LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

383 w/ shorty headers?

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Old Aug 4, 2010 | 02:02 PM
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Default 383 w/ shorty headers?

I just got a really good deal on a set of JBA shorties out of the western classifieds and was seriously considering putting them on becasue I live in california and try to conform to their smog laws. I purchased them with the thought of just hanging on to them in case I decided to sell the car, i could make it carb compliant for an easier sale. However, I am pulling the motor down this fall to swap cams and have my heads ported and was considering installing them then with the factory y pipe. I guess my question is how much would 1 5/8 shorties with factory y-pipe be holding back a 383 with a 230ish cam and ported trickflows.
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Old Aug 4, 2010 | 02:53 PM
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A lot... and if you care about smog why are you building a H/C 383?
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Old Aug 4, 2010 | 03:08 PM
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displacement doesn't really have a whole lot to do with smog if anything it makes passing smog easier. The better the heads, the less cam you have to go with and the cam I am using, and the cam I am swapping in, is TINY as far as strokers are concerned. The 383 is already built and passes the sniffer check as it sits with pacesetter emissions longtubes with 2 highflow cats in the y it just would not pass a visual inspection. I had bbk shorties on it at one time but they were terrible, they leaked at the flange, plug access was horrible but it seems like the JBA is a much better header.
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Old Aug 4, 2010 | 04:00 PM
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well shorty headers will not perform as well as long tubes but better than stock manifolds.

as far as passing smog the tech would be looking for a C.A.R.B. sticker for the headers and if it has CATS (which technically need to be in stock position, thus shorty headers). edelbrock are the only shorty header now made that comes with CARB sticker.

something I have had to live with and pass smog....even with a H/C 383. My cam is also small for a 383. Am I leaving HP on the table...YES but I pass smog with no voodoo or changes to do so.
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Old Aug 4, 2010 | 04:46 PM
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Edelbrock, hooker, and the now discontinued JBAs all have carb exemption numbers. I spoke with BBK a couple of years ago and they said they were almost through the testing phase for their carb number but I haven't heard anything and their headers suck a fat one anyways. I know the shorties aren't going to make the most power but I have to play by their rules. How much power has been made through shorties with stock y?
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Old Aug 4, 2010 | 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by JB_97ws6TA
Edelbrock, hooker, and the now discontinued JBAs all have carb exemption numbers. I spoke with BBK a couple of years ago and they said they were almost through the testing phase for their carb number but I haven't heard anything and their headers suck a fat one anyways. I know the shorties aren't going to make the most power but I have to play by their rules. How much power has been made through shorties with stock y?
It wasn't a stock Y, but IIRC Fred Forsythe put down something like 700+ HP on spray.
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Old Aug 4, 2010 | 07:45 PM
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I remember GTP building a 500+hp LT1 that used shorty headers IIRC

shorties leave some power on the table, but are still a lot better than factory manifolds. Mids or Longtubes would get you more power, but it's not impossible to make great power with shorties by any stretch of the imagination.
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Old Aug 4, 2010 | 11:32 PM
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I've had hooker coated shorties since 99. mods in sig. I will be putting together my 383 soon and will be deciding on keeping my Shorties or going LT. I may keep them just not to spend extra coin. Bottom line with my DYI home ported heads stock bottom end and close to 400rwhp with high 11s I'm happy with what I have. My issue has been springs, I get float at 6k. Besides most of the time I shift at 5800 max.

I may just get a valve job, springs, seals and keep my top end. Yeah I may only gain 20-30 whp max = 420whp but I'd keep up with most modded LS1s and even stock LS3s.

Bottom line to your question, a deal is a deal! If you get a great deal on shorties then yeah use them.
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Old Aug 4, 2010 | 11:47 PM
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I made 256/296 with Edelbrock Shorties, WS6 Intake, 52mm TB, Stock Cats, 1.6 rockers and a GMMG catback. Power should have jumped up to 280ish/ 320ish with LTs. That was on stock cubes. You will be giving up a lot, id say the best option would to buy an ORY and add some high flows to it. The cats should be good enough to pass.
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Old Aug 5, 2010 | 12:11 AM
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I find it hard to believe that you would gain 30 rwhp by going to LTs from shorties, maybe from manifolds to LTs, or maybe those edelbrocks also suck a fat one. I have never seen an ORY for a dual cat car that works with shorties/manifolds
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Old Aug 5, 2010 | 12:35 AM
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Originally Posted by JB_97ws6TA
I find it hard to believe that you would gain 30 rwhp by going to LTs from shorties, maybe from manifolds to LTs, or maybe those edelbrocks also suck a fat one. I have never seen an ORY for a dual cat car that works with shorties/manifolds
I rounded my total up to 260/300, i factored in a gain of 20/20. WS6 store sells the ORY, they have 2 to choose from with or without cats, here are the 2 with cats


http://www.ws6project.com/user_stor/...roducts_id=508


http://www.ws6project.com/user_stor/...oducts_id=3725
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Old Aug 5, 2010 | 12:45 AM
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Both of those are 500 dollars and niether of which are ORY, to top it off they wouldn't pass inspection either so for 500 dollars I might as well keep my longtubes and catted y. Does anyone have any solid data of how many CFM the stock cats flow in comparison to highflow cats?
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Old Aug 5, 2010 | 02:57 AM
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Dude who cares about smog in LA, we all pay to play. Find yourself a place in LA or whatever part of Cali your from and pay 150 they will pass it for you. I just did that 4days ago and stop stressing
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Old Aug 5, 2010 | 03:11 AM
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Originally Posted by alexcoreas
Dude who cares about smog in LA, we all pay to play. Find yourself a place in LA or whatever part of Cali your from and pay 150 they will pass it for you. I just did that 4days ago and stop stressing
I couldn't care less what you do in LA, I wasn't asking how to get a smog. I have had to go that route in the past and I would prefer not to. It also makes it difficult to sell a car that does not pass smog so unless you have something relevant to add...
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Old Aug 5, 2010 | 10:00 AM
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If I were in that situation, I'd use the shorties and have an offroad y-pipe fabbed (if you can find a shop to do so) that can easily bolt up. That way, when e-check time comes, just bolt on the stock y-pipe.
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Old Aug 5, 2010 | 04:46 PM
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Wow dude u need to relax. I didn't mean any harm from my comment. I thought u were going Shorties Bc u didn't know a way around smog. You didn't mention selling the car or trying to pass it the right way. Can we just have a beer and hug it out. Btw I have the JBA headers and love them got em for free, I do plan on going longtubes tomorrow if they finally come in. like I said no harm intended .
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Old Aug 6, 2010 | 08:22 PM
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If you have smog legal headers why do you have to pay 150 for a crooked smog? That makes no sense, either way I got the headers and I will update my build thread once I get it all together but that won't be for a couple of months.
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Old Aug 7, 2010 | 03:08 PM
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i have legal headers but i dont have a cat, so it doesnt pass , and i just switched to longtubes. either way it goes good luck on your build. bro
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Old Aug 7, 2010 | 08:34 PM
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Some interesting reading for ya...
http://www.sandersonheaders.com/Lets-Get-Technical.html
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