A block exhaust manifold solutions

[Karl M]

Hi, new here to the forum. Been on another Mopar mail list for over a decade and been a Mopar guy for over 3 1/2 decades (I have had A LOT of Mopars). But haven't messed much with small blocks.

I'm working on my 67 Dart GT. It's been sitting for about 12 years. Time to get it running.

I'm trying to figure out how to deal with the exhaust manifolds.

A bit about the car, 1967 Dart GT, factory 273, ps, a/c, column shift auto. I'm converting over to power disc brakes, to a 73-up K member and upgrading to a mostly stock 360.

I am looking for a set of cast iron exhaust manifolds (with the large ports to accomodate the 360 heads) that will fit this application. I have heard several times that there is a Dakota or truck manifold that will fit this application and will clear the power steering box. If so, can someone either give me a specific application or part number? I have had several sets of Dakota and truck manifolds. But the drivers side manifold has always hit the power steering box. Also I have heard the factory 340 Magnum manifolds are not that good of a flowing manifold and that some of the 360 "log" style manifolds are better. So I'm looking for what others have done as a solution while not going to headers or changing over to manual steering.

Ultimately I want Tri-Y headers. But I don't have the time or money for this right now.

Thanks,
Karl M.

 

[dartgr]

Karl, PM Sent

 

[shanker]

im interested in knowing which truck and/or Dakota to go yank the manifolds off of as well. I'm in the EXACT same boat as Karl

 

[Karl M]

After a couple of weeks of asking around, and further time to search this board, pretty much I've come to the conclusions that there is no "magic" manifold for those of us with power steering in our A bodies. We're just scr... uh, "exhaust disadvantaged". And I'm not about to give up my PS. But having manual steering instead, opens up a number of possibilities that are not otherwise available.

However, I also found a couple of dyno test results, using a Magnum style 360, where they did a comparison between a few of the common exhaust alternatives. Note that in one of them, there was only 4 HP difference at the peak power RPM of 4500-4600 RPM, between stock 1969 318 manifolds (which I assume is very close if not identical to my stock 67 273 manifolds) and the vaunted 340 Magnum manifolds (however, this was not linear across the RPM range). And only like 16 HP difference between the peak power produced by the 318 manifolds and the peak power of the TTI headers (which posted the best results).

Are the 340 manifolds better, yup. Are headers better, yup. At this point am I gong to worry about it, nope. I'm just going to use the 273 manifolds that I have. With the cam selection that I've made for my 360, it's not going to matter that much. I will look for a better solution when I have the car running. I've got like less than 3 weeks to get a vehicle running that hasn't for 15 years. I have plenty of other more important things to worry about.

(http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/exhaust/9.html)

and

(http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/...pp_0307_mopar_crate_engine_exhaust/index.html)

im interested in knowing which truck and/or Dakota to go yank the manifolds off of as well. I'm in the EXACT same boat as Karl

 

[jarvitron]

This is exactly where I am at now. I like the idea of headers and max power but the reality is that the moment they rattle or drag I check out. Basically my only remaining question is if the truck passenger manifold flows significantly more than my stock 318 driver manifold, because I don't want to unbalance the flow from side to side, and the truck manifold exits at the back of the block a little more cleanly than the a-body stock one and might make dual exhaust easier. But I'll probably just leave my stockers on the new motor too.

 

[jarvitron]

Woo, after reading those articles it doesn't sound like they are crazy unbalanced. Hrm. Time to hit up the exhaust man.