Technical Fenderwell Headers for C1 Corvette

I have a 59 Corvette project with a 327. It's not a straight axle, but I'm raising the front end a few inches with blocks, like they did on occasion back in the day.
I want fender well headers to compete it. Searched everywhere and haven't found any for a C1. I have a set of regular*******s on it now
Has anyone had experience with the Chevy II Nova fender-well headers? They sweep up high and may clear my steering. The passenger side is wide open.
I found a "like new" coated set of Doug's nearby for $500 bucks that were on a 67 Nova. I'm Not afraid to modify them a bit if i need to, ... just curious of what you guys think.

327 40 over
30/30 solid cam
Pro-Topline 235CC heads, 2.08 valves
Holley 300-36 dual plane Street Dominator
Muncie 4 speed
456 Gear Posi

 

I bought a set recently for my 57 chevy pickup, they cleared the drivers side but the passenger tube hits the firewall.
The #8 tube runs backwards off the flange towards firewall.

 

Tri-five headers cleared everything but the turning radius of the tire, maybe visually you can tell if they'd work or not.
If you were local I'd let you borrow my 3 different sets of fenderwells that didn't work for me on the truck.



And the fat fenders, they cleared everything but the steering column

 

Awesome truck. Thanks for the pics. I see now how the pass tube will be pretty close, but I think they may work. I would have to trim or remove this big plastic air vent tube on my pass firewall, not using it anyway.
On the driver side, the steering shaft sits way up as high as the valve cover, but looks like those headers sweep up and will clear it. I looked close at all the fat fender options, the tubes would run straight into the steering shaft.
When you get time could I get a rough measurement (Nova Headers) from about the flange to where the header collector extends on the driver side. My only other concern is my factory 4 speed shifter Z bar linkage set up. It's on the outside of the frame 3 inches. Past the linkage I have about 12-15 inches of open space. Thanks for all the help!

 

@Gold Top Gasser make sure you let us know what you eventually find that works. It would certainly help the rest of us solid axle Vette owners out.

 

Thanks for help,... last resort I'll make a custom set of headers.
If / when I do I'll save a jig so I can make more for anyone else here who needs them

 

Yes & No Even Stahl pattern.
I would spend $$ for decent Tig / mig
Gas torch ,
Welder up , Two bird's One stone & have a tool that you can
Use down road

 

Thinking that was the last resort, nice selection though.

 

If these don't show what's wanted let me know

 

Mark is correct I have fenderwell headers on my red 62 Vette. It has a big block though and the headers were made by Tubular Automotive out of Rockland Ma. (phone is (781) 878-9875). They did make them for small blocks in C1s back in the 60s all the way to the present day. If you look at the 57 Vette called "The Hayseed) running back in the 60s you will see Tubular Automotive advertised on the side although I believe he did not run the fenderwells. Beautiful headers that sound great IMO. I bought mine a number of years ago. May be worth a call if you cannot find any to suit your application. Good luck.

 

Not necessarily, thanks for that info.
sometimes I like learning new things. Learning to build awesome headers would be cool and helpful for a lot of us.
I just got a new AC/DC Tig welder…. But I’m I’m not a welder lol. I’m a good grinder thou lol

 

Those pics with measurements really help. Thanks!
I see you are in New York. Here is a pic if my vette at the Lebanon Valley NY drag way in the mid 60s. I’d like to take it back there one day.
My son is in NY at the West Point military academy.
Thanks again for your guys help.

 

With enough grinding wheels ANY weld can look good.

 

Mike sound like a fun project and also great you are keeping it as a drag car. I have raised mine with blocks as well. Everyone is different on how high they want to go and I settled on 3" to avoid problems with the steering link. I originally got some solid blocks and they did not work well since it was too hard to feed the bolts through. I made my own blocks with a flange top and bottom so I could easily feed the bolts through. I actually have a black small block 62 that is raised as well. That is the one with 3" blocks. The red car has some really stiff front springs and so I went with 2" blocks to keep the height reasonable. If I made another set I may make them with a little caster built in to avoid too many of the 2* shims. My first pass at Milan was a handful since I did not have enough caster-couldn't keep it in my lane. I now run right around 5* caster (maybe a little more). Some guys run 7* which may affect the steering wheel return. I have an old modified production chassis from the 70s (1960 Vette) and he ran 9* but he told me he had to manually return the steering wheel but since it was drag strip only he did not care. Here is a picture of the fenderwell headers from Tubular from back in 2012 when I was****embling the car.Good luck with your project-sounds cool.

 

Other options to check out or work off of
Schoenfield truck pull fenderwell headers
Chevy Truck/Tractor Headers - Schoenfeld Headers https://share.google/QZIPs9l6cxS7z8mKx

And stock clip headers for a round round car, some are stepped 1 5/8 - 1 3/4 and available from a few manufacturers
Speedway Stock Clip Small Block Chevy Headers, Raw Finish https://share.google/adUyE90hu3mQyfv9A

 

Awesome Vette! and Thanks for all the info, specially on the lift blocks. I bought a single shim on eBay and gave that to a buddy down here with a laser cutter. He's making me a handful out of 1/4 and 1/2 steel. So I plan to weld a desired thickness of square tubing in the center. I'll go 3-3.5 inches and will do you caster idea. If they turn out good I can send you some of these steel plates I'm having cut. I grew up in Toledo, Ohio and used to go to Milan Drags all the time in the early 90s I lived in Dearborn a while also. My dad retired from GM. I still have my 67 Camaro Z-28 Back Half big tire car, but don't race it anymore. If there is anything that will make putting those spacers in easier feel free give me some instruction. Thanks

 

Yes, good find. I was checking those truck pull headers out last night. They look very close and priced good. I'm thinking even if I can get up and over the steering, I can cut and weld the rest of the way down so they fit well in the fenders. I found a guy down here on FB market place selling brand new Doug's coated Nova headers for 650 bucks still with summit tags on them, and another used set of coated*******s for 550. I'm tempted to go get the Doug's as they look like they are going to fit.

 

These S-10 Hedman headers are local to me for $225, I sure thought about them but don't really want to spend the coin on a 4th set that don't fit. Unfortunately I've pulled the engine out of it now in preparation to paint the frame, so there's no telling if they'd fit.
But another something for you to look at

 

Good idea on the square tubing in the center. Pretty much what I did and then welded plates on the top and bottom in the shape of the shims and those plates act as the flanges. I relied on others to set the caster and camber originally but I bought a Fast trax gauge and set them myself now. They cost a couple hundred bucks but alignment shops are not doing it for free either. Thanks for the offer. Will be following your build hopefully.

 

Its easier to just look for sbc header's
but look pass ,
Look into other engine manufacturers
Small B & into BB's
Cut & change head mounting .
Also If a set of Sbc to short to pass over frame , cut & add to tubes .
A few years back we took a set of
Race sbf & adapted to the
Evil LS

 

Jim good to see you are still around been a spell since we got to meet up.

 

Hopefully we will run into each other-maybe at Meltdown 10-God willing.

 

Update on headers. I got ahold of a brand new set of ceramic coated Doug’s 2” fender-well headers for the early Nova. The guy apparently gets demo and scratch dent part from summit racing in Dallas. For 500 bucks I don’t think I went wrong. They still have the 1400 price sticker on them. Anyway, the passenger side slide ride on from underneath without cutting anything. The driver side is more challenging. I did some of cutting on the driver inner fender.
1) The collector runs into the z bar clutch linkage. (So I’m looking at external slave cylinders or hydraulic set up)
2) The steering shaft is pretty large and I may have to dent one of the tubes at the bottom. Or can you guys tell me if this is an option? Shimming my stock motor mounts a 1/2 inch or so to raise the motor. I would have to double check hood clearance.

 

Mike the headers look nice and the price was right. Hard to give any useful advice without seeing what you are looking at I suppose but the steering shaft can be in the way. On my headers what they did was the number one cylinder header pipe is s separate piece. The header flange is cut so the flange bolts on to the head separately and the other end is a slip fit. It seems to work quite well and I have never had it leak. Not sure if it would work on your application. As to raising the engine up I know guys that have gone up and down by modifying the front mount and doable although would have to keep the driveshaft angle in mind. Going up a little may not be a bad idea but of course it would probably interfere with the stock hood without a scoop. Good luck-nice headers.