snylften

Hello all. I just recently purchased a set of Hooker Headers for my 1971 Cutlass Holiday Hardtop. It has a 350, I dont know the exact year, but between 1977-1980. I have managed to get the manifolds down and getting ready to install the headers. I have no experience doing this before, so I was wondering if you could get me some info on how to install them.
Will the starter have to come of, do I need to get the steering linkage separated etc to get the headers to fit? It looks kinda tight.
Should they be installed from the top or do I try and slide them in from under the car?

oldcutlass

They need to be installed from underneath and it's a lot easier if you raise the front of the car as high as you can and support the frame on jack stands. The dipstick, oil filter, and possibly the starter need to be removed. You also may have to disconnect your transmission linkage. You may have to take the big bolt out of the engine mounts and raise the engine with a jack on each side to slide them in place.

70cutty

When I installed mine I had to raise the engine a little bit from each side.

455man

I took off the oil filter housing also. Starter always comes off when I'm putting headers on.

Eric Anderson

I just put hookers on my 350, the starter had to come off, along with the dipstick tube on the drivers side. I also popped the shift linkage off just for a little extra room to get in there not needed though. On the passenger side I popped off the oil filter, I also loosened the transmission lines, if I had the car higher I don't think I would have needed to loosen them but up on jack stands I just couldn't get by them. The cross member clearance was no problem I didn't have to lift the engine, looks like you are using the 3901's which I used I had plenty if room.

breadfan

Agree with all the other posters with regard to starter, dipstick, oil filter and also the shift linkage. Also, be aware that if your cutlass is an S model, there's a possibility that the headers may contact the cross member on the drivers side (I have yet to find a rational explanation...maybe someone else on here can help with that). I had to make a few modifications to mine in order to get enough clearance. An added suggestion is while you have the starter out you hay want to wrap it in heat resistant tape or maybe manufacture a heat shield for the starter. You'll see what I'm talking about when you get it back in. Good luck!

snylften

Perfect! This is just the type of info I was looking to get! I’m really grateful for your help. I will do some more work asap and get beck here with the progress. The headers came with different lengths on the bolts. Do you know where the longer one goes?

Thanks!

boese1978

I use an engine hoist to raise the engine a bit 1 side at a time( take out the motor mount bolt on one side, raise a couple inches, install the header, replace the bolt, move on to next side), this helps so you don't have to install from underneath as that sucks big time.

Eric Anderson

I used the longer ones on the ends with a washer where the flanges have a slot. Also on the drivers side where the power steering bracket bolts up I used the factory bolt with two washers to space the bracket out.

joe_padavano

NOOOOOOOO! Please, not another "headers won't fit" myth. There is absolutely NO mechanical difference in frame, crossmember, sheet metal, suspension, or engine location on the Cutlass S or Supreme or any other Olds A-body for a given year. The only reason why headers would contact the crossmember is because the rubber motor mount on that side has deteriorated and sagged.

Oldsguy

Moved thread from Newbie section to here. No need to keep posting in the newbie section.

Skitch72

I just installed these same headers on my 72' 350...I will throw in that I replaced the engine mounts at the same time and did lift each side of the motor during the install. Since you have good access the motor mounts are never going to be easier to replace. Also removed the already mentioned items starter/dipstick/oil filter& mount.

Does anybody have a pic of how they routed their transmission cooler lines after the install? In order to get clearance I have them routed essentially under the oil filter which is a pain to get on and off. Is there a better way to route them?

My .02
Tim

70cutty

I installed barb fittings on the tranny and 6" of rubber hose, attached the transmission cooler lines to the hose to route them away from the headers. Otherwise they are too close.

snylften

I managed to get the headers in place on the passenger side after unmount of the oilfilterhousing. Then it was no problem to get the headers in place. But it was not that simple to get the bolts in place, ill guess my hands are to big. I will give it another try as soon as possible. Two bolts are now holding the header in the right place.

I unmount the starter yesterday and try to put on the riverside header from underneath but it was still to tight. I will try by unmount the steering thing(don't know the name in english) Then i try again to put the riverside header in place. I really don't want to raise the engine

Many thanks guys, and excuse me for my poor english. I really grateful for your help.

joe_padavano

Removing the steering shaft will help, just be careful to reinstall it in the same orientation. The flange at the steering box has two different sized shoulder bolts so that it only goes on one way. The splined end at the base of the steering column also only goes on one way.

Also, I have never been able to install headers without lifting the engine. This is no big deal and will really make your life easier. Remove the one bolt between the motor mount and the frame mount, then jack the motor with a floor jack and block of wood under the oil pan sump. Slide the header in, lower the motor slowly, start the header bolts, and reinstall the motor mount bolt and steering shaft.

snylften

I removed the steering shaft and that helped a lot. I did remove the oil dipstick to. Then it was no problem to put the header in place. But i did face another problem. The plate where you attach the generator blocks the headers first mounting hole. I have to cut a piece of it so i can mount the header properly.

Thanks again for all your help

Skitch72

I think that bracket should hinge away from the block and then lay flat on the flange of the header, you shouldn't have to cut it. That first bolt will go through the bracket and the flange.

joe_padavano

NOOOOOO! Simply loosen the alternator bracket, move it out of the way, install the header, and bolt everything back together. That part of the bracket is important to stabilize the alternator and PS pump under belt tension.

snylften

ok i understand that now. I did move the alternator. But then the bracket and the hole in the engingblock did not align. I cant figure out how it all of a sudden not align? When i tock off the old ones it was ok but now it has moved? Look at the picture.

RetroRanger

is the belt still on ?

I think you just need to loosen all the bolts for the brkct and muscle it into place

joe_padavano

^^^This.

Remove the alternator. Loosen ALL the bracket bolts. Install bolts loosely. THEN tighten. Reinstall alternator.

joe_padavano

Can you post a photo that shows your alternator bracket? From this photo, it appears that you have the late-1970s bracket, which probably came with the engine.

455man

It looks like the header flange might be hitting the bracket. I had to grind a little on mine. Maybe and 1/8 of an inch.

joe_padavano

That's what I was thinking also, which is why I asked for better photos.

snylften

I havent loosen all the bolts yet, ill do that sometime today i hope.

Grinding a bit off was my guess too. I try loosen all the bolts on the bracket first.

Here is some better pictures of the bracket.

therobski

I know that on the early A-body's 64-67 the best to install the headers was as mentioned lift one side of the motor at a time. That said, if you using the stock GM starter hows the clearance between the starter and one of the header tubes? On my 67 455 you cannot barely get a sheet of paper between the too. In extreme Texas summer heat the solenoid gets heat soak when I shut the motor off. In addtion if the starter needs service I have to raise the engine, remove the header out of the way to get the starter out. When that time comes I will re-install a new mini starter.

snylften

Well today i got the header in place on the driver side. But it is so tight that i had to use a hammer and force in to place. Now it is impossible to get the gasket between the header and engineblock... It seems like the only solution is to remove the bolt that holds the motor.

joe_padavano

Not to say "I told you so", but...

snylften

i know But i had to grind a bit of the bracket anyway. Otherwise the header wouldn't be able to slip into place. The thing is when i muscle the header into place the gasket was totally mashed between the block and header. Thats because there is no space between the frame and the header on the driverside. On the passangerside on the other hand there was no problem at all, just to set the header into place and mount it.

I have a question about the motor bolt mounting hole. Do i have to compleatly remove the bolt from the engine/chassi bracket? I was thinking maybe there are some room for adjustment in the holes?

oldcutlass

The bolt must be removed to lift the engine. Put a wide piece of wood on a floor jack and lift under the oil pan once the bolt is removed. The wood will distribute the weight and not damage the pan.

Sarum

From what I have learned the "difference" is the fact that the distance between chassis rails on a '64 to '67 Cutlass is narrower than subsequent models. While not a major issue with tall blocks like the 455 it is a major one with original 330 cubic inch [SBO}variants which have a lower exhaust outlet height. For this reason it has been said that you can't put BBO long tube headers in a 330ci Cutlass. I do know of one person in Norway or Denmark who managed to put Hooker 3902 model headers in his 1965 330 Cutlass but I remember noting how low the headers hung down but never saw how they were fitted. Hammer of Thor maybe!