Has anyone ever used any form of camaro headers, nova header, etc on a 68 chevelle small block to obtian the 1 7/8 size? Im thinking the 70-81 camaro style might work, but didnt know if anyone was running this particular header on thier car, its not a low rider, so ground issues isnt a problem. Any info is welcomed, and we are planning to use hooker super comps, just we dont want to use the 1 3/4 becuase it forces you to use the smaller flywheel, and we plan to use the 168 tooth flywheel and bw super t10 2nd deisgn 4 speed. Thanks guys

Ryan Spencer

Hmm how does that work....I think you can place headers made for a Nova in a chevelle, but you cant go from a Chevelle to a Nova.... we did this on a buddys car a few years back. If i remember right...the headers hung down too low....

anyone?

so what year of nova headers, the 75-79 style? that is the same as the 70-81. ore the 69-74? or what exzact years. thanks

I tried 70-81 headers on my 71 chevelle , they were a great deal hooker super comps, they hit on the frame, the camaro engines sit further back.

Dave

ok, I`ll ask since nobody else has. Why do you want 1 7/8" tubes? For one they are way too big for a streetable sbc in my opinion and to the best of my knowledge, headers don`t dictate what size flywheel you need to run. The flywheel sits inside the bell housing so provided that your bellhousing will allow a 168 flywheel, the 1 3/4: tubes should fit. My buddy had a 65 with a 4spd and the 168 flywheel and was running the hooker 1 3/4" tubes. Another friend is tunnig a T10 with a 168 flywhelle and lakewood housing and the heman 1 3/4: tubes with no problems either. My old chevelle had them as well and while it was a th350 car, there was plenty of clearance around the trans area.

With that said, I would rather see you stick with 1 5/8 tubes than go to a set of headers that are way to big and would kill alot of performance.

My dad had a 12 second camaro using all GM parts, full steel, we ARE going to use the 1 7/8 header, i was just wondering what other people are using.

What SSCHEVELLEFAN says.

My dad had a 12 second camaro using all GM parts, full steel, we ARE going to use the 1 7/8 header, i was just wondering what other people are using.

A 1-7/8" header would be used on a 9-second Camaro, a 12-second setup would work better with something in the 1-1/2" to 1-5/8" range with an appropriately sized collector.

My dad had a 12 second camaro using all GM parts, full steel, we ARE going to use the 1 7/8 header, i was just wondering what other people are using.


I`m not trying to knock you man, just trying to help. Your asking for help and we are all trying to give it to you. I know a guy who had a 62 chevy truck with a 12:1 383 that ran 11.60`s and he was only running a 1 1/2" set of cheap headers. Going 12`s in a camaro really isn`t too difficult but it certainly doesn`t require 1 7/8" tube headers. Bigger isn`t always better. I tried to explain that to a friend of mine but he still went out and bought a set of Lemons headers that go from 1 7/8" to 2" and this is for a 460hp 350. He hasen`t put them on yet but he`ll be very disapointed in the power loss that his $1400 headers gave him.

What are the specs of the motor you have for your car?

My dad had a 12 second camaro using all GM parts, full steel, we ARE going to use the 1 7/8 header, i was just wondering what other people are using.

1 7/8" primary tubes are too big for just about any small block combination. Anytime you try to use headers from a car that they were not designed for, you are asking for tons of trouble.

Header manufacturers go through much work and design effort to produce headers for a particular vehicle/engine combination and sometimes there are problems with the fit, due to production tolerances, tolerance "stack" and possible crash repairs. This is illustrated almost daily in posts to this site.

Save yourself some headaches and wasted time/effort; use headers that were designed for your combination or have a custom set made.

Well, the 11 second sbc's use 1.75" is all. How fast did you want to go? a 10 second sbc that's fogged or over 400 c.i. would utilize the 1.875". A 12 second sbc Camaro would generally run .1 faster ( .o5 in 60') or so with the right sized header.

I'll say this, either way you're splitting hairs. NO ONE gains alot by switching headers.I sure wouldnt spend the time in fabrication or the $$ in custom for nothing. And it will amount to nothing. Buy some off the shelf and be done with it.

Here's an article about a lady running 11.40's in her Camaro with 1-1/2" headers. Picked up over a tenth by going smaller.

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tech/0310phr_jack_burns_exhaust_manifold_header_tech/index.html

I run a Hedman 1 3/4 " header on my sbc. They have good ground clearance but I had to notch them so I could change plugs with out removing them every time. If you have a straight plug head the only place I've been able to find that has a large tube header is Stahl @ about $1250 for a custom set to fit my 65.

You have to have some big head flow numbers to run the bigger tubes as stated. I also run a 1050 cfm Dominator on the street too.

It seems to me that the Hooker headers seem to fit better than the hedmans. If you run shorter plugs, it isn`t too bad to change the plugs with straight plug heads. I was running standard length with no issues.

I have 1 5/8 on my sb 427 , I run 11.70's on average, I know I might need bigger but it works good this way.

Dave

I am not asking what type of header everyone uses and what i should use. i am asking if anyone has tried any of the 1 7/8 headers, that is it. Thanks for your oppinions, but we are cloning my dads camaro motor, that is the hardest hitting car any of you have ever seen. All orignal GM componets, not aftermarket, and 12 second fully street legal, full weight, camaro. 650 holley carb, factory intake, factory rods, pistons, heads, block, tranny, rear. So dont tell me what headers i need, i just need to know if anyone has used the 1 7/8 headers on anything.

I have put Hedman Hustlers on a 69 chevelle with a small block, they were 1 7/8. They come with an adapter plate and they use the stahl bolt pattern. The adapter plate you have to port match they don't come fully machined. They fit very well. The part#65210


Dave

we are cloning my dads camaro motor, that is the hardest hitting car any of you have ever seen. All orignal GM componets, not aftermarket, and 12 second fully street legal, full weight, camaro.

It's 2007, Walt. 12-second cars aren't that 'hard-hitting' anymore. The big tube era is over, science rules these days.

I am not asking what type of header everyone uses and what i should use. i am asking if anyone has tried any of the 1 7/8 headers, that is it. Thanks for your oppinions, but we are cloning my dads camaro motor, that is the hardest hitting car any of you have ever seen. All orignal GM componets, not aftermarket, and 12 second fully street legal, full weight, camaro. 650 holley carb, factory intake, factory rods, pistons, heads, block, tranny, rear. So dont tell me what headers i need, i just need to know if anyone has used the 1 7/8 headers on anything.


We all understand what your trying to say. I know what your original post was about, I just thought I would try to help you out before you did something you would regret. I`ll bet almost anything your dads car would have been faster with 1 3/4" or even 1 5/8" tubes. as oneovakind has said, 12`s isn`t that big of a deal anymore. And while using all gm stuff is great for bragging rights so you can say your car is all gm, most of gm`s performance stuff is well outdated performance wise.

If you are really hung up on running 1 7/8" tubes go ahead, it`s your car. you`ll just be giving up so much power down low.

If you are using all GM stuff you will never rev high enough to benefit from 1-7/8 tubes!

Aren't most GM parts made in China now:D???

It seems to me that the Hooker headers seem to fit better than the hedmans. If you run shorter plugs, it isn`t too bad to change the plugs with straight plug heads. I was running standard length with no issues.


I have 3 different "modified" spark plug sockets just to change the plugs in my Velle with Hedman Headers!!

Well then Dave427 gave you the answer. And like I said, we're talking a tenth here. Nothing to really worry about unless its a dedicated bracket car. Choose your battles carefully! Choose headers based on fitment. If you guys go with a primary pipe that even an old skool LT1 cant use at 7500 rpm, I'd suggest using a well designed X pipe in line. It'll pick the velocity up in those big tubes.

This car was built in the late 60s, and seventies. My dad held three world records in the AHRA, he had a 306 (327 block, 283 crank, 327 rods bored 030) that was good for 9500 RPM on a daily basis, granted the power band isnt there, but it could crank that high, ive seen 283s hit 10k all day, this is from all the Old school drag racers, full weight orignal body panels, no fiberglass, big tires, and burning gas and hauling ass.

Oh yeah, we still have all 4 of the cars he campaigned by the time he quit, and 3 of the ones he had raced in the past, all in ORIGNAL, MINT, running condition like the day they drove off the track.

Why not just race one of those then?

I agree, race one of those cars if they are already set up for it. Just because the motor will rev to 9500 doesn`t mean the power is there and probably would run better shifted lower but it still doesn`t require 1 7/8" tubes. GM even gave 1 5/8" tubes in the trunk on the Z-28`s back in the day and with gears tires and a good tune they would run low 13`s high 12`s. Another thing is that your chevelle is a little heavier than your dads camaros.

Oh yeah, we still have all 4 of the cars he campaigned by the time he quit, and 3 of the ones he had raced in the past, all in ORIGINAL, MINT, running condition like the day they drove off the track.


Ryan, now that IS cool. You're looking for white Mickey Thompson's then!

Hey, I run 2" pipes and shift at 7000+, and its *only* a street car. Old skool bro! :thumbsup:

Quote:If you are using all GM stuff you will never rev high enough to benefit from 1-7/8 tubes! Unquote!

Quote: We all understand what your trying to say. I know what your original post was about, I just thought I would try to help you out before you did something you would regret. I`ll bet almost anything your dads car would have been faster with 1 3/4" or even 1 5/8" tubes. as oneovakind has said, 12`s isn`t that big of a deal anymore. And while using all gm stuff is great for bragging rights so you can say your car is all gm, most of gm`s performance stuff is well outdated performance wise.

If you are really hung up on running 1 7/8" tubes go ahead, it`s your car. you`ll just be giving up so much power down low. Unquote:


These people do not doubt that your Dad went 12's with GM parts!!!!! What they are saying is: If you drop the head pipe size, the car will probably go faster than the original combo. If you have an extra 2 tenths to play with, maybe you will have an easier time reaching your fathers numbers. I once purchased 1 7/8" headers for my 302. What a mistake. At least I learned something from that experience. Many of the BB people on this site make the same mistake, thinking that Big Blocks need Big Headers. Optimum header diameter is based, mostly, on how much power your engine is going to make. An engine making between 475 and 575 HP needs a 1 3/4" header, although I've seen dyno results with over 600 HP with that size header. The point being: if your not making over 550-600 HP, you don't need an 1 7/8" header. Your stock parts will not excede that limit.

The header doesn't care what engine it is on, only the speed, volume, and temperature of the gas flowing through it.

And by the way, I have seen 350 2nd Design Camaros run in the 12's with 1 1/2", knarley bent, STREET headers and factory parts. A well tuned 1968, 302 Z-28 would run mid 12's.

Yeah, we dont run his stuff, they are antique race cars, and after they started bracket racing in the 80's, he vowed to never race them again, end of story. His street car lost the crager super trix's, and regained stock steelies, and he locked them up in the barn and then now occasionly starts them, moved them once into a new house, and thats where they sit.

At this point, we only want 1 7/8 tubes, we arent using stock gm parts on ths buildup, becuase the lack of them, other than what we have sitting on storage shevles, and those are worth more thna a complete motor nowadays.