Back in 1975 I put a set of headers in my 70 442 W-30. I was 17 years old and did it on the street using the curb for jack stands. Last week I put headers in my 70 442 and while I have a 1,500 sq ft shop with a lift and all the tools I want or need, it was just as hard now as it was then. Felt good to hear it run though.

 

Headers on a Olds are a BITB. Also I have found out was fun and easy at 17 is, also now a BITB, at 72.

 

Can I ask you what kind of headers and was there any "tweaking" to get them to fit?

 

Bought them on-line from Blackhorse Racing. I did have to work the pipes on the drivers side at the steering column contact point and the clutch bell crank.

 

I don't think its easy to install headers in an olds cutlass, compared to some other makes and models.

If first did it in 1988. My folks let me use the covered car port with concrete pad. I battled it for a week, a few hours each afternoon. My folks are long gone now, but the stain on the concrete from trans fluid is still there. I hope you enjoy your Olds Jones, its a nice one.

 

My first 68 Cutlass had a rotted factory exhaust system, having little extra cash at that point in my life I had to do my own repairs so bought some inexpensive headers . I used the street curb like Oldracer, It was February in Minnesota. I took those suckers in and out about 7 times in order to beat a tube so the 4spd linkage would fit, I'll never forget the amount of work that was, and the bone chilling cold from laying in the street on top of thinking " I Know it's gonna fit this time" each and every install those couple days. The day I finally got them in and the linkage had clearance was the same day our other car, a 73 Merc Marqiuis, got stuck in the snow on the other side of street, while rocking it it blew a rod out the oil pan. Good times and good timing!

 

Ahhh, the good old "fun" days! I'm presently suffering from moving a turbo 400 transmission 2 days ago.

 

I've done three sets of headers, one on each of the cars in my signature. The first, the Cutlass (Hedman headers), was no trouble at all - it had the Jetaway trans, so no bell crank to get in the way. On the two 4-4-2's, I did have to massage one tube to obtain clearance for the bell crank. For the '69 (Hooker), a BFH did the job in about 5 or 6 whacks. For the '68 (Hooker), I used my 4-ton porta-power and only had to pull it back out for adjustment once.