Hey all, I am trying to make a decision on headers for my 67 barracuda. The original ones that were on my 383 (original when I purchased, not factory) were in rough shape. They have no discernible markings that help me. I bought a set locally but they don’t clear in the same way: The headers that are rough had a specific way of starting high before cutting down on the driver side fender, if that makes sense. My question is this; should I get these fixed up (if I can) even if I don’t like that you can see where they connect to exhaust from side of car? if not, does any one know of headers that will fit a 383 in a 67 barracuda with the right clearance that won’t cost an arm and a leg and take a long time to receive? I included the side shot so you can see what I mean, along with a photo of driver’s side header. thank you in advance for any and all wisdom!
Fenderwell headers. OK. Do you want in Chassis or out of chassis? Very few choices and none are cheap and some are not even available at this point. JW
JW, I can go either way to be honest. Pretty impartial! Based on the photo do you think my original headers stand a chance of being fixed? If not, by recommendation from you would be gratefully appreciated!
You will get reply's from different people so here's mine... Power Steering is a road block for in chassis headers unless you can locate a set of Schumacher's (good luck with that since it appears the business is done.) Or you can go with manifolds. TTI's are not designed for Power steering. They can be made to fit but not how they are delivered to you. Any of these options are not budget friendly. What is so wrong with the headers you have? Surface rust, coating gone, or are they rusted through? JW
I like the idea of manifolds but aren’t locating any to match my heads. The headers that I have may just be surface rust but I’m fairly certain there is a part on the driver’s side that is rusted through. Is that repairable? I tried to search for results of repairing headers but my wording might not be right. I also don’t like that you can see where it connects to exhaust under car, looks massive. That might just be an issue of profile, suspension, etc I haven’t learned about yet.
You will definitely learn about it. Unfortunately I learned about it the hard way because I trusted a known Member on here about the header fitment in regards to Big blocks in the cars and he can shove his toolbox into the river..... Here it is.... W/Power steering 1-Manifolds 2-Schumacher 3-TTI's ( you will modify them but it can be made to work) 4-Fenderwells ( you have that now and either repair what you have or locate a set of Pro-parts.) Others sets can apply and I only know the mentioned set does fit. They all come at a price though. Someone recently put a set of manifolds up for sale as they were going to headers so they do become available. IMO it's the tricky part of going BB in the cars.... JW
I’m sorry JW, I’ve been there (not a member on here but the community in my area) and feel your pain! I appreciate you taking the time to help me out with this! I think I’ll try to fix what I have for a short term solution while I work on getting more of a budget for long term. #1 will probably be the route I take because I personally enjoy them the most aesthetically though if I do my research and discover #2 or #3 is more practical snd can produce more, i won’t have a closed mind. thanks again for everything!
Maybe take what you have and come up with a simple solution to clean them and see the downfalls. They already fit the car and you know what you have. Others will chime in and can probably tell you the exact type. Keep you eyes open and something will pop up for sale.... JW
Manual steering. Schumacher is the only one who addressed headers with Power steering. TTI could easily do it but for them it doesn't justify their business model I suppose. Good article though.... JW
Hey Redfoxestco, Check these out from TTI. They are a compromise between long tube and Manifolds but should let you use power steering. I would definitely call TTi about these as they would also solve your undercar clearance/appearance issues as well. SHORTY BIG BLOCK HEADERS 1-5/8" O.D. primary tubes with 2.5" collectors Designed to fit 1967-1976 A-bodies, 1962-1974 B-bodies and 1970-1974 E-bodies with 383/400 B-engines and 440 RB-engines Fits Stock Heads and Edelbrock Aluminum Cylinder Heads TUBE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. TTi Performance Exhaust & Headers 1555 Consumer Circle Corona, CA 92878-3226 Phone: (951) 371-4878 Fax: (951) 371-6143 Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm PST
My .02 . Save yourself many headaches and go with manifolds .. Even if you have to go with B body ones .. They're cheaper than original big block A bodies and will work .. Take it to a muffler shop for the rest of the exhaust and drive the car home ..No rattles no leaks and no dings ..
AAndrew, thank you for that! Those look perfect and love that they’re in CA! I’ll give them a ring, in the process of meeting a welder to see what he can do about current ones in the mean time
They can be found... but be sitting down when you see the price! Usually well into four figures for the pair. I have B-body headers (the set that was used for the pics on BBD) on my car and they fit very well with only a couple little dents. But as noted, manual steering only. You probably could rework some of the tubes to clear a p/s box but then you might as well start with a different set anyway. Are you dead set on keeping power steering? I have manual 16:1 on mine and do not find it annoyingly heavy (except when turning the front wheels with the car stopped). If you go to a manual box, it not only takes a lot of weight off the front end, but also frees up considerable room for header tubes. Just my 0.02
Agreed . I paid 1200 for mine 4 years ago .. but they really are no hassle.. No clearance on ground issues and I’m not racing anybody anymore.. usually
Hey Redfoxestco, I am interested in these for another project so so I followed up on TTI's site for these shorty headers. Also good for power steering and under chassis! I will be using a HDK or RMS front suspension for my application as I also want rack and pinion steering and the extra clearance in the engine bay. TTi Performance Exhaust and Headers If you're an enthusiast who demands the best, TTi Performance Exhaust and Headers are the ultimate in high-performance, exclusively for MoPars! TUBE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Corona, CA 92878-3226 (951) 371-4878 Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm PST Est. since 1988 Home <... BIG BLOCK 440 RB-ENGINE HEADER OPTIONS <... 1-3/4" SHORTY HEADERS MOPAR CLASSICS A,B,E-bodies Header #44025 1-3/4" SHORTY HEADERS Click image to enlarge FEATURES ... Designed for: 383-400 B-engines & 440 RB-engines Primary tube size: 1-3/4" O.D. Collector size: 2-1/2" with 2-1/2" 3-bolt flange Flanges: 3/8" thick, laser-cut, contoured for a leak free fit Material: Constructed of 16 gauge mild steel tubing. Mandrel bent on sophisticated computer controlled bending machines for precise fit and uninterrupted exhaust flow. The mandrel bending process maintains a constant inside diameter of the tube for a smoother finish with no restriction of flow and no crimping of the tubes. One piece design: One piece header tubes / No slip tubes Under chassis design: Above the steering center link design offers maximum header to ground clearance Shorty header design: 2-1/2" Header Adapter Pipes required to transition Exhaust systems to headers Recommended for: Up to 475 horsepower Header set includes: Header gaskets & header bolts APPLICATIONS PART NO'S & PRICING COMPONENT PARTS OPTIONAL: O2, EVAC, EGT ~ Our headers were designed to fit with the engines located to the factory specifications. If the engine is not located correctly in the chassis, the headers will not fit properly. We strongly suggest you check your engine location prior to installation. ~ Due to various manufacturing designs, aftermarket parts, engine configurations, suspension combinations, etc... TTi cannot ensure headers and exhaust systems to fit all combinations. However, we have done our best to accommodate both factory and aftermarket component combinations. In some cases, slight modification or repositioning may be required on your part to clear the specific situation. FN39 for the factory dimensions] 37, 39 Engine Size: 383-400 B-ENGINES & 440 RB-ENGINES OEM BULLDOG EDELBROCK E-STREET EDELBROCK PERFORMER RPM INDY-EZ STAGE 5 440-SOURCE FACTORY 915 FACTORY 452 > Cylinder Head Studs: Head studs may be used on the Passenger-side, however, the header tubes will not clear the cylinder head studs below the #3, #5 and #7 cylinders on the Drivers-side. We recommend ARP bolts for clearance in these areas. Spark Plugs: STRAIGHT or ANGLED Headers are designed with adequate plug clearance for angled plugs. Front Suspensions: Stock with torsion bars or Coilover without torsion bars (RMS Alterktion, Magnumforce XRT Tubular K-frame or Control Freak) 33 Auto Trans: YES 53 Standard Trans: YES ... A-body applications with a Standard transmission requires a modified Z-bar. Modified Z-bar sold separately #ZB307. 53, 55 Floor Shift: YES Column Shift: Push Button: YES Manual Steering: YES Power Steering: YES Starters: 383-400 with a 10.5" flywheel: Must use a RobbMc Perf Starter #3005 440-727 Trans: Must use a RobbMc Perf starter #3005 or PowerMaster XS Torque starters: 9523 440-Standard Trans: Must use a RobbMc Perf starter #3005 Flywheel: 10.5" 130-tooth ring gear: YES, headers will clear. 11" flywheel, 143-tooth ring gear / 383-400 B-engines: NO, headers will not clear. 11" flywheel, 143-tooth ring gear / 440-RB engines: YES, headers will clear, however, you must use a RobbMc Performance starter #3005. Bell housing: ALL Oil Filters: OEM Oil Pans: ALL Clutch Linkage: OEM ... A-body applications with a Standard transmission requires a modified Z-bar. Modified Z-bar sold separately #ZB307. 55 Steering Linkage: OEM with torsion bars or Rack & Pinion without torsion bars Headers will not clear the uniSteer Performance Rack & Pinions. Firm Feel fast ratio pitman & idler arm: ? (Fit-check required) 12, 33 C0 Nickel Chrome Plated # TTi 44025-C1 $ 624.00 set 17, C1 Ceramic Coated with a Thermal Barrier # TTi 44025-C4 $ 725.00 set 17, C4 Polished Ceramic Coated with a Thermal Barrier # TTi 44025-C5 $ 739.00 set 17, C5 Header sets include: Header gaskets & 12 header bolts. Prices do not include Shipping, Handling or California Sales Tax, if applicable. Prices subject to change without notice.
Interesting the "shorts" won't clear a RB with 143 t - 11" flywheel without a 300+ starter. They have the same FN for the "long" tube. I cant imagine why one would need the mod Z-bar with "shorts" though. Even the Schumacher's need a mod for the stock Z. Several here have posted their fix. I did these on my 440 years ago to replace same from the late '70s. I can't tell with the picture you provide whether they are the same or not. Allegedly fit a B engine as well. Hooker 5215HKR Hooker Super Competition Full Length Header - Painted (holley.com)
Hey Dave69, Interesting to hear from someone who's actually had a big block in an a-body. Gotta say though... based on past experience with TTI, I"m thinking they have good reasons for the mods they suggest. I'm planning a 400 stroker build for a 68 Cuda drop top so I'm like the OP and interested in any Info I can get . Anybody else???
You can go to the "exhaust" forum and search "fender well headers". All the ya's and nay's ya' can handle!
It is repairable ! My suggestion is to have custom headers made with slip connectors for ease of service . I am aware they are expensive (about $1,00000) but in the long run you will be ahead . After they are made have them coated inside and out . Done , done and done
