AFR tuning w/lakester headers

I’ve searched for diy/homemade lakester headers and I’m finding nothing. Lots of "lakes (side) pipes or not" and solutions for custom eng swaps but not lakester header design/function/tuning. I’m welding up a set of “lakester” style headers for the 351m in ratty ’40 sedan. Making my own cause I’m that way and can’t find anything that works for exhausting it in the original frame/chassis. Question is, regarding the tapered manifold pipe of the traditional style, is that the best choice or would a straight dia be better for tuning purposes. I understand that originals were often made from torque tubes and that is why the taper. Since I’m making my own, and function takes priority over form, I figure I should do it the way makes for most even afr’s at each cylinder. I’m using tubing from Summit and have already sliced, sectioned and welded up tapered pipes but I’ve only tacked the individual port pipes (1.75" w/3.5 clr's) to the manifolds(tapered 1.75/2.5"). Still way easy to back up and use straight pipe for the manifolds. Top performance is not the issue so much as even tuning of the afr’s cyl to cyl. These will run down to full length and functional lakes style side pipes. I use dual band Innovate DLG-1 Dual Lambda Air/Fuel Ratio Gauges on anything I build these days, but will also be reading plugs for the cyl to cyl readings. Will I notice a difference one way vs the other, or will it be close enough I won’t see the difference plug to plug? I’d just hate to use traditional looking tapers and find that one end of each bank is lean and the other is rich. 351 is totally stock, may add alum 4bbl intake, maybe. Thanks again. Slick …

 

you might find that most of the "tuning" of lakes pipes, is to make them look good

 

My suggestion would be get it drivable before getting too wrapped up with fine tuning.