block hugger headers won´t clear my steering box....

I´ve just dropped the freshly rebuilt engine and tranny into my 56 chevy. Now I ´d like to replace the long old hooker headers with a pair of ceramic coated block huggers but I have no chance to squeeze them between the steering box and the head, just no space at all... The old headers would fit in, but they have only about 2 " road clearance. Now,I´m thinking about cutting 2-3" out of the old headers to provide road clearance.Has anyone ever chopped a tube type header?

 

Is there enough room to dent the header tubes a little?

 

Thanks!Yeah, would be possible. But I think the ceramic coating would crack and fall off. If they were only painted I´d go for it...

 

I have a 56 chevy also , so I'd like to know how it works out.

 

How are you mounting the engine? Are you using the old angle front mounts or have you gone to the side mounting method? If you are using the old front mounts it's possible that they have setteled (the rubber biscuits compressed causing the engine to sit lower thus making clearance between the engine and steering tighter). This being the case you might shim the front of the engine up to get more clearance. If you have gone to the side mount system its possible that you have located the frame mounts too low. Just a thought as I have had several '55/'57 chevys where the origional mount biscuits have compressed to the point of lowering the front of the engine.

Frank

 

Baumi, we just did this with the EXACT setup you have. They dropped the motor in last week while I was gone. Let me look later and see what Jason did on the one in the shop. You can "ding" those headers w/o crcking that coating, but I would hold off.

 

i am having the same problem with my 56 chevy. i want to go to a shorter header for more ground clearance. i used the danchuk style side engine mounts. almost every short header i have found says will not fit danchuk style side engine mounts. i was gonna go with those 3/4 headers. but all of them say they wont fit. i am thinking of chopping my full length headers too. let me know how it turns out.

diego

 

You need rear dump headers try logging on to petronix home site. They acquired patriot exhaust (Irnie Ermoso Headers) they have a link that shows PDF files for patriot TRI year headers. Look at how they are made maybe you can modify long ones to that configuration. www.pertronix.com

 

hey guys i do alot of tri 5's at aces and eights vintage auto. i use sanderson brand headers, they have shorty,s and longs. they are soley designed for the 55-57 cars. dont beat they header, it will !@#$% up the coating , even ifyou can see it with the neked eye, trust me i learned the hard way. i usaully have this prob when usein the retro fit 605 power sterrin box. the folks are way cool at sanderson headers,plus the owners a chick loaded with tats and piercns.if ya need any help fill free to email me sideburns@aceseights.com or call me at 210-651-3244. i'm at the shop from 7am-1am. hopethis info helps. i recentley had a customer put a 454 in his 55 ,good luck, he was gettin the parts for me and he wasted 4weeks and did 2000.00 dollars in returns till he tried sanderson and in 5 days had the ones that fit perfect.

 

iforgot the web address its www.sandersonheaders.com. their in san fracisco calif. 1-800-669-2430, 517 railroad ave.

 

Rear dumb headers (aftermarket) like those used on the newer fullsize chevy trucks (88-98) I think may work.. They are tight and dumb at the rear of the head. I have Sanderson headers on my wagon and they seem to work good, except they keep coming loose, there quality is good and I have the coated ones and they hold up nicely...

 

my 605 box is real tight to my rams horn,who ever swapped in the side mounts before i got the car set them in to low.its tight,but i havent had any problems .

 

Did you use the Danchuk upper mounts? I've put three motors in using just the Danchuk lower frame mounts, and upper mounts from a Cutlass, or Monte Carlo. I don't remember having any problems with shorty headers. I did have a rough time fitting a set of longer ones clearing the starter.

 

chopped a set of pipes by putting sleaves on the insides, just cut what you don't need from the tubes an then saw your sleave by takeing about 1/8 in from the tube an weld back together. the sleave keeps it straight an just a little bead works!

 

Thanks to all of you for your help. I use the original style front engine mounts with new rubbers, rear engine mounts and the th350 cross member tranny mount. I guess the engine should be in the correct position.So, what should I say... I did it. I´m not yet finished with the drivers side header, its collector will have to be shortend and "bent" about 45° to the rear. The clearance is perfect and I´ll be able to run the pipe tight to the floor. Here´s a pic of what the problem was. The steering box is really close to the cylinder head.

 

closer

 

another one

 

The passengerside header is finished and fits perfectly.It´s about 10" shorter than before.

 

The driversside header has been shortend about 10,5". I had to modify the collector to accept the pipes.There are no more clearance problems with the steering box, oil filter or rear engine mount. The collector will be shortend about 2" and it´ll get a 45° angle to the back. Maybe it was worth at least to save the new headers from being dented.

 

And here´s what I´ve cut out

 

Thanks for your help guys!
Trent, if you find out how they managed to get the block huggers in, please let me know! I´ve measured around and found out that the engine is exactly in the middle of the frame and in its correct height Maybe they used rack and pinion on the 56 in your shop?
I think I´ll use the block hugger on my 62 Impala...

 

why not buy some of the repro 2-1/2" rams horns manifolds they are selling now? And have them HPC coated.....they flow better that the blockhuggers do.......

 

Thanks!! Who sells them?

 

ram horns are the way to go but I had the same problem installing block huggers in my 50 chevy pu. I used the ceramic coated type and moved the engine over a smidget and did bend in one tube to clear the steering shaft joint. I probably bent it in about one third of the total diameter.
The ceramic coating did not crack and hasn't cracked for four years. I would imagine the engine is losing some flow at that cylinder but I haven't notice any problems at all with it.

 

I tried those same headers on this 55 today....Nope, wont work. We are using a set of RamsHorns on this one as well.Sorry man

 

No need to be sorry Tman! I´m glad you shipped them to me! Thanks again!!
I´ll use my "self-chopped " headers on the 56, they aren´t that bad .
Thanks to all of you for your great help!!

 

Anyone know who is making those RamHorns and have a pic of them.. Do they dump at the same location?

 

here's one link
ram horns

 

Boones - have you tried those bolts with the locking washers? I have them and they work sweet! I haven't had to retighten once. well worth the 40 bucks from summit - I forget who makes em - i still have the box though.

 

Thanks for the link Petejoe!I´d love to have them but I think they are too expensive for my taste. A pair of them would be about 550 bucks to my door.But it´s good to know that they are availible. Thanks!