Exactly How Do I Install Hooker Headers if Possible

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1973Kathleen

1973Kathleen

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I know i made a post about my problems with headers before, but i decided to take it to my votech class and try to figure it out there with access to lifts and pretty much every tool imaginable. I bought the Hooker Heads 5901 for my 1973 Dodge Dart Sport with a 318 and 904 tranny. Will this work? My teachers are starting to think it wouldn't because of the torsion bar width. header to header from the outside is 26 1/inches and the width between my torsion bars is 24in. Are they supposed to go through the torsion bars or under them? Has anyone successfully installed Hooker Headers 5901 on an A body? if it helps i have power steering and power brakes.
 
I usually remove my hooker headers with a Sawzall and then install TTI or other (some like Doug’s) better fitting headers..
 
There is usually minimal clearance between the T bars and the header tubes. Being as the car is 50 years old, there is no telling how it's been tweaked over the years. We installed a set of Doug's headers on a 72 Duster 340 4 speed car. We ended up moving and shimming the mounts, as well as putting a dent in one tube to clear the DS T bar.
 
They'll be under, the steering linkage goes through them though which is annoying. Also grab a magnum starter and a BFH to clearance for the power steering. Also I had to lift the engine up from memory to get them in.
 
The easiest way to install is when the motor is going back into the engine bay. Sometime It is possible to do with the motor lifted up and then slide them up into place. As noted, they are close to the T bars, starter and power steering box.
 
They fit fine on my 72 Duster, 340/727 manual steering and brakes. Get the car up as high as safely possible, 2+ feet, Passenger side is easy peazy, drivers side takes some finagling but should slide in. Of course pull steering arm, starter oil pan helps. Though I can get mine in with the pan in placed after putting in the new motor mounts. Some folks have loosened the driver side mount to get a bit more clearance. Slow and steady

Dust Cover Bolts.jpg
 
Divenut said:
They fit fine on my 72 Duster, 340/727 manual steering and brakes. Get the car up as high as safely possible, 2+ feet, Passenger side is easy peazy, drivers side takes some finagling but should slide in. Of course pull steering arm, starter oil pan helps. Though I can get mine in with the pan in placed after putting in the new motor mounts. Some folks have loosened the driver side mount to get a bit more clearance. Slow and steady

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Thank you I think that would work. Do you think it would be any different with power steering and brakes?
 
Power brakes won't make any difference, but a power steering box is considerably larger than a manual one.
I second the vote for TTis, have put them in both a 75 Dart Sport 360 and a 70 Dart with a 360, both with 727 transmissions and power steering. Access to a hoist will be a huge help, and definitely get the smaller starter from a late model V8 Dakota, or Ram.
 
missing linc said:
Power brakes won't make any difference, but a power steering box is considerably larger than a manual one.
I second the vote for TTis, have put them in both a 75 Dart Sport 360 and a 70 Dart with a 360, both with 727 transmissions and power steering. Access to a hoist will be a huge help, and definitely get the smaller starter from a late model V8 Dakota, or Ram.
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what year dakota or ram?
 
1973Kathleen said:
Thank you I think that would work. Do you think it would be any different with power steering and brakes?
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The PS may make it more challenging. But I have not had any experience with PS & Header installs. Guessing there is a member that has done it that will hopefully chime in.

Be well
 
I put them in with the motor. No trans, then put the trans in. Power Stear car My best friend is a transmission man and has a few lifts.

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Hooker Heads 5901 will work. be prepared they will leak, use these gaskets Remflex Inc. 6009 Remflex Exhaust Header Gasket Sets | Summit Racing. be careful they are brittle. There is A LOT of stuff that can go RONG on an old car.

You will probably need a 90 degree oil filter adapter since you are installing headers.

If there is a mopar car club in your area that is not all about modern cars, seek them out and they will probably help you out.

Disconnect the battery.

Leave the key on in the ignition so the steering is clear.

Remove the wires from the spark plugs and number them 1,3,5,7 are on the drivers side 1 is up front, 2,4,6,8 on the passenger side 2 is up front. remove spark plugs and existing exhaust manifolds..be careful of frozen fasteners.

lift the car on the hoist, remove the oil filter and the oil filter adapter from the block.

Cut the existing exhaust pipes back far enough towards the middle of the car so they can have collectors welded on them to bolt up to the headers.

Once that is clear, you should have access to the starter, it a good idea to replace with a mini starter. Just call summit racing they can assist. or search it out on the forums here on this site.

If you have access to a lift, it will definitely be easier. You will need to remove the center drag link from the drivers side, leave it attached to the passenger side. the photo below shows headers like yours that hace the center drag link running through them.

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Since you have spool mounts it will mean you need to loosen but not remove the long bolt that sits in the groove holding the engine mount to the k member, it will take a little practicem the bolt is where the guys finger is at..

While it is on the lift lower the car so it is low enough so you can use a floor jack and a block of wood to lift the drivers side of the motor a few inches, but still up high enough you can safely be under the car with enough room the wiggle the headers around.

Feed the drivers side of headers from under the car to the top. and try to secure them in place, some times you can use some wire or have some one up top put a bolt into the very front of the flange. The add a second bolt some where in the rear, so the header is basically sitting in place. Lower the floor jack, and tighten the motor mount bolt. headers should not be tight, only secure enough not to fall. You can now raise the car and re attach the center drag link, remember to put a new cotter pin in. Install the new starter, make sure to route the wiring away from the headers.

Lower the car and move to the passenger side, loosen the mother mount bolt, lift the passenger side of the engine with the floor jack and block of wood and feed the headers from the top down. Put a couple of bolts on to loosely hold it in place. Lower the engine and secure it.

Raise the car, position and install the new 90 degree oil filter adapter where it will not touch the headers.

Button up the headers and gaskets, fire it up so you get the open header experience.
 
I have done a ton of Hooker/Headman/Copys of them in tge last 45 year's of working on cars. On high jackstands, unhooked driver mount , and unhooked drag link. Key is getting car HIGH enough on stands. So you can get between ground and in on an angle.
The Headman with slip pipe were easier. And my Doug's will be like nothing with engine out.
 
Like 340six said, getting the car up as high as possible (safely) , and patience is the key. If you have access to a lift, that would be the way to go. I have been fooling with these old Mopars for 50 years, and like 340six said, I have installed many sets of Hooker headers over the years. Yes, the TTI headers are nice, expensive but probably worth it, but if they are not in your budget, go with what you've got. We didn't have the option of TTI back in the day, so Hookers it was.
 
1973Kathleen said:
I know i made a post about my problems with headers before, but i decided to take it to my votech class and try to figure it out there with access to lifts and pretty much every tool imaginable. I bought the Hooker Heads 5901 for my 1973 Dodge Dart Sport with a 318 and 904 tranny. Will this work? My teachers are starting to think it wouldn't because of the torsion bar width. header to header from the outside is 26 1/inches and the width between my torsion bars is 24in. Are they supposed to go through the torsion bars or under them? Has anyone successfully installed Hooker Headers 5901 on an A body? if it helps i have power steering and power brakes.
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They fit for me and I put them on the ground as described to you in your other post. They’ll go in.
 
You can create 100 threads but those headers are built to fit that car and tons of people have used them for decades. They fit.
 
dustertogo said:
Like 340six said, getting the car up as high as possible (safely) , and patience is the key. If you have access to a lift, that would be the way to go. I have been fooling with these old Mopars for 50 years, and like 340six said, I have installed many sets of Hooker headers over the years. Yes, the TTI headers are nice, expensive but probably worth it, but if they are not in your budget, go with what you've got. We didn't have the option of TTI back in the day, so Hookers it was.
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We had CPPA in the 90's, 70's and 80's nothing.
 
1973Kathleen said:
I know i made a post about my problems with headers before, but i decided to take it to my votech class and try to figure it out there with access to lifts and pretty much every tool imaginable. I bought the Hooker Heads 5901 for my 1973 Dodge Dart Sport with a 318 and 904 tranny. Will this work? My teachers are starting to think it wouldn't because of the torsion bar width. header to header from the outside is 26 1/inches and the width between my torsion bars is 24in. Are they supposed to go through the torsion bars or under them? Has anyone successfully installed Hooker Headers 5901 on an A body? if it helps i have power steering and power brakes.
Click to expand...
Been about 20 yrs since I put Hookers on my '72 Swinger. Hooker neglected one little thing in their factory instructions at the time :lol: that the steering link had to go THROUGH the driver's side header :lol: Didn't take but a few minutes to figger that out. Passenger side, rather than a 90° oil filter bracket I just got the shorter version of the Lee LF1 or Fram PH8A, fit just fine and easy to change. No, I don't remember the part #s :lol: I had always wanted to put Purple Hornys on one of my hot rods and ordered them with the headers. After getting the engine back on it's perches I saw that a collector mounted muffler was not gonna happen due to a cross member about 10" behind the collector :BangHead:. Allen head bolts were extremely handy for the mounting flanges.
 
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