Wondering if anyone has experience with these headers?
Hedman 58160 Painted Hedder
http://www.jegs.com/i/Hedman/500/58160/10002/-1

 

dont

 

Why not?
Another choice is the Sanderson shorty headers. Thick 3/8" flange and 1 5/8" primary tubes. I ran them on my 88 Cutlass and 1970 Cutlass. Tons of room and can run a full size starter.
https://www.sandersonheaders.com/san...category_id=41

 

I am. I like them. Good clearance, thick flange, I have the ceramic finish.

 

Good to hear someone has some success with them. I got a great deal through amazon and ordered just before I posted the question here. I have had good success with headers on other cars. I couldn't afford the ceramic one but got the painted ones. will get them sand blasted and paint them myself. Now to get the best header paint i can. Any suggestions?

 

First time using this VHT header paint. The header pictured has approximately 400 miles on it. You'll notice some flaking that is likely from not thoroughly removing the protective oil coating applied to these pipes to prevent rust prior to fabrication and paint. The engine paint is Por-15 and you'll notice some burnt paint right at the exhaust port .. typical of most engines.

Mark

 

I wish there was a dyno test between these and a full length header on a 400-ish HP SBO. I currently have full length headers, and will be re-doing my exhaust this Spring. I'm tempted to swap to shorties but not if it's going to cost me 20hp & tq across the curve. 5-10 at peak RPM only, I could probably live with.

 

Nick are you going from longtubes to shorties? why?

 

Ground clearance and easier to work on other items and do maintenance without full length headers. If I went to shorties, I'd have an approx 90* bend after the collector, then a slip joint on either side of the trans, going into the H-pipe. This could allow me to remove the exhaust in sections and leave the shorties installed, and not have full length headers hanging in the way of the starter, clutch hydraulics, transmission etc.

Also, this car is much more of a cruiser "Power Tour" type car, instead of a weekend warrior like I thought it would be. So giving up a few HP for ground clearance and maintenance might be OK with me.

My car sits pretty low, and I'd like to go a hair lower.

 

I'll also add, some people don't run full length headers because they may be more prone to exhaust leaks than manifolds. Properly installed, full length headers should be leak free, and these shorties would be no different.

 

I would think max 10 hp would be all that is lost, tests on other makes show more like 5hp. With my Sanderson's there is a ton of ground clearance and starter is super easy to get to. I plan on swapping to the Hedman's if I get my 424 done this spring. They lasted fine but one side has a filled crack and the other filled where the positive cable shorted out, they are 10 years old and ceramic coated. Like any headers the bolts at the heads need retightened occasionally. Only the Copper or Aluminum collector gaskets lasted any time.

 

Headers suck on any car, leaks, heat and everything else.

 

Ceramic coating, Copper or Aluminum gaskets and thick flanges go a long way to sealing properly with only occasional retightening. Stock manifolds for the SBO are restrictive.

 

Im also mildly interested about this topic..
Ive been wondering over and over again, are long tubes worth the effort on street-driven car versus short-tubes. Sure, youre giving up on power, but does the amount really matter?

All the hassle, getting them installed, maybe banging some pipes so they would clear something, with bad luck lesser ground clearance etc.. Just dont know.

Having exactly same thoughts as Mr.Nick about the subject.

 

I would recommend remflex gaskets if you mess with headers!

 

Sanderson headers just need RTV around the ports, good to know about the Reflex gaskets for the other headers.

 

I'm posting for my Dads car here,
My Dad has headman short ceramic coated headers with remflex gaskets on his 1976 350, no complaints in 4 years so far. Haven't leaked before or after the first heat cycle torque tighten. Hit the loud pedal and feel a spike of decent performance coming from them through seat of my pants dyno.
I have driven his car a few times over the years , I'm here posting since he hasn't felt well in the past few weeks.
I hope I'm welcome here to post here on the site.

 

Have you put them on your car? If so, do you like them?