I got a phone call this morning from a fellow Tri-City Rod & Custom members wife, it seems her husband has been suffering from alzheimer's which has gotten worse, he has a nice 34 Chevy sedan and has driven it for a long time, James use to race asphalt & dirt track before settling into hot rods. Last year he ordered a set of headers from Summit and he son was going to install them last week, he opened the package and knew they were not going to work, they were for a BBC. James wife called me asking if I remembered the engine he used, he had told me many years ago and it seemed like he used something like a 307 or something like that, it is a strong running engine and I know it has angle plug heads, I'm fairly sure they are aluminum. I'm just trying to to help them figure out the engine, am I off base with a odd engine like a 307? HRP
HRP your question is confusing, if the headers are BBC and the engine is SBC wether it be 307 or 350 the headers are the same for SBC except for the new LS stuff. Angle plug aluminum heads fit from 283 to 400 as far as I know. Pat
If the engine is a small block Chevy, and no one remembers for sure what it is...it could be anything, really. No way to know without opening it up or looking at receipts. Seems to me that it's probably not a good time to be installing headers on it? if he can't remember what it is.
As said if it is in fact a small block , heads are the same. But some headers don’t work as well with angled plug heads. They will usually state what they will fit.
I recall several header types for SBCs with angle plugs, they usually needed a heat n beat by the plugs to get to em. But I might be thinking race headers too so...
The headers were ether ordered wrong, remember the alzheimer's or summit shipped them wrong which I doubt, we realize all sbc are basically the same. HRP
Jim, basically the son is trying to figure out what engine started out as in the 34 Chevy, he does remember his dad having a stroker engine in his 64 El Camino. James son wants to replace the current leaky headers on the car to take his Mom & Dad out for their wedding anniversary next month. HRP
we need pictures, stamped numbers and casting numbers. There really is no way to tell what it is with no information
Just got the call this morning, I will try and get more information, I realize at this point no one knows what has been done internally. HRP
What might have been done internally is not a factor. The larger concern is clearing the frame, steering, etc. and as said before the angle plug heads too.
If he raced and used some of those race heads its possible that the heads could have spread exhaust ports.
Mines short term, like just a few seconds ago. Makes me worry about the future then all’s normal again for some reason. But ya, not fun.
Man, I quit paying attention for a few minutes and everyone’s names are different as well as big block Chevy headers might not fit a small block? Maybe my memory is going too.
Would it help maybe to have some pictures of the old headers, especially if they were removed from the car?
I think have the son pull the current headers off, do a few measurements, send you some pics and maybe they can be identified. But one question, where are they leaking, and can they be repaired? Well, two questions and a statement
Some aftermarket heads for SBC take odd ball headers. For example the Brodix heads on the Raven's 427 require Stahl flanges. That said for the most part a small block is a small block. I have had a problem in the past with block hugger headers on angle plug heads. We ended up dinging the tubes a little bit for clearance. Then when there was more cash the man bought better quality headers. Just avoid the cheap ones and you should be golden.
All sbc's are from wrecked corvettes I'm surprised there's any corvettes still on the road. Looking forward to more info.
I was just messing with Jim, I know he ain't Bob. After talking with Henry tonight he had one of his friends check the numbers on the block and it turns out it is a 1969 307 sbc. HRP
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