Fenderwell Headers

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dart4forte

dart4forte

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Anyone on the board have a template for cutting out the access on an early A body for fenderwell headers?
 
I've seen at least two very different cutouts, depending on whether all four pipes, or "just" two or three go through the inner fender. I'm almost positive that a set of pictures showing the "partial fenderwell" headers used o be right here at the top of this forum. Do I have a template? Sorry, but no.
 
If you are using the Hooker 5208's you don't need to cut into the top of the inner fender. I cut front the bend down. I trimmed the 2 pieces, attached strapping to tne back and bolted them in to close up the holes..

Bob
64 Dart
 
Every brand would be a bit different, so no universal template is possible.

What works for us is:

Install the headers temporarily
(one side at a time)
w/the fenderwell removed.

Measure the area's axis of the tubes path
-----------at the point --------------
they would've passed thru the fenderwells.

How do you do that? With a temporary cardboard fenderwell.

Transpose those measurements to your fenderwell & cut from the center outward., keeping it as small as possible via several test-fittings.

Little bit of extra work, little bit of extra time,
but the neat tight fenderwell opening is worth it.

There are other ways to the same goal, but that's how we've do it.---8)
 
Uh, the inner fenders are welded to the frame and body......no easy chore to remove just to mock up headers.
 
I'm using Headman fenderwells. All tubes exit the fenderwell. They are 1 5/8"
 
im pretty sure the hedmans require a large hole,,those pipes sweep up and then down, unlike the hooker 5208,,, you will probably have to cut 2/3 inches on the flat top side from the fire wall seem,,to the edge of the shock tower support,,then just make a shield to go on the top flat side closing up the gap,,

if your upper control are supports are rusty, i DO NOT recomend using that type of fenderwell header,, when ytou cut out enough of the inner fendwer well for clearance,with rusty control arm support,, you weaken the structure,,

i have seem them cave in,, just my 2 cents,,
 
fstfish66 said:
im pretty sure the hedmans require a large hole,,those pipes sweep up and then down, unlike the hooker 5208,,, you will probably have to cut 2/3 inches on the flat top side from the fire wall seem,,to the edge of the shock tower support,,then just make a shield to go on the top flat side closing up the gap,,

if your upper control are supports are rusty, i DO NOT recomend using that type of fenderwell header,, when ytou cut out enough of the inner fendwer well for clearance,with rusty control arm support,, you weaken the structure,,

i have seem them cave in,, just my 2 cents,,
Click to expand...

Actually the car is really solid, all body work has been done and painted. I'll probably drop the engine/K member from the bottom to gain better access so I can make the cut. I'll most likely fashion some type of support to compensate for the lost structure. I just need a template to go by. I may call headman and see if the'll sell me the templates.
 
unless you are saving the pieces you cut out,to put back in some day,,the templets that they will give you,,if they still provide them, there cut out is usually way bigger then you really need,, if you dont care about saving the piece,, do it by trial fitting,,you will also need the engine in,to try fitment as you go,,,
if you remove the engine ,,, and cut it open,, and put it all back in only to find out you need to remove more or you removed too much,,,

as stated,, car up in the air,, front tires off, make it easier to deal with,,,
 
fstfish66 said:
unless you are saving the pieces you cut out,to put back in some day,,the templets that they will give you,,if they still provide them, there cut out is usually way bigger then you really need,, if you dont care about saving the piece,, do it by trial fitting,,you will also need the engine in,to try fitment as you go,,,
if you remove the engine ,,, and cut it open,, and put it all back in only to find out you need to remove more or you removed too much,,,

as stated,, car up in the air,, front tires off, make it easier to deal with,,,
Click to expand...

Good advice on keeping the engine in. Yes, my plan was to keep the cutting at a minimum. My buddy who used these headers in his 65 Dart back in the 60's I'm sure willl be a wealth of knowledge.
 
Here's mine with Hedman's:

vbpicgallery.php
 
For those of you with fenderwell headers, how do you route the exit back under the car? Would subframe connectors get in the way?
 
On my car I ran a 45 degree bend off of the collector reducers toward the center of the car. Then I ran another 45 degree bend from there to point the exhaust to the rear. After that I ran short pieces of straight pipe to turbo mufflers that dumped in front of the rear axle. This was before the discovery of the benefits of an H or X pipe (I'm old). The car didn't have frame connectors but even if it did they wouldn't have been in the way.
 
The hooker headers(5208's) exit under the car. I used the Summit univesal X pipe, dynomax mufflers and tti tailpipes on my 64. This was before TTI had the headers available....

Bob
 
BobsDart said:
The hooker headers(5208's) exit under the car. I used the Summit univesal X pipe, dynomax mufflers and tti tailpipes on my 64. This was before TTI had the headers available....

Bob
Click to expand...

Hooker sells under chassis headers? I didn't get a template with my Mopar Performance/Headman/JR hearders.
 
moparlee,
The hooker 5208's are semi fenderwell. One side has 2, the other 3, tubes exit thru the fenderwell, then wrap under frame rail, into the collector. According to the intructions they "can" be installed with the motor in!!!!

Bob
 
hooker 5208 can be installed with the motor in,,,and you do not need to cut the hole as big as the instructions say,,i had a much smaller hole then the templet on the 5208,,didnt have to cut the top or flat surface of the inner fender well,,just a hole on the down side,,i saved the piece and welded it back in,cant tell there was ever a hole,,5208 smaler hole,, jack the car up as high as possible,,remove the tires,,and they wil go in no problem,,if they are still available,,,
 
fstfish66 said:
hooker 5208 can be installed with the motor in,,,and you do not need to cut the hole as big as the instructions say,,i had a much smaller hole then the templet on the 5208,,didnt have to cut the top or flat surface of the inner fender well,,just a hole on the down side,,i saved the piece and welded it back in,cant tell there was ever a hole,,5208 smaler hole,, jack the car up as high as possible,,remove the tires,,and they wil go in no problem,,if they are still available,,,
Click to expand...
Do they limit tire size?
 
I'm running 205/65/15's on 15X6 Torque Thrusts w/3 3/8 bs, They rub slightly under full lock turns...

Bob
64 Dart
 
racingsnake440,

I'll look for pictures... Stock ride height. I have about 1-1 1/2" between the top of the tire and fender...

Bob
 
The pics that yellow68runner posted look a lot like the set I have & the cutouts are nearly identical. Mine are an old set of Cyclones (purchased in 1976) with 1 5/8" tubes. Here's a couple of pics. Sorry about the quality, they're ancient (like me). My tubes do look a bit smaller. The headers seem to sit a bit lower in the chassis than his. Might be partially due to worn out motor mounts.

The 273, in all its glory..jpg


64 Barracuda 2-2.jpg
 
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