69greyghost

iTrader: (1)

Guys I tried the search feature and came up goose eggs. I am trying to find out what company makes the best headers for my gen 1 ls swap. A friend suggested sanderson headers, they are local and have great prices but the bad part is they only make shorty headers. I am not really sure what other companies are out there or which ones fit the best give the best performance gains but some suggestions regarding sanderson or other companies please feel free to chime in. Also how does long tube vs shorty affect performance? Thanks guys and sorry for my ignorance.

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

i went with stainless works headers for my secon gen bird. They look great, fit and clearance is awesome and so is the build quality. Just remember, you pay what you get for. i was originally going to purchase dynatech headers but clearance wasnt that great, plus stainless will outlast the car.

Bad28

Go with long tubes they will give you the best performance and Zamora is right you will get what you pay for

88Fbody6L

iTrader: (5)

Im happy with my Dougs headers. Fit very nicely and tuck up tight

StainlessWorks

Stainless Works makes three different LS swap headers for the 1st gen F body, depending on your steering setup, frame, etc.

FORGET THE SHORTY HEADERS!
As a company, we almost only build long tube headers. The gains you get with shorties (8-10hp) just don't give you enough bang for the buck when you consider a tune and long tubes is worth about 40 rear wheel horsepower on an LS.

http://www.stainlessworks.net/produc...aders-ls1.html

6D9 Matt

No 1 7/8" for Stainless Works?

I am in the same position... hoping to swap in an LS3 soon into my 69 Camaro. My main concern is fitment and tucking up nice for good ground clearance.

Toddoky

Your question can only be best answered once you've defined the goals and budget of your swap...no manufacturer can do that for you, so the more honest and detailed you are with your assessment the easer it will be to find the right header for your project. Which ever brand you choose, find out what engine mounts (height and setback) AND transmission crossmember they were prototyped to work with. If they do not or cannot reference a particular crossmember then they have basically left it up to you to achieve a proper engine/transmission inclination angle and then hope that your header collectors are tucked up nice and are level with your subframe. Some headers were also prototyped with engine mounts that set the back of the engine 3-4 inches away from the firewall...I'm not kidding. Take a look around the forums and look at all the pictures of long-tube header collectors that are angled down towards the ground or just hanging low in general under the subframe...all are examples of partially engineered products that do not serve to provide you with a top-notch end product. Stainless long tubes are nice, but they don't fit in everyone's build and budget plans; if mid-lengths or ceramic coated long-tubes suit your requirements best, then it's nobody's business to tell you otherwise. With that said, stainless long-tubes will deliver the highest power levels and longest lifecycle possible.