Headers vs. Manifolds

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I was thinking about the B-body manifolds, based on the information I’ve seen in this forum. They seem to be the ones that will work with the least amount of modifications.
 
Maybe, I've never tried it. I have seen guys use C body HP manifolds and angle mill them. Not exactly an easy solution but I've heard that it works. On my Duster I just used the smallest header I could find and that seemed to work okay but it was only 600 hp.
 
Now you have to weigh the price of the manifolds and the machine work involved.
 
i say, work a little OT, sell something, wait and save the money for headers of some sort. Schumacher fit nice. i just don't see going through all the trouble to put a big block in it and sticking manifolds on it.
 
It's the old air-pump logic.
You spend a ton of money changing a 3 inch pump into 4 inch,
- a ton more money changing the heads, intake, carb, camshaft to change the 3 inch inlet to 4 inch, and you leave a 3 inch outlet on it.
Totally backward try to cram all that flow thru puny exhaust system, and then no tuned or scavenging exhaust .
Do it the other way, exhaust first,
Or just bullshit and say it's anything, who's gonna know or care, but the very first guy and everyone else that sees manifolds isn't likely to believe the rest.
Decals are cheap.
 
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Based on the BBD article I linked above, only a 440 or other tall blocks need angle milling to fit. Not saying it doesn’t require work, but doesn’t sound like it would require machine work.

Personally, I would buy the available manifolds, bolt them on and see how it feels. If you need more power after that, save up for headers and when you swap them, sell the manifolds for at least what you paid for them.
 
Don't get this doom and gloom, if he can't go headers ain't the end of the world just has a little less power.
And always can do a swap down road, sometimes and probably a lot of times people have to run a compromised combos. The only option ain't all or nothing.
 
Don't get this doom and gloom, if he can't go headers ain't the end of the world just has a little less power.
And always can do a swap down road, sometimes and probably a lot of times people have to run a compromised combos. The only option ain't all or nothing.

I'm suggesting insteada dropping a grand on carb/injection, manifold, do the exhaust first.
Carb and manifold are easily swapped on a b blk, from the top.
 
B Body manifolds fit fine. Mild 440 ran mid 12s with them! Not to mention crap 516 heads.

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Wow; you have gotten a lot of GOOD advice here. The good advice is given by a lot of people who are telling you how they would probably do it. Ten different people will think ten different ways. Here is my input.

@Demonracer says you won't miss the horsepower on the street. I agree with that to an extent. If you are strictly driving it on the street and never, ever rev it up or spin the tires, you won't miss the HP. But I think all of us punch it a little here and there and do a quick burnout when nobody is looking. You will miss the HP then. And you have to ask yourself a big question. Why are you putting a big block in a 75 Duster? Unless you are doing it just for looks, the answer is for more power. And if you are doing it for more power, why give up 25-30 HP?

@273 said you could do the logs now and upgrade to good headers later. That is good advice IF the B body logs will fit in an A body, and I am not so sure they will. Evidently, @Carnut68 is not sure if they will fit either. That is why the A body big block logs have different part numbers than B body logs. You need to find out whether they will fit or not before making a decision. Please do not even consider using the fenderwell headers.

If the B body logs fit, I would go that route for now with the intent to upgrade later.
If they will not fit, and the good headers cannot be bought now, wait until they are in the budget.
 
@273 said you could do the logs now and upgrade to good headers later. That is good advice IF the B body logs will fit in an A body, and I am not so sure they will. Evidently, @Carnut68 is not sure if they will fit either. That is why the A body big block logs have different part numbers than B body logs. You need to find out whether they will fit or not before making a decision. Please do not even consider using the fenderwell headers.

If the B body logs fit, I would go that route for now with the intent to upgrade later.

Did you see 1968rt’s post 2 above your’s? A 440 RB no less.
 
Maybe, I've never tried it. I have seen guys use C body HP manifolds and angle mill them. Not exactly an easy solution but I've heard that it works. On my Duster I just used the smallest header I could find and that seemed to work okay but it was only 600 hp.
I weighed everyone's advice and thought about the power I'd lose and decided to buy some B-Body headers and do the minimum necessary clearancing. Much as I'd like to buy some TTI's, it's just not going to happen. That being said, any specific brands or P/Ns to buy or avoid?
 
I weighed everyone's advice and thought about the power I'd lose and decided to buy some B-Body headers and do the minimum necessary clearancing. Much as I'd like to buy some TTI's, it's just not going to happen. That being said, any specific brands or P/Ns to buy or avoid?
Engine Master did a dyno on headers before and after beating on them pretending to make them fit and loss very little hp, by the end them beat them up pretty good.
 
Engine Master did a dyno on headers before and after beating on them pretending to make them fit and loss very little hp, by the end them beat them up pretty good.
I saw that same episode, which is part of the reason I'm not going to feel bad about "massaging" them.
 
I weighed everyone's advice and thought about the power I'd lose and decided to buy some B-Body headers and do the minimum necessary clearancing.

This might be a case of using the wrong part name, but I thought this was worth mentioning to make sure you get the right parts. Your info above says you plan to get B-body headers. The tips in all the responses talk about the viability of B-body manifolds.
 
I’ve read numerous post while searching this site that said B-Body headers would work in a big block A-Body with clearancing.
 
On many headers, the same set that fit in the small body, easily fit in the big bodies.
The same Doug's fit A thru F? Bodies iirc .(Challenger anyway)
 
You keep saying TTI, do you know Doug's makes a similar design header at a much more reasonable price, with equal or better quality, and some retailers offer free shipping.
Autozone often has a 20% discount sale, with other retailers matching their price,
just saying .
 
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I weighed everyone's advice and thought about the power I'd lose and decided to buy some B-Body headers and do the minimum necessary clearancing. Much as I'd like to buy some TTI's, it's just not going to happen. That being said, any specific brands or P/Ns to buy or avoid?
The Hedman 78030 fits nicely with a few minor dings . manual steering and a mini starter is needed.
 
I’ve read numerous post while searching this site that said B-Body headers would work in a big block A-Body with clearancing.
Yeah, you can find someone on here saying most anything. Back in the days when I was making engine dollies I had a guy on the forum tell me that he didn't need to buy an engine dolly since he just went to the grocery store and stole a shopping cart when he needed a dolly. So that is the level of advice you sometimes get on the internet.
 
Yeah, you can find someone on here saying most anything. Back in the days when I was making engine dollies I had a guy on the forum tell me that he didn't need to buy an engine dolly since he just went to the grocery store and stole a shopping cart when he needed a dolly. So that is the level of advice you sometimes get on the internet.
I know that guy,......:rolleyes:
 
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