Stock 340 Manifolds or TTI Shorties?

I put Hookers (still have the original packaged decals) on my brand new 69 A56 cuda after I had the car for about 8 months. Having never installed headers on anything I owned and being 18 years old my only surprise was the the coolant pouring out when removing the stock exhaust manifolds. The car screamed, headers never leaked, never had to hammer on them and they lasted for 7 years until it ended up totaled. Not sure what the difference is in Hooker construction between 1970 and today.