worst headers out there.

Get coated if you are going to drive in anything salty or if you want them to stay looking nice.

Whats you budget?

 

As the stickies said, Hooker 2055's, or Dyno Don's shorties.

Cats are preferred to help keep the environment clean and keep your car legal. Dyno tests have shown anywhere from 1 to 5 HP loss, nothing you'll feel.

 

Yea...OK... until they stop up

 

cat-less cars stink too...stink like gas. And so will your clothes and interior if you drive with the windows down. I vote cats.

 

+1 wish I would have spent ore money on better ones

 

I have a set of 2055's for sale in the classifieds if you're interested.

 

Get the ceramic coated Dyno Don shorties and Y pipe, period. I run cats on all my stuff, I have 2 in a custom dual cat Y pipe on my GTA. Cats don't die, they are murdered by a poor running engine, anyone that tells you otherwise doesn't know what they are talking about.

 

Uh... The stock catalysts have a really nasty habit of breaking up. I had one that started rattling after bottoming out in a dip in the road. Another the Y-pipe sat in storage for a year or two, when I pulled it out to sell it the catalyst was loose in the shell and rattling. So while it's fairly uncommon to have a cat problem, it can and does happen. That said I'd probably still run a cat, I just wouldn't feel bad about replacing one that's 30 years old.

 

Drew you are correct. My statements were made in reference to someone who thinks cats plug up from normal use. I did not account for storage, extreme age or external damage. Also, the old pellet type cats from the 70s and early 80s are exempt from my comments as well.

 

they only stink if you don't know how to tune.

 

Funny ive removed them on probably ten vehicles ive owned and I never noticed a stink..Did all those pre-smog cars stink as well? Im not totally against them if you have to have them there are nicer aftermarket ones these days but if you don't have to have them then why have the parasite.

 

Doug's headers fit perfectly they slip in easily from the bottom and I didn't have to remove anything. You'll just need to fab up a y pipe