I've built a new engine for my ride. It's a late model 1986, 355, one piece rear main, center bolt heads, power plus manifold, 290 cam, and on and on and on. I would like to run truck headers. Just don't have room for block huggers. But the only truck headers I see on eBay say 88 to 95. When I inquired about them fitting my 86 the guy said they wouldn't work. I thought a 350 was a 350. Why won't they work?
88 and newer chevy trucks use a different ch***is than the 87 and older trucks, that might be why they won't fit older trucks. You should be able to find headers that fit 63-87 trucks with a small block, they're very common
What 'squirrel' said, EVERYBODY makes full length headers for '73-'87 Chevy PU's. Check Summit and Jeg's.
REDBOWS...man if you realy don't have room for HUGGERS, that would be a surprise to me. but like the man said call JEG'S or SUMMIT tech. dept...POP.
My 35 panel sits on a complete Chevy station wagon ch***is. The A-frames are boxed because I didn't like the looks of them under the hood. And the way the engine sits over the cross member. There just was not enough room to make the short turn back to the pipes. Now if there was a block hugger with a rear facing flange, then that would work super. But I've not seen any made like that. Guess I could cut & weld.
So your engine doesn't use the stock station wagon mount location is what you're saying. I've got to ask....how does a boxing an A arm improve it's looks? Isn't it just bigger and squarer?
Ch***is is a 1975 Laguna Station Wagon ch***is. And no, the engine is not in the original mounting position. It appears to be a little forward from where it was. I've got plenty of room for a late model truck header with the rear flange. But saw no reason why they wouldn't bolt up to the 350 heads. I'm running regular stock cast iron headers now. Only problem is they are real close to the steering. I just would like to run the tube headers if I can and pick up those few extra horses. Besides tube headers just sound better than the cast.
Look at heddman 3/4 length hedders for a 78-87 G body. Like block huggers with a 45 degree down & back exit.
If you think the later truck headers will fit your car, then you might give them a try. They should fit your older engine fine. I don't know if they raised the ports when they went to the center bolt heads, if so that's the only difference I can think of that would make them not fit the earlier engines (although the pre-1980 driver side dipstick could cause problems if you had an older engine).
Im not sure what year your wagon ch***is is, but I have used a "shorty header" in an A body (chevelle, monte carlo, etc...) ch***is before, they work great, give better ground clearance that full size headers, and are about the same configuration as the truck headers. I got mine thru Summit. This may or may not be relevant, but Ive seen some aftermarket SBC heads that have additional bolt holes next to the one outside of the end exhaust port (if that makes sense). I believe some later exhaust manifolds use the outer bol thole instead of the one right next to the port. This could also be the reason why they said the headers wont work. They sell an adapter for this manifold mis-match,
Hey Guys, this infor is all really neat and exstreamly helpful. Thank you and keep it coming. I need to run to Greenville and mail a carburetor before 5:00. Believe I'll buy (the wife, of 52) years dinner while we are there. Be back in a couple of hours.
the center bolt heads do have a different bolt flange than older heads. Its been about 10 yrs so help me out I dont have any old heads laying around anymore. I was swapping an 88 sbc with center bolt heads into an older early 80's truck and trying to use the original truck manifolds, the most rear p***enger manifold bolt did not line up to the heads and the old manifolds. Had to get a newer p***enger exhaust manifold to complete the job.
Some center bolt heads do have the odd flange pattern, I've mostly seen that on 305's though. I have also seen them with both bolt holes on the end port. I had a set of TBI heads like that. Not all center bolt heads are like that, it depends on the application but that's definitely something he needs to check.
Found a set of Stainless Steel shorty block huggers that have a straight down flange. I think these will work fine unless the steering gets in the way. Appreciate all the help.
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