Technical Shoebox flathead headers?

Getting ready to go to dual exhaust on my 50. Whole lot of different headers from cheap speedway headers to Fenton and a couple more higher up headers. What are you guys using for your headers that are still running flatheads in your shoebox. I see ones with the dump straight down and some with the dump towards the back. I want to get them ordered to start it.

 

Center dumps will not work in a '49-'51. Buy them to fit the actual model of the car.

Dave

 

I have a set of original Fenton's on my '51. A friend of mine who owned a bunch of Midas shops in the twin cities had them installed for me when I got the car in 1987. I changed engines in 2016, and an inspection showed the whole exhaust system to still be in excellent shape. Needless to say, I wouldn't have anything else.

 

I thought that Fenton didn’t make them for a shoebox. All the ones I see stop at 48 and pick up again at 52/53. I’d rather have the cast iron manifold but was figuring that I was going to have to fabricate a set for my 51

 

Fenton makes um

I have the cheap speedway ones because I had to give the port side a knock with ye' ol hammer due to steering stuffs being a little in the way.

Works fine, runs fine, sounds awesome. I have lake pipes on the sides, and if I cap those, muffellered duals out back. Loud or quiet choice...

I've not capped um in years. I'd imagine if I did I'd blow a dead mouse family across the road.... Lol.

 

Speedway sells a fab kit to make your own I think?

Edit: yup

 

That kit is for "Lakes Headers" and definitely would not fit a "shoebox".

 

Mine are a little tight around the clutch linkage, but were installed by professionals with access to a Huth Tube Bender and all the special tools needed. That being said, I don't see anything "heroic" that was done.

 

I might go ahead and try the Fenton headers and see if I can make them work. I don’t mind fabricating a set lord knows I have a bunch of stainless elbows and tubing I can use.

 

If you try then Fenton's, I seem to remember that the drivers side head pipe was flattened where it passes by the clutch linkage.

 

That’s not a problem at all I’d rather have to do that than to be beating something into submission for it to work

 

Mine had "econo" headers on it - they fit fine, but the drivers side head pipe was a mess - just not much room with the clutch linkage and master there - on my 283 I actually reverted to single exhaust

 

This is what I’m concerned about because I have disc brakes with the dual master cylinder and it takes up more room than the factory master. I’ve even debated on running the dual exhaust around the front of the motor keeping the factory manifold and splitting it somewhere under the car to move it to opposite sides.

 

My duals actually crossed over twice - once under the trans tan back under the driveshaft - even if I kept the flathead I was going to switch back to single exhaust - a lot of people do run duals on these cars, but it's gotta be a compromise - an automatic and firewall mounted master really opens things up....

 

An automatic helps tremendously, I had a set of BBK headers with 2 1/2” exhaust to a set of Flowmasters and turndowns after the rear end. Sounded so sweet with a built 347.

 

I also have one of those “J” pipes that fit the drivers side manifold and turns the exhaust 180* back past the steering sector. I thought about using it but figured it would restrict the exhaust too much and defeat the purpose of dual exhaust.

 

Mine has dual exhaust and the drivers side comes out the front and loops back. Not great. Years ago I bought a drivers side manifold from Bob Drake for duals but it doesn't help a bit with it still wrapped up and laying in the trunk! Don't think they make them now. Gonna swap in a fresh engine in the future and will try the new manifold then. Anyone else have one they have installed?

Dave

 

Don't worry about restricting the exhaust on a flathead. Henry already did it for you with the exhaust passages in the block. We do this for the sound, for the looks, and the tradition.

 

Yeah, I have an automatic and helps for sure. My master is still under the driver floor, but modified so it fits different and is easier to get at.

 

Yup, I installed a Bob Drake LH manifold a few years back. I think I got one of the last few available. Fits and works well. That flattie with dual carbs and dual exhaust sounds so good.

 

Did you change the cam before going with 2x2’s?

 

I tried the Speedway headers on my FH. They fit fine, but the quality is*****. where the runners from the rear tubes meet the main tube, they just punched a sqare(ish) hole in the tube, so there blocked off by about 1/3. I used them for fit up of my steering box and then put them on the shelf. I now run Red's headers. They fit very well and are much better built.

 

I've ran Reds Headers on four flatheads and they're priced right and fit good but are weld on where the exhaust is welded on.

 

@Model A Gomez I welded a flange to the end of the header to attach the tailpipe so I can remove it more easily

 

No I didn't. I did adjust the valves while the intake was off but that's it.

 

I welded flanges on the Red's Headers on my 30 Sport Coupe but just copied the mounting flanges on the headers and used a regular flange gasket. On my 29 Coupe , 50 Tudor and 53 Merc I just welded the exhaust to the header.