New Hooker 4th-gen F-body Headers and Exhaust
#1
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
New Hooker 4th-gen F-body Headers and Exhaust
Hey guys, I'm creating this thread to preview some new exhaust products coming out from Hooker for 4th-gen F-body cars to give anyone interested the opportunity to see some install photos and also answer any technical/fitment/compatibility questions that they may have. This is my first post in this area as I'm normally previewing LS swap related products in the Conversions and Hybrids section. To begin things, Hooker will soon be releasing new 1-3/4" and 1-7/8" stainless steel mid-length headers and a bolt-on compatible 2.5" dual exhaust system (with X crossover) for these cars. The first five pictures I've loaded here show the exhaust system installed under the car, connected to the headers and finally how the tips exit under the Camaro, Firebird Formula and Trans Am bumpers.
The following users liked this post:
tazmo65 (11-22-2020)
#5
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
There will be audio clips posted once the completion of the final test fitment and validation phase is completed. I will be doing the final pre-production installation on the development vehicle within the next week and will record/post audio clips following that work.
#6
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
A 3" version of this particular exhaust system will not be made available as it cannot be made to fit within the same design space while providing the same optimized ground/component clearances.
These new products will be built to the heightened design/construction requirements of our new Hooker Blackheart product line and no effort has been made at this point to provide direct connectivity to existing Hooker Comp or SuperComp long tube headers; to do so would have lessened the achieved ground clearance obtained in the design of the combined header/exhaust system and defeated some of the other design attributes, such as providing compatibility with 4L80 transmission swaps and locating the O2 bungs for proper wide-band O2 sensor operation. We will listen to the input of you our customers to determine whether we design a new set of long tubes or not to follow later.
#7
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
A well designed set of mid-lengths with a lot of design effort spent on the collector geometry will not give up that much to the average set of long tubes. The mid-lengths won't fit everyone's requirements, but for those wanting a good balance between power and the absolute best ground clearance under their car the combination of these headers and the exhaust system will hit the mark. For those that have interest in using the exhaust system with long-tube headers, any competent fabricator would be able to make that a reality for you.
Trending Topics
#9
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rockville, MD
Posts: 4,354
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Would you at least offer tubes to connect to whichever headers one has to the system (whichever hooker headers more specifically)
Many will not by the system if it wont connect to headers they already have or want.
Many will not by the system if it wont connect to headers they already have or want.
#10
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
Thanks for your post. This new system of components is not realistically meant for every 4th-gen enthusiast out there. Making adapter pipes for other brands of headers on the market is unfortunately not feasible as there is not enough potential sales volume to justify the development/fixturing cost associated with each. This is the reason other 4th-gen exhaust systems on the market also do not attach directly to any particular brand of headers, excluding the 3" Kooks system (which only attaches to Kooks' headers and no others). If you wanted to connect this new exhaust system to another brand/type of header it can be accomplished through the fabrication of custom inlet tubes, which any competent fabricator can accomplish for you.
#11
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rockville, MD
Posts: 4,354
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for your post. This new system of components is not realistically meant for every 4th-gen enthusiast out there. Making adapter pipes for other brands of headers on the market is unfortunately not feasible as there is not enough potential sales volume to justify the development/fixturing cost associated with each. This is the reason other 4th-gen exhaust systems on the market also do not attach directly to any particular brand of headers, excluding the 3" Kooks system (which only attaches to Kooks' headers and no others). If you wanted to connect this new exhaust system to another brand/type of header it can be accomplished through the fabrication of custom inlet tubes, which any competent fabricator can accomplish for you.
i may myself get the system for my third gen camaro and adapt it to the car.
#12
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
From what I've been told, the system should be quite adaptable to a 3rd-gen...I'll know soon enough as it's the next vehicle platform coming in for me to do product development on.
#13
TECH Resident
iTrader: (7)
We're all interested in td systems. However, it sounds like you guys are being fairly rigid in what you are willing to offer. That being said, you're exactly right, you're only going to sell this to a few 4th gen fbody guys. The rest of us have our preferred long tubes and aren't willing to take a step back into mid lenght tubes. Sure we can have someone fabricate something but by the time we buy the exhaust from you then pay a fabrincator, I bet we're in Kooks ballpark for a complete system.
Also a really strong point to note, no one is going to sell a new exhaust system/design etc on this site w/o some good quality sounds clips. I'd start there if you really want to sell these things.
Also a really strong point to note, no one is going to sell a new exhaust system/design etc on this site w/o some good quality sounds clips. I'd start there if you really want to sell these things.
#14
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
We're all interested in td systems. However, it sounds like you guys are being fairly rigid in what you are willing to offer. That being said, you're exactly right, you're only going to sell this to a few 4th gen fbody guys. The rest of us have our preferred long tubes and aren't willing to take a step back into mid lenght tubes. Sure we can have someone fabricate something but by the time we buy the exhaust from you then pay a fabrincator, I bet we're in Kooks ballpark for a complete system.
Also a really strong point to note, no one is going to sell a new exhaust system/design etc on this site w/o some good quality sounds clips. I'd start there if you really want to sell these things.
Also a really strong point to note, no one is going to sell a new exhaust system/design etc on this site w/o some good quality sounds clips. I'd start there if you really want to sell these things.
Last edited by Toddoky; 05-16-2015 at 07:22 AM.
#15
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (18)
No one is going to buy this. Kooks is full 3", this is not. The Kooks is made for long tubes...this, is not. Not seeing the point in this product. Sorry fella. I think if someone is seriously considering the Kooks system they are aware how expensive it is. Making these only fit mid lenght headers is only costing you sells. Think of how many have long tubes there are out there vs mid lenght. Who's choice was it to make them fit a set of headers you have to produce and make versus an exhaust that bolts to all those headers you've already made, plus other generic long tubes out there?
Last edited by My6speedZ; 05-16-2015 at 08:16 AM.
#16
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
No one is going to buy this. Kooks is full 3", this is not. The Kooks is made for long tubes...this, is not. Not seeing the point in this product. Sorry fella. I think if someone is seriously considering the Kooks system they are aware how expensive it is. Making these only fit mid lenght headers is only costing you sells. Think of how many have long tubes there are out there vs mid lenght. Who's choice was it to make them fit a set of headers you have to produce and make versus an exhaust that bolts to all those headers you've already made, plus other generic long tubes out there?
#17
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (18)
Thanks for providing your opinion. The Kooks system is only made to fit the Kooks long tubes, so adapting it to fit with any other brand of long tubes will take the same amount of effort and fabrication as it will to connect this new Hooker system to a set of long tubes other than the Kooks long-tubes. If your engine does not require the mass flow capability of a 3" system, then installing one on your car will have a negative effect on the performance of your vehicle. This exhaust system and the headers are not targeted to the segment of users that actually need the flow capability of a 3" system (475HP-up); they are specifically targeted towards users that have cars producing less than 475HP and are looking for an optimized balance between performance, sound, interior noise and another key characteristic that has been poorly addressed in any dual system produced so far. The "other" characteristic I'm referring to is ground clearance and it is the key feature of this new system that precluded us from merely attaching this new exhaust system to the multiple Hooker long-tube headers that exist for 4th-gen applications. In regards to specific header designs, there has not been a set of mid-length headers made to date for a 4th-gen that have used a collector design worth a damn and a very large percentage of the available long-tube headers for these cars are equipped with non-optimized collectors as well(covers pretty much all the Chinese long tubes sold on ebay). As I mentioned previously, these components should be seen as a base from which we can develop future new product applications from through the type of input that you guys are providing here.
I respectfully disagree, a stock LS1 will benefit from a 3" exhaust. Why offer the 1-7/8 primary with a 2.5" exhaust? If you feel that 3" exhaust is detrimental to cars that are nearly stock why offer the 1-7/8. Seems kind of like an identity crisis. It has been proven that 1-7/8 heads loose little within the rpm range of actual use so the 1-3/4 and 2.5" just doesn't make sense. Also, the Kooks TD system is not limited to Kooks headers. It might not say it fits other brands but it does. I just feel like you guys are missing the mark with these.
#18
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
I respectfully disagree, a stock LS1 will benefit from a 3" exhaust. Why offer the 1-7/8 primary with a 2.5" exhaust? If you feel that 3" exhaust is detrimental to cars that are nearly stock why offer the 1-7/8. Seems kind of like an identity crisis. It has been proven that 1-7/8 heads loose little within the rpm range of actual use so the 1-3/4 and 2.5" just doesn't make sense. Also, the Kooks TD system is not limited to Kooks headers. It might not say it fits other brands but it does. I just feel like you guys are missing the mark with these.
Last edited by Toddoky; 05-16-2015 at 11:42 AM.
#19
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (18)
If peak HP numbers on the dyno are the benefit you are speaking of, then yes, you may be able to see a few maximum top end ponies out of a dual 3" system over a 2.5" dual system on even an LS1 application. Along with that on a 4th-gen F-body application however you have to accept the considerable increase in interior noise, severely reduced ground and component clearances and in the case of the Kooks system, an extremely expensive cost of purchase. You are making the assumption that every 4th-gen user will be comparing this system to only to the Kooks 3" dual system, when in fact they will also be looking at it as an alternative to all the single tailpipe/muffler kits available out there (Magnaflow, Corsa, Flowmaster etc...). At less than half the cost of the Kooks system, with less interior noise and far better ground and component clearances everywhere than that system, this kit will appeal to many users who don't share your same needs/use criteria. The amount of header/exhaust system mixing and matching that is undertaken by enthusiasts and the general need for 1-7/8" headers for LS applications is what prompted the inclusion of the 1-7/8" headers in this development program so that they can be primarily sold on an individual basis to those who want to use them with an exhaust system of their choice...or of course be connected to the new Hooker exhaust system as well. Their existence obviously also lends support to the future development of a 3" system if we make the choice to do that. So, to sum things up, the current available selection of single pipe systems leave a lot of performance gains on the table and don't sound that great and the Kooks dual 3" system is extremely loud and expensive and has severely compromised ground clearance...these combined negative characteristics are what the new Hooker system was designed to avoid or negate. For those reading this thread that aren't aware the Kooks system is price around $1,650 ($1,750 with cats) and the new Hooker system will be priced around $750...that is less than some of the single pipe/single muffler systems that are available.
I'm not hating, really, I'm not. They look like nice units. These cars are so popular because as each day goes by younger and younger guys can buy them to go fast on the cheap. Guys who mod on their parents dollar and work part-time min-wage jobs when highschool summers roll around. I just don't see there being a large market for something like this. You would have better luck pushing those mids as a swap header.
Nevertheless, I going to quit posting in this thread, I don't want any heat.
#20
TECH Junkie
Thread Starter
Just because the pipes are half an inch bigger doesn't mean they are magically twice as loud, I also had plenty of ground clearance with 3 inch duals and my car was really low when I had them. Lower than most guys that rock the normal BMR and Strano springs. It is also is not just a dyno number issue with the primaries, it has been proven at the track. That whole stock displacment 1-7/8 primary thing was laid to rest a long time ago. If people are thinking "okay I have to get the most performance for my limitied budget" what makes you think they are going to want a resonably priced true dual/mid header set up? If they are strapped for cash they will probably go and get some pacesetters that are long tubes.
I'm not hating, really, I'm not. They look like nice units. These cars are so popular because as each day goes by younger and younger guys can buy them to go fast on the cheap. Guys who mod on their parents dollar and work part-time min-wage jobs when highschool summers roll around. I just don't see there being a large market for something like this. You would have better luck pushing those mids as a swap header.
Nevertheless, I going to quit posting in this thread, I don't want any heat.
I'm not hating, really, I'm not. They look like nice units. These cars are so popular because as each day goes by younger and younger guys can buy them to go fast on the cheap. Guys who mod on their parents dollar and work part-time min-wage jobs when highschool summers roll around. I just don't see there being a large market for something like this. You would have better luck pushing those mids as a swap header.
Nevertheless, I going to quit posting in this thread, I don't want any heat.
Last edited by Toddoky; 05-16-2015 at 01:28 PM.