Finally decided on a cam for teen SB. Should I bother with header?

I agree with RRR. Countless comparisons have been done on dynos comparing manifolds to a gauntlet of different headers and even just the cheapo block hugger shorties make more power and torque than the best eom manifolds!

The only benefit I see in stock manifolds is that they aren't as prone to gasket leaks and that they last forever, while cheap uncoated headers won't last very long in severe conditions.