I have a 69 SS and am getting ready to install a ZZ454, and have a set of Hooker super comps to put on as well. I am trying to decide if i should set the headers in the engine compartment and drop the motor in, or try to get the headers in from the bottom which Hooker says you can do? Also, it has been recommended ( by a friend) that i install the motor with the stock manifolds and exhaust; get the front end aligned (which it needs, all new parts), check everything else for fitment, and then take the manifolds off and install the headers and new exhaust. That option seems to be extremely labor intensive and be a lot of extra work? I'm looking for some input here, i don't want to cut any corners, but does anyone see a problem with dropping the motor in with the headers in place,bolting things up and moving forward? I am anxious to keep moving forward with my project as when the front end is done i still have to take the rearend out and have it rebuilt, and want to get the car on the road so i can get the bugs worked out. I appreciate any and all opinions. Thanks, Dave

I find it much easier with a BB to secure the headers to the sides of the wheel well area. With a sbc I have always been able to slip one in from the top the other from the bottom.

super comps will give you many troubles, trust me been there done that on a '68 with BBC....

if you must use them, set them in first before you put the engine in.....

X3. Helps to have a couple able friends while dropping it in to pull the headers up and start a couple bolts in the head as it lands in the motor mounts. Good chance that you would need to remove the motor mount bolts and jack the motor up to get the headers in afterwards. Wrap the headers in towels or something if you want to keep the paint scratching to a minimum. As for your front end, Rebuild it an then eyeball it enough to get to the alignment shop. I see no need to run your stock exhaust system if it's going to be a header car. Open header it to the muffler shop and then to the alignment rack.

Are they ceramic coated? if so in the install book it says breaking an engine in with ceramic coated headers will damage the coating (not that hooker ceramic coating is good as i learned the hard way), but if you want to keep the warranty on them youll have to go with your friends option.

Thanks for the input,
Dave

Thanks everybody, i have purchased the headers; what sort of problems did you run into? They do come with some instuctions to ding one tube on the passenger side but other than that do you have any pointers? Does anyone know of a header that is better? I was after the 1 7/8 tubes and the 3.5" collectors. Some of the concern with having the headers in place was that they may get in the way for the front end alignment, but i did install offset cross shafts in an effort to allieviate that issue. I am definetly leaning toward wrapping the headers and setting them in place, as the motor has between 500 - 1000 miles on it and also has aluminum heads to hopefully reduce the risk of damaging the coating on the headers. Thanks,
Dave

set the headers in the engine compartment and drop the motor in, No!

I find it much easier with a BB to secure the headers to the sides of the wheel well area. .No!

set them in first before you put the engine in.....No, no, and NO! Sorry, but I disagree with all of the above. Doing it that way might be fine for small block engines, but with my big block engine, I would've never had enough room to lay the headers in first. if I did it that way, there wouldn't have been enough room to even lower the engine into the engine compartment, and I might have even ended up crushing the headers with the weight of the engine.

I dropped the engine in first with the car up on four solid jackstands, and then installed the Hooker super comp headers in my car from the bottom, JUST LIKE THE HOOKER INSTRUCTIONS ADVISE YOU TO DO. :yes:

Following the instructions that came with these headers worked just great for me in my 70 Chevelle, and I have the 2 1/8" diameter primary tube Hookers which is probably bigger than what you have. So you should have an easier time installing your Hooker super comps doing it that way than even I did.

typical BBC header install goes like this if the motor is already in the car: passenger side will go right in...driver side is tricky..the motor must be lifted up and removing the oil filter helps alot.

with the starter out, oil filter off and the Elky up as much as my jackstands would safely allow...
1. passenger side fit right up.
2. Driver side required that side motor mount cross bolt be removed, a slight lift of the engine under the pan and the headers slid in.

The higher up that you can safely get your car before starting this procedure is critical

Word to the wise...
What oil pan is on there anyway? Research now. I know the 454HO comes with a truck oil pan...not sure what is on a ZZ or if you changed it.

I did get another pan; a GM unit 4 qts plus the filter. They definetly don't offer much and i did not want one with a kickout on the bottom. Milodon makes one but it is 9in deep and sticks down way to far. Does anyone see any issues aligning the front end with the headers in place? Thank you for your help seems like you guys have saved me a bunch of time and headaches.

typical BBC header install goes like this if the motor is already in the car: passenger side will go right in...driver side is tricky..the motor must be lifted up and removing the oil filter helps alot.YES!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup::yes:

with the starter out, oil filter off and the Elky up as much as my jackstands would safely allow...
1. passenger side fit right up.
2. Driver side required that side motor mount cross bolt be removed, a slight lift of the engine under the pan and the headers slid in.

The higher up that you can safely get your car before starting this procedure is critical

. ...and YES!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::yes:

FWIW,I have never had to remove the starter to install the passenger side header in a BB Chevelle