Recommendations for good "A" street header
If you’d afraid to beat up on some Hookers,your in the wrong game.
Above the steering headers, are a tight fit, that's a fact.
I can't remember ever having fitment issues with under-the-steering headers; but it's tough to get them to survive more than a summer, cuz it seems no matter how careful you are, that one hanging-down pipe, is gonna take some hits. The only time I ever drove like a granny was the day I took my the driving test.I have never been one to drive with much regard for my junk; if it breaks I just fix it. And drive until something else breaks. When speed bumps were invented, man those were the worst! I had to memorize them as they appeared. And memorization was never my gift...... Over-the-steering headers means to me, freedom to "drive"
The cheaper headers, have flanges so thin that even with the best composition gaskets will blow out, maybe partly because the stinking bolts won't stay torqued. And the collector flanges are even worse.
Speaking of which, the TTI collector flanges are pretty substantial, and mine have never blown out a gasket. For me, after initial adjustments, the TTIs have been a pleasure. In the Early years, I used to take the hotrod 360 out every fall and swap in a stock-smog-longblock (with just a TQ) for the winter. Then I would freshen the 360 over the winter and swap it back in in spring. I did this at least 5 maybe 6 times. So that's like 13 installs. And thru it all, I only installed new gaskets once, and not because it particularly needed to be done. I still have the TTI supplied gaskets hanging on the wall as back-ups.
BTW
The nickle-plated headers do just fine. The only problem I have had, I did to myself. One of the steering arm studs (pitman I think) scratched one of the tubes, before I caught it and fixed it. The tube surface-rusted right in the rut. That was year 1999, and it still has not rusted thru. None of the clearance dents have made trouble.
The only thing you will ever regret with over-the-steering headers is the initial cash outlay. But as the years go by, in the end, they will have been a one-time purchase, and the cheapest, on a per-year basis.
Reminds me of the Optima Battery; same deal.