Need help finding a set that will work with my combo.... A buddy gave me a set off a 351M for a 4x4 Ford truck, but the collector makes a B line for my firewall... Just trying to find a set that dump down, but still the sbf exhaust spacing, prefer 1 3/4" primarys.... I need more of a downswept design, like this pic, but havent been able to find anything for a sbf Am I better off trying to mod a set of fenderwell exits for a tri-five? PS, its not going in a tri-five, its going in a nova. Any help would be appreciated
How different is the LS ports spacing from a BBC? You should be able to find some small primary BB headers out there. Also, fwiw, I have fenderwell headers on my '55 (sbc, ****** super comps), and they definitely would NOT fit a first gen nova (I have two of those too), unless you straight axled it. But if you're feeling creative, it wouldn't be too terribly difficult to modify the SBC headers to do what you need.
I would think you might have better luck looking at the off brands... Sanderson and such. Honestly.... you are probably better off having a set made.
The 351M isn't a SBF. It's an intermediate size blockusing Cleveland type heads 351M/400 series. SBF usually refers to the smaller 289/302 family. Not shure if headers interchange between the 351C & the 351M.
Try Dougs, not sure what the website or phone number is anymore but I bet they'd make what you need. Found the site. Used to use their headers back in the good old days and they fit http://www.dougsheaders.com/
Its has a straight axle underneath it now No inner fenders, plenty of room...(only issue might be how far the headers come out from the block) The BBC spacing is pretty close, but the primarys are WAY too big, I need 1 3/4" max...
Yes but the port spacing is almost exactly like a SBF, 351 is also in that category.... The port spacing between the SBF/351M/LS1 is almost dead on With the 351M headers I was currently trying to use, the ports/bottom bolt holes all line up, there is a sublte difference in port shape though, which I will fix by cutting off the old flanges and welding on the LS1 flange. The main problem im having is I need a more downswept design, instead of the backswept ones, as these are dumping right into the firewall. Having a set of headers made at this point in time, isnt an option, I dont have near enough money for something like that..
Only because of the flange bolt pattern. He's whacking those off and putting a late model GM header flange on the Ford headers. It works... All I've seen are ugly over-the-frame Ford truck headers. No one makes a nice looking fenderwell header for a small Ford?
What I was thinking @ the time was the large ports on the 4V E.M. would work like the anti-reversion headers that was newest thing then. the 4V E.M. bolted right up to the 2V heads, but the large ports on the E.M. didn't cover the smaller ports of the 2V head. Seems the ports aren't in the same place.
Heres a pic with the headers on the motor, to give you a better idea of what im talking about... The problem is the circle, where the primarys curve to go to the collector, I need them straight, would I be better off hacking the collector off, and cut the primarys before the curve, and have a new collector welded on?
Just dumping right under the fenderwell... Might put some inserts in the collector if its TOO loud, but probably not Cant atract too much of the wrong attention, as Ill be cruising this thing quite a bit.
I can sell you a formed collector that will slide right on to your pipes and then you could either put a 90 degree in the collector or have it dump into the fender well and tee off the side so you could remove the collector cover and have open header or have a plate that covers the collector and the exhaust will go out the exhaust system. That would probably be the easiest way trying to lengthen those tubes could prove to be a ***** to weld around the pipes since they are already welded into the collector. Or I can build you a custom set or headers but I need the car. Rodger
Pooter. I think your best bet is what Ironworks is talking about. Cutting the 90 out of your existing headers and sliding on a new collector. It's a ***** to weld all the way around a header tube that is already ***embled... Plus, the collectors come in about any size and are about 20- 30 bucks a piece. (I get mine from Speedway, but it sounds like Ironworks can hook you up too.) Here's a shot of the mock-up Henry J with a pretty good look at the collector. Good luck, -Abone.
Thanks guys Ironworks, I may hit you up on the collector, too bad you arent closer, and I dont have more money, otherwise itd be easier to have you fab them up for me... Ill try to make do with what I have. Any tips for sealing the area between the primarys once you weld the collector around it? Or how do you get the center area to seal?
You have to weld a small plate in between the primarys BEFORE the collector is welded on. Thats what seals the center area. Look inside your collector and you will see it, or you can see it when you cut it off the primarys. Saw your pics on the g***er thread. Lookin good!! Hope this helps you. Bernie
Cool thanks man, makes sense, just never took one apart to know Thanks for the kind words, hope to have it running soon <-fingers crossed
I take a short piece of solid round stock and shape it to a dull point on the grinder and place it right in the middle of the tubes. Or build a small 4 sided pyramid shaped deal to cover the gape. You want it to cover the gap and be about 1" tall.They do this trick in the fancy high dollar race headers in NASCAR to permote flow. Actual the piece that they make looks alittle different but that tiny deal would take forever to fab by hand out of tubing. It looks like a 4 sided pyramid made with the concave sides going in and about 1 inch tall. There are lots of race teams in bakersfield and I get to go to some of the shops and picked up that tidbit from them. Those Winston West guys pay like $6000 for a set of tuned headers. Rodger
Awesome, thanks. You actually answered the question I sent in the PM Shouldnt be too bad. Thanks for the help guys, think I got it worked out now.