Got the engine going in for the first time over spring break - want to have the headers on hand so everything fits.

I'm hearing some are having problems getting the headers to fit around various components, so we want to have the "right" ones the first time.

It's all going on the engine listed below, and staying away from "sky's the limit" pricing, so what's a good fit/good performance/good price header for a 400-450HP Sunday cruiser? We'll be buying a complete exhaust setup as well, probably all from Summit...

Suggestions? Price idea? There's a lot to choose from and it gets a little confusing!
:confused:

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Finally/P1010204.jpg
Dynomax ceramic $280 delivered from Summit. Installed on a 396, fit great. No clearance problems at all anywhere. Should fit same on 454. If you don't want cermaic Summit house brand is made by dynomax, about $80. Same header as the dynomax but painted instead of cermaic.

I agree with Hank. I bought the "Summit" headers which are painted black and I paid about $80. I have not installed yet but have heard here that the quality and fit are very good and you sure can't beat the price. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I got the hooker headers for my 68 396 and they fit great and look awesome but kind of spendy

Hank - that's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for. Price is right too! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Do you have a model # for those? Looking in the Summit catelog, I don't see them at all...

c

Hey Curt! Do the Dynomax I just got them on the other day, the driver side likes to be attached before dropping in the engine, either that or install the engine then jack up the engine about 2" and it pops in, these things are really nice :D

Originally posted by dittoz:
Hank - that's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for. Price is right too! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Do you have a model # for those? Looking in the Summit catelog, I don't see them at all...

c Let me check my receipt, don't know if I'll get to it tonight but can do tomorrow, still at work now. They come with new bolts, flange bolts and gaskets too.

Curt,

I have had the Dynomax # 86110 (coated) on my 70 454 for 7 years. They fit great and hold up very well. In fact I just got another set for my bro yesterday. I could not find them on Summit's website, but I did get them from Jegs for $280.98 shipped. I ordered them on Monday evening and they arrived in PA on Thursday. Unless you are all out racing, these appear to be the best fitting headers for the $$ IMO.

Yup, Summit part# is WLK-86110. $280.90 including shipping. Ordered on a Sat. received on Wednesday maybe Thursday. So either Summit or Jegs's, unless of course you're worried about the $.08 then you definately have to go with Summit. :D

summit has thier brand of ceramic longtubes for 200 bucks, ill be getting those to replace my rusted out year old hooker headers. (wish i knew to repaint them before installing, but oh well)

WLK 86110 stands for Walker/Tenneco that owns Dynomax.
The 86110 part # is the standard Dynomax part in ceramic coated.
The sum-g9110 is a painted header, but I believe that's for a chevy truck.

Oh dangit! Dynomax... Hooker...Hooker...DynoMax
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!
graemlins/clonk.gif :eek: graemlins/clonk.gif :eek: graemlins/clonk.gif

Only real difference it looks like is the Dynomax's are 18ga steel and the Hookers are 14ga. For $50 up against $300, is it really going to make a huge difference? I don't mind the extra few dollars, but if it doesn't make a difference, then I'd rather put the $$$ elsewhere of course.

I just don't want to get them home and find out I'm banging dents in a new set of pipes!

Part # for the Summit headers is SUM-G9010


IMHO,I won't buy ceramic coated headers.They do look nice new,but you should see what happens to them on a daily driver that sits outside in 8 months time graemlins/sad.gif (on a friends SBC powered C10 p/u)
With that said,most of us aren't driving our big block cars everday and letting them sit outside,but I'll save the cash and stick the Summit/Dynomax painted headers.And they fit great too.

Just put the dynomax coated on my chevelle 454 and fit was great. They look great too. Have friend who put them on 4 years ago on a BB pickup still look as good now as they did then.MY 2 c

Understand Chris...

This'll be a Sunday cruiser - never in bad weather and will always be garaged - in California (no salt!)

Are the elements the big issue with ceramics?
I don't like the chrome because of the discoloration and thought ceramic would be better suited. My whole engine is painted black with yellow fuel and water pump, aluminum intake and a few chrome brackets, so black headers would really disappear. Was hoping for them to show up a bit "down in there" but not in chrome...

What happens to the ceramincs over time?

Understand Chris...

This'll be a Sunday cruiser - never in bad weather and will always be garaged - in California (no salt!)

Are the elements the big issue with ceramics?
I don't like the chrome because of the discoloration and thought ceramic would be better suited. My whole engine is painted black with yellow fuel and water pump, aluminum intake and a few chrome brackets, so black headers would really disappear. Was hoping for them to show up a bit "down in there" but not in chrome...

What happens to the ceramics over time?

I put the Dynomax ceramic on my 68 396 and had no fitament issues at all. They look great and sound great! You can also get these at your local Advance Auto or O'reilly's. They will price match Summit or Jegs too!

I run mine through rain a few times and the collectors started to show rust - pin heads of rust. Since I bought them through JetHot - it was a free recoat (other than shipping.)

I baked them a bit with the new engine run in, adn if they werent such a bear to R&R, I would have resent them for another recoat.

Don't waste your time with painted headers. Coated headers is the only way to go. I bought a pair of Hooker Comps in bare finish,then had them coated by Performance Coatings of OKC,OK. Six years later,they still looked in excellent condition. Paint is just not very durable on exhaust headers.

Originally posted by Clint44:
Don't waste your time with painted headerseach his own smile.gif
my painted headers look great.A sinister dull black finish (and no rust either)
I've met people that can't stomach the fact that new headers for a big block can cost less than $85..they feel the need to spend $280 (and they're usually the ones that can't believe a big block that makes 450+ reliable HP can't be built for $2500,and feel that a motor must cost 5K plus to make power and be reliable too)
Some people just want coated headers too,and thats fine with me.If you don't drive your car alot,and don't drive it in bad weather,they should just hold up fine within reason.

Curt, the ceramics look awesome on a black block w/ black components, I painted my engine black also. You said you had some yellow on there too? Hmmm, my vote is ceramic that would look bad ass.

I like the spark plug access in the first pic, can you buy a 2" tube header for a BBC from Dynomax?

Originally posted by SMS:
I like the spark plug access in the first pic, can you buy a 2" tube header for a BBC from Dynomax? No 2" Headers from Dynomax
All Dynomax/Summit BBC headers are 2" at the port,but neck down to 1 3/4"

Originally posted by mr 4 speed:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Clint44:
Don't waste your time with painted headerseach his own smile.gif
my painted headers look great.A sinister dull black finish (and no rust either)
I've met people that can't stomach the fact that new headers for a big block can cost less than $85..they feel the need to spend $280 (and they're usually the ones that can't believe a big block that makes 450+ reliable HP can't be built for $2500,and feel that a motor must cost 5K plus to make power and be reliable too)
Some people just want coated headers too,and thats fine with me.If you don't drive your car alot,and don't drive it in bad weather,they should just hold up fine within reason. </font>[/QUOTE]I built a 480hp 427" for less than $2500 so what's your point?
If you never drive your car with painted headers,good for you. If you do,the paint will deteriorate fast. Bad weather doesn't really have much to do with it. Rattle can paint just isn't designed to handle exhaust temps for any length of time.

Originally posted by mr 4 speed:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Clint44:
Don't waste your time with painted headerseach his own smile.gif
my painted headers look great.A sinister dull black finish (and no rust either)
I've met people that can't stomach the fact that new headers for a big block can cost less than $85..they feel the need to spend $280 (and they're usually the ones that can't believe a big block that makes 450+ reliable HP can't be built for $2500,and feel that a motor must cost 5K plus to make power and be reliable too)
Some people just want coated headers too,and thats fine with me.If you don't drive your car alot,and don't drive it in bad weather,they should just hold up fine within reason. </font>[/QUOTE]So Chris when are you starting on my 454? Nice 454, $2500, sounds good. PM me when it's ready. :D

Hank,get yourself a $300 454 core and spend another $125 for a pair of closed chamber #215 or 063 heads and I will show you the way smile.gif

..no offense to the coated header guys either smile.gif ;)
I had a pair on my 4 speed 70 SS396..got them for free,from Dynomax.When they bought the Blackjack name,they bought the life time warranty that Blackjack had on AK5000 aluma coated headers,and if you shipped Dynomax the old Blackjack headers (only if the alumacoat was burned or rusted,which they usually where) you'd get a nice shiny pair of new coated ones.This was about 10 years ago,not sure if they still do that.

I've got the ceramic dynomax in my 68 396, look, sound, and fit great. It's a daily driver in new jersey so it is probably the worst case scenario for the ceramic. Some other guys were saying they had a problem with the finish, i don't know why they would have a problem.

If you get the ceramic coated dynomaxm, READ THE DIRECTIONS, there is a proper break in procedure for the coating.

My dynomax ceramic coated headers started to rust and flake. I called the company up, they sent me a new set NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

If I have to buy another set, dynomax ceramic coated all the way!

I'm thinking of getting me some ceramics too, but my chevelle sits outside and never is kept in a garage. Should I worry about the ceramic finish rusting if I do buy these? My car sits outside all thru the year in Southern Cal weather. I let my car sit this winter and my painted headers got all this rust on them. I think I had a better chance of them surviving if I drove it more, thanks. Eric

Eric,IMHO the ceramic coating should be fine out in CA

Just wondering if a set of those G9010 Summit headers would be good for a 402 that will be seeing as high as 6k at the drag strip? Or are they mainly a street header?

What size primaries would you recommend for my application? Also do any of the big block headers require dimpling of the tubes for plug clearance?

Just wondering if a set of those G9010 Summit headers would be good for a 402 that will be seeing as high as 6k at the drag strip? Or are they mainly a street header?

What size primaries would you recommend for my application? Also do any of the big block headers require dimpling of the tubes for plug clearance?

I run the G9010 headers on my 454..sees 5500 quite frequently,and 6K on some burnouts :D
Anyway,just a little sidenote..I know a guy that runs low 10's with the same size tubes as mine..so they'll be plenty for your 396
You can beat the price or fitment of these headers.

..and this is why I like my painted headers:
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84741

every now and then I'll touch up the collectors on my G9010's with some hi temp black paint,but they still look mint up top.
if you do buy the G9010's,be sure to strip off the "shipping" paint and paint them with some hi temp

Would the same paint used to paint engine blocks work? Or does it need to be hotter than that?

You're right, at only $86 it blows my mind to the point I have to question the quality. Mind you I think it's a kick ass deal as most other headers sell for at least $100. But of couse I have heard several people on this board have good luck with them.

I just replaced my Summit headers Saturday with Flowtech ceramics. Had them on the 454 for a little over a year and was very pleased. I got them to use as "engine break-in headers". Heard that the ceramic coated ones sometimes discolored, etc. if overheated, and I didn't want to chance that.


I stripped off the black paint that came on them and repainted with high temp VHT paint. Cooked the paint between coats with a small propane torch. Didn't have any peeling of the paint at all from heat. Just a few spots from banging around during the install.

Ok i also need headers but i need 2" tubes what would you guys recommend. I hate the thought of spending $350+. Ralph

Well, I bought Summit's 86110 Ceramic headers and they fit like a champ.
I dropped the motor in today for the first time and the pipes were nota problem to fit around the frame and the A-Arms. The steering shaft is not yet in, so we'll have to see how that fits, but everything else is happy.

Summit didn't have these in their catalog or on line, you have to know the part number, and then search for it on their website...

just droppped in my bigblock with the summit 9010 fit is excellent and I think I can save even a few more bucks and still use the column shift. Jim

I HATE HEADERS - can't live with them, can't live without them. That said, I am just finishing installing a 502/502 into a 66 and this thread just doesn't fit my experience with this combination. The Dynomax painted headers went into the drivers side like a tailored glove. The passenger side was the header from hell! I actually had to cut out the #2 cylinder's tube below the first bend, move it back a full 1" and reweld a filler section on it's front end to make the header clear the crossmember. It wasn't even close as made. Even after doing the surgery, I had to grind down the weld bead across the back of the crossmember to gain the 1/4" total clearance I ended up with, and dinged a few other places to maintain minimal clearances. IF Dynomax would actually trial fit a BBC into a 64/67 frame, it would be an easy refit for their standard product. I plan on doing another BBC into a 65 soon and now I need to know what other brand will actually work on the 65 BBC installation, I won't go thru this again - esp. on ceramic ones which I intend to use next time. OLDED

Ok Curt i'll bite , what is the part # and what size are the headers? You can't leave us hanging with a you gotta know the # then not give it to us ;) Ralph