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

Stepped vs Nonstepped Headers

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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 12:05 AM
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Default Stepped vs Nonstepped Headers

I will be buying Kooks Headers for my 93 Trans Am and am stuck on whether or not to invest the extra money on stepped Headers. Any useful information please?
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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 02:02 AM
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LPP headers are pretty good for the money and they're stepped. They don't fit as nice as Kooks but they're less than half the price and stainless.

Depending on your power goals, you may never see the benefit of larger headers. A straight 1-3/4 primary handles most builds' power just fine.
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by ElkySS
LPP headers are pretty good for the money and they're stepped. They don't fit as nice as Kooks but they're less than half the price and stainless.

Depending on your power goals, you may never see the benefit of larger headers. A straight 1-3/4 primary handles most builds' power just fine.
I have the money for Kooks and have read ALOT of reviews, fitment, and I believe that will be my best choice due to I'll have to wait another 2 weeks for the extra money to buy stepped headers.
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 02:31 PM
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I heard the 1.75" kooks fit better than the stepped 1.75" to 1.875" tubes if that makes any difference to you. If you are under 600hp I would get the std non stepped headers. For a more max effort build, I would go for the stepped ones.
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 03:01 PM
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Remember all builds though equal are different, had a customer that went from non stepped to stepped headers and had absolutely no gains in Horsepower or Torque, but again this was on 1 car, it may be different on another..
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 10:57 PM
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Hey man I sent you a PM. I have a NIB set of stepped kooks headers amd a new revised merge Y pipe if you're interested in saving some money.

Zach

Originally Posted by 93ChrisTA
I have the money for Kooks and have read ALOT of reviews, fitment, and I believe that will be my best choice due to I'll have to wait another 2 weeks for the extra money to buy stepped headers.
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Old Aug 21, 2016 | 04:12 PM
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As much of a pain it is to install headers on LT cars I went with the stepped Kooks. The fitment was spot on and the quality of the welds and the collector merge is fantastic. I switched from a cheaper 1 3/4" header to those on my old LT1 383 in my 1995 Formula. Zero change in dyno numbers, but solid 1.5 mph in the quarter. Another reason why dynos are good for tuning. One of the reasons my car trapped at 121-122 mph was the little details. The stepped Kooks was one of them. Getting ready to yank the 1 3/4 pacesetters off of my 2000 Z28 and install a set of Kooks 1 7/8.

--Alan
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