I have heard many conflicting things about this. Here are my questions.

Is there any shorty header that retains the stock manifold exit location, IE can bolt to a standard Y pipe on a dual cat car? I have been told that there are some, then told that they all exit in different locations. Anybody know?

The reason I ask is that I want get get a custom Y-pipe made up, as none of the aftermarket ones availible really appeal too me. I'd like one that has an H-crossover before the cats, like the mustang style. Emissions legality is a must, so I can't just gut or remove my cats, and flow is a must too, as this is a nitrous motor.

So, if possible, I would like to buy a set of shorties for now to bolt to the stock Y, then have one fabricated at a later date.

Help anyone?

 

If a header exists that bolts to or exits at the stock y-pipe, I have yet to see or hear of it.

You confuse me a little, though, wanting that feature then saying you want a custom y-pipe made. If you're going to have one made, then you've got more options for headers than you'd otherwise have. For instance, Hooker 2460's are good headers, but they don't make a y-pipe for them - you have to go custom-made. If the only reason you want that feature is so you can do it in two steps, then you really don't have that option.

Technically speaking, the cat has to be in the factory location to be emissions legal. If you do the H-pipe-before-dual-cats-like-a-Mustang thing, some jurisdictions would fail you for that. Dual cats in the factory location, though, are fine, and Edelbrock and SLP both make headers for that application.

The stock y-pipe is almost as bad an actor as the stock manifolds. I can understand your desire to do the job in pieces, but getting it all done at once is really the best option. SLP 1-3/4" primaries are probably the consensus best-out-there emissions-legal headers.

 

Five7,
I was talking to one of the "techs" from jegs, and he was telling me that all of the shorty headers exited at the stock location.
I don't know if he is full of but that's what he said.

 

Leading me back to square one...

With teh factory exhaust layout, you could weld a crossover directly in front of the dual cats, without relocating the cats at all.