Mid Length Header Choices
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Teching In
Joined: May 2025
Posts: 3
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Mid Length Header Choices Just got an 02 ws6 m6 and am looking to start with the exhaust system. After doing research it sounded like the hooker mid length system was the perfect choice since I'm not going to be tracking this car and dont need to get every last HP out of my system and I want to lower the car also. After talking to Holley, they told me Hooker doesn't make headers for the 4th gens anymore. That leaves me with the option to by their true dual catback system that hooks up to the factory cats. What goes into making headers from another brand match up to these. Does anyone have any recommendations for mid length headers to pair with these?
Teching In
Joined: May 2025
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
Congrats on the WS6! You’re right that mid-lengths are a great middle ground, especially for a street car with a planned drop.
Since Hooker dropped their 4th gen headers, your best bet is to mix brands—but it’ll take some measuring. That Hooker true dual cat-back expects stock-style collector placement, so any mid-lengths with factory-style collector locations should work, but confirm outlet position and flange angle.
Pacesetter used to make mid-lengths for the F-body, and there’s occasional availability from Jet-Hot or even Doug Thorley. If fitment gets tricky, a good muffler shop can fab short extensions or transition pipes to make it all line up clean.
Let us know what you find!
Since Hooker dropped their 4th gen headers, your best bet is to mix brands—but it’ll take some measuring. That Hooker true dual cat-back expects stock-style collector placement, so any mid-lengths with factory-style collector locations should work, but confirm outlet position and flange angle.
Pacesetter used to make mid-lengths for the F-body, and there’s occasional availability from Jet-Hot or even Doug Thorley. If fitment gets tricky, a good muffler shop can fab short extensions or transition pipes to make it all line up clean.
Let us know what you find!
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 318
Likes: 52
From: Charleston, SC
Don’t be scared of long tube headers. I’ve owned two lowered f-bodies over an 18 years period. Both had Kooks long tube headers. One ran a GMMG exhaust and the other ran a magnaflow exhaust. Never had a problem scrapping. There’s going to be negligible difference between a mid-length header and long tube header so don’t limit yourself. Just make sure you soak your exhaust manifold bolts with PB Blaster the day before you install the headers. Put some card board under the car to absorb any oily PB Blaster that drips off the engine to protect your garage floor/driveway.
Supposedly American Racing headers are the tightest fitting to the bottom of the car. I have speed engineering now and they hang so low you can see across the top of the collectors while sitting on the ground lol. I think the stock engine mounts has a lot to do with that but yea
