Evilokc

I want to add headers to my 305 as the first (followed by any) performance upgrade. I have always heard that long tube headers make more power. however I also hear story after story about how difficult long tubes are to install. im going to be honest. jacking up my motor to install headers and then beating on them for clearance isn't my idea of a fun time. do shorty headers install easier than longtubes? even if they aren't AS good as long tube I feel like they will be so much better than the stock manifold that when paired with a better flowing exhaust the seat of your pants power difference would be marginal at best. its a 91 tbi 305 firebird. I plan to add a manifold, heads, cam, exhaust, tune. its a daily driver so im not going for 400hp but if I can plant 230hp at the wheel if will feel like a rocket. thanks for the knowledge

crazynights

iTrader: (3)

Check out Dyno Don's shorty headers. Match that with a 3" mandrel exhaust and you'll have a great flowing exhaust system.

Evilokc

ive heard of dyno don but don't know much about them. do you knw if they ae easier to install than the long tubes?

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Very much easier than long tubes. LTs have to have a lot of fab work to go from headers to exhaust.

crazynights

iTrader: (3)

As TTOP350 said, much easier than LT. With LT you also may need to fab your crossmember. I did with mine. I am running Stainless Works LT and they fit great, but there were not as easy to install as my former Hooker 2055. Those were very easy to install.

Evilokc

im going to go with short tubes. if I were changing the whole motor or pulling the motor out I would go long tubes but from what im reading short tubes make better torque and long tubes better hp. my car is a driver and would benefit much more from increased torque than hp.

Evilokc

dude I looked at dyno dons. they are a million dollars. the look like they are great quality but im not going to spend $500 on a set of headers when all the others are closer to $200. if they offered 30hp maybe I could do it but most of the systems will be within a few hp of eachother.

midias

Price is based on specs and quality. You will not find a cheaper set with 1.75 primaries, 3" merger, properly shaped merger and ceramic coat for <500

GeneralDisorder

iTrader: (1)

Fitment, size, and quality. You will not find anything that matches. If your budget is so small, you should probably look into a different hobby. $500 is CHEAP as car parts go. I just ordered up an exhaust system for a 1990 300ZX Twin Turbo. About $1600 for downpipes and cat-back from a quality US manufacturer. So his prices are right in line with industry standards for the quality of product he produces. If you want to build a quality car, you need to use quality parts - remember: buy quality, or buy it twice.

GD

skinny z

LTs make more power than short headers. Proven fact. That said, the increase depends on the other complimenting parts and the HP target.
But to what extent does that matter for a modest build?. Probably nothing.
I went with short headers and a kit (Edlebrock IIRC) as it was a bolt-in installation when getting my modified Vortec 350 to fit in my first 3rd gen go around .
Later, as performance increased, I went with an LT header (Hedman) and spent a lot of time (read: money) fabricating a y-pipe and a modified crossmember to make it fit.
In the end I learned that what is really needed as power output increases is very difficult to accomplish in a these platforms as the room for a full dual exhaust with tail pipes, as in over the axle is (or rather was) difficult to accomplish. Since that first experiment, the aftermarket has developed a few options but still there is some fabrication required to make it all fit.

crazynights

iTrader: (3)

Keep an eye on the classifieds for headers. That will save you a few bucks. For what you are looking for in HP/power, I'd stay shorties. If you don't want Dyno Don's, there are other options. But just keep checking your local Craigslist, or the classifieds here for a set of headers. Good luck.

TylerSteez

iTrader: (3)

I have a full dyno don 3" set up from the headers to the muffler and I love how tight it all fits.

the headers are great, I bought them used on here for very cheap but they weren't ceramic coated. The y pipe fits super nice and tucked up into the car, I welded a flange on the end of it and then welded up a cat delete pipe with a flange on the other end so the exhaust can be taken completely apart without dealing with annoying crush clamps.

I also bought the dyno don intermediate pipe which was great as well. for a 3" exhaust it is tucked up pretty nice, I think it sits higher up than my spohn crossmember. the only tight spot for 3" exhaust is over the rear axle, I know I'm rubbing on something around there so I'll have to make some adjustments.

But back to the topic, if you buy a cheap set of headers you'll get small primaries and usually all of them that are labeled 3" actually shrink down to around 2.5" at the merge, I believe the Hooker set for our cars have/had that problem which is why I went with Dyno Dons. Good parts aren't cheap and cheap parts aren't good. You do only have the stock 305 with stock heads so sure you don't need the most breathable exhaust out there but if you plan on swapping the engine out for something bigger then you'll be happy you bought good headers. Also spark plug access with Dyno Don headers is surprising good compared to cheaper headers. I can barely access the plugs on my brothers car with the cheapo Flowtech headers he has but I can have all my plugs out in under 5 minutes.

midias

No one should ever flotek junk

TylerSteez

iTrader: (3)

Agreed, we are planning on removing them and putting Dyno Dons in very soon.

Streetstuff

Evilokc, choose what you are comfortable installing (in this case shorties) and what is within your budget. 1-5/8" primaries are plenty for your engine, large primaries/collectors are not going to give a mild 305 much of an advantage if any so don't get hung up on that. There's actually a chance it could hurt power depending on your setup. As for anybody who says your budget of X is too small so do something else, just ignore them. You are not asking to make a 500hp 305 for under $1000. Wanting decent quality headers for a few hundred dollars is completely reasonable. For example you can buy LS swap LTs with 1-7/8" primaries and a 3" collector that will fit without issue for about $300 including bolts and gaskets. Why should you have to pay double that for an application that has been around decades longer? That being said, better fitment and quality can be worth the extra cost and ceramic coating is cool stuff but can also be done at home on the cheap provided you have a big enough oven. Just my 2 cents lol.

skinny z

Do you have a link for this? Best I can find is about $700 at Summit for Hooker Blackheart painted headers. I've heard about some E-Bay sellers but haven't really looked.

EDIT: I did find these.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LS-Swap-Cam...-/361891389630

Streetstuff

Yeah those are it skinny z, I bought mine straight off the website and only have about 1000 miles on them but they are working great so far.

robertfrank

iTrader: (27)

I have a set of Dyno Don shorties and a y pipe I'd be willing to part with for a decent price....

Don Christensen

Hello RobertFrank,

Saw that you have a set of Dyno Don shorty headers and the Y pipe. A few questions please....

Am these the headers without the EGR tubes?
I want a Y tube with a catalytic converter.. does this one have a cat?
And are they ceramic coated? I can go either way on that one..

What is your asking price, shipped to Texas?

robertfrank

iTrader: (27)

Send me a PM Don