Best Race Header??
Doesn't matter to me at this point I probably won't ever build another one.
Dollar for dollar it's not worth it when putting a race engine together. Too easy to make the same power with cheaper more readily available platform. You and I had that discussion about 6 weeks ago... you know my position on it.
Headers, may even get built sooner if I make a solid decision on what ends going together and I can find something to use to mock it up.
I'm really leaning towards a very simple, conventional headed motor. Pascal from L&L in Michigan and I have talked several times.. he feels that a package can be put together that will work on a low deck platform and make enough power so I have to back it off a touch from running it at full tilt and still be competitive, without any nitrous.
Have to see once it's done.... Curtis Boggs has some new conventional heads that are capable of well into the 1000+ range with a single 4 bbl... really leaning towards that right now. It will make things, as simple as possible, and should prove to have great reliability.
That other deal, if my car had moved I would have already had it in the garage. But I never did get a solid offer that made it a worth while venture to go after.
I did a 2otL catback then taking that off, and running the Ipipe open (4inch) I few inches before were the DS ends. And it picked up 7whp. and like 9-10fts. I dynoed later with open headers and 18 inch lenghts (from the MCSA of the ARH merge) And forgot about at open Ipipoe at the time. But later looking at that I think it made less looking at the curve. The numbers were off form having diffrent wheels and I htink some weight with the new clutch of somthing like that.But I didnt have any other parts with me that night to retest. My Ypipe is kinda heavy, it would have to make a few hp just to make up for the weight. I know I could make it alot lighter too.
I remember robbie /promod1955 said something about his dumped Xpipe made the most power on his silver SI car.and he made that really light. I welded those shamoff (?) beer can mufflars on my dumps for MIR. I knowe what your getting at firehawk I have the idea open headers might not make the most on our cars
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
The Smurf car did NOT use off the shelf exhaust parts. I was speaking directly to JL in this thread because he is well aware of this.
The OP asked for the "BEST". I haven't seen an exhaust that comes in a box to fit that desciption.
The only way to really find the "best", would be to build a set that has primaries come together that can even be started off LONG, and cut back an inch at a time until you find the ideal primary length, then have the ability to slip a couple different style collectors on and off until you again, find the best set of that for the car as well.
I still don't believe in the X/H pipe deal and I know there's people that have gone and tested all that and have solid results to support their decision as to what is best.. my exp I found that the collector sometimes needs to be extended a touch, but no more then that.
I played that game with my car when I ran it n/a, I had a set of 3 inch collector headers on it and I had just gotten some pipe that was expanded, an played with cutting it back a little at a time, etc. I found about 8 inches of pipe, seemed to work best for my car, but every car will be different there. A hv collector would have changed that I am sure.
It's a game.. and you will have to play it a good bit before you figure out what exactly works for you. Hell even what Smurf had on his car may not be the best possible thing, that's just the best they found.. and if your car has a differnet cam, different intake, the chances are the headers/exhaust will end up different to get to the same point.
There is no off the shelf silver bullet for this. There's some that are good, probably can get 90% of the best off the counter... but that's about it I think.
I also found a couple pictures of where the motor was out and the headers were laying there and it looked like a Borla XR-1 style muffler laying on the floor.
I couldn't sleep very good last night lol.






