Seeking Exhaust Advice

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64DartV8

64DartV8

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First time post. I have a '64 GT with a bad exhaust leak and I'd like to use the opportunity to install Hooker Super Competition fenderwell headers which have been sitting in the garage for years. My question is, should I attempt to do it myself (long, but limited mechanical expertise.) by ordering a whole system to bolt it, or is it such a challenge that a good shop would be worth the money? Also, has anyone had similar positive experiences with a shop they'd recommend in NYC or L.I. area.
Thank you!

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I believe you have to cut those beautiful fenderwells to install those headers. Are you prepared to do that? 65'
 
When I cut my '65 fenderwells for Cyclone's, I accidentally switched the right and left templates for cutting on the first cut, which means the hole on the passenger side came out a little larger than necessary.

I don't know what all the fuss is about, we replace/weld complete floorboards and quarter panels to repair rotted sheet metal all the time. The little fenderwell cutouts can easily be patched back in later. Dropping in headers from above in five minutes time is a pleasure on these vehicles. Just my opinion, of course.

And the look is Badass.

65 Valiant4.jpeg
 
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After replacing my inner fenders that a PO hacked up, please find a header that goes under the car. TTI and Dougs come to mind. I heard Magnum manifolds work too with mods. I know its not what you wanted to hear and all but I would sell those to someone with a dedicated drag car and put something more street friendly and cleaner looking in.
 
Along with the pros and cons above, cutting the inner fenders weakens the unibody in a bad place. Think of it as adding two crumple zones ahead of the fire wall. Mine was over-cut by the previous owner and I can feel it, driving and lifting, jacking etc.
 
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That is quit a beauty, I would hate to see a mishap !
Go with chassis headers
 
Fenderwell headers are for gasser wannabes. That is a nice streetcar I would hate to see fenderwell headers on it. And I have a car with fenderwell headers. I have a simple muffler setup on it, but I don't care for the sound, you only hear one bank of the engine on each side of the car.
 
The orginal poster wants info on fenderwell headers. Why try to change his mind instead of answering his question? Fenderwell headers were all that were available in 1975 when I installed mine. Personally, I wasn't trying to copy a gasser. If one prefers TTI and Dougs that is fantastic, but I still say you can't beat access and convenience with fenderwells, plus the bends in the pipes are not as severe which may or may not increase performance potential.
 
dibbons said:
The orginal poster wants info on fenderwell headers. Why try to change his mind instead of answering his question? Fenderwell headers were all that were available in 1975 when I installed mine. Personally, I wasn't trying to copy a gasser. If one prefers TTI and Dougs that is fantastic, but I still say you can't beat access and convenience with fenderwells, plus the bends in the pipes are not as severe which may or may not increase performance potential.
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Well there are better options 43 years later with better ground clearance, better plug access, won't reduce turn radius with street sized tires, won't weaken the structural integrity of the front end, devalue the car and all without hacking up a nice vehicle.

Oh and I forgot to mention the torque boxes I needed to replace because they got cut up too to fit those headers.

I just wanted to inform the OP that there are other options to consider and enter my own experience "because fender well headers".
 
dibbons said:
The orginal poster wants info on fenderwell headers. Why try to change his mind instead of answering his question? Fenderwell headers were all that were available in 1975 when I installed mine. Personally, I wasn't trying to copy a gasser. If one prefers TTI and Dougs that is fantastic, but I still say you can't beat access and convenience with fenderwells, plus the bends in the pipes are not as severe which may or may not increase performance potential.
Click to expand...

Right. he already HAS fenderwell headers, yet everybody just KNOWS a better way. The car's a driver he wants to have fun with. Cut the fenderwells and sling them bad boys in there.
 
64DartV8 said:
First time post. I have a '64 GT with a bad exhaust leak and I'd like to use the opportunity to install Hooker Super Competition fenderwell headers which have been sitting in the garage for years. My question is, should I attempt to do it myself (long, but limited mechanical expertise.) by ordering a whole system to bolt it, or is it such a challenge that a good shop would be worth the money? Also, has anyone had similar positive experiences with a shop they'd recommend in NYC or L.I. area.
Thank you!

View attachment 1715579882

View attachment 1715579883
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What part number are your Hooker Super Comps? Are they the correct ones for a 64-66 A-body?
 
RustyRatRod said:
Right. he already HAS fenderwell headers, yet everybody just KNOWS a better way. The car's a driver he wants to have fun with. Cut the fenderwells and sling them bad boys in there.
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Okay. The op is "seeking exhaust advice" regarding his fenderwell headers. My advice, coming from someone who HAS a car with fenderwell headers is....... dont.
 
33IMP said:
Okay. The op is "seeking exhaust advice" regarding his fenderwell headers. My advice, coming from someone who HAS a car with fenderwell headers is....... dont.
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I get it, but he has them. I have to admit, I wouldn't cut my car up either.
 
To answer the OP's question, fenderwell headers are actually some of the easiest to install. Eyeball where you need to cut the inner fenders, start small and gradually enlarge the opening until it is big enough, then drop the collector down the hole and bolt the flange to the head. To remove, unbolt from the head and just lift out. You can put them on yourself, then take the car to a muffler shop to hook the headers up to the rest of the exhaust system.

Now, having said that, count me as another vote against cutting your intact inner fenders and putting fenderwell headers in a nice street car. Besides weakening the front structure as noted in several replies above (the inner fenders are a structural component of the front frame), there's no way to really make the cut inner fenders look nice - it will always look like a hack job. Then there's the limited tire clearance they afford. Although I have to say that when I had them on my 65 Barracuda, the tires rubbed the headers only on sharp turns. Straight ahead was OK. As I recall, at the time I was running 225/60/14's up front.

I replaced my inner fenders and went back to manifolds for several decades, until I just recently installed TTI under chassis headers. Not nearly as easy to install as the fenderwell headers, but I like the look, the fit, and the tire clearance much better.
 
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65 Cuda 340 said:
To answer the OP's question, fenderwell headers are actually some of the easiest to install. Eyeball where you need to cut the inner fenders, start small and gradually enlarge the opening until it is big enough, then drop the collector down the hole and bolt the flange to the head. To remove, unbolt from the head and just lift out. You can put them on yourself, then take the car to a muffler shop to hook the headers up to the rest of the exhaust system.

Now, having said that, count me as another vote against cutting your intact inner fenders and putting fenderwell headers in a nice street car. Besides weakening the front structure as noted in several replies above (the inner fenders are a structural compenent of the front frame), there's no way to really make the cut inner fenders look nice - it will always look like a hack job. Then there's the limited tire clearance they afford. Although I have to say that when I had them on my 65 Barracuda, the tires rubbed the headers only on sharp turns. Straight ahead was OK. As I recall, at the time I was running 225/60/14's up front.

I replaced my inner fenders and went back to manifolds for several decades, until I just recently installed TTI under chassis headers. Not nearly as easy to install as the fenderwell headers, but I like the look, the fit, and the tire clearance much better.
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Well said.
 
I gotta go with the don't butcher the fenderwells, it's your car, but it looks like crap IMO and compromises the structural integrity of the car. Sell them and get a set of TTis. My .02.
 
65 Cuda 340 said:
To answer the OP's question, fenderwell headers are actually some of the easiest to install. Eyeball where you need to cut the inner fenders, start small and gradually enlarge the opening until it is big enough, then drop the collector down the hole and bolt the flange to the head. To remove, unbolt from the head and just lift out. You can put them on yourself, then take the car to a muffler shop to hook the headers up to the rest of the exhaust system.

Now, having said that, count me as another vote against cutting your intact inner fenders and putting fenderwell headers in a nice street car. Besides weakening the front structure as noted in several replies above (the inner fenders are a structural component of the front frame), there's no way to really make the cut inner fenders look nice - it will always look like a hack job. Then there's the limited tire clearance they afford. Although I have to say that when I had them on my 65 Barracuda, the tires rubbed the headers only on sharp turns. Straight ahead was OK. As I recall, at the time I was running 225/60/14's up front.

I replaced my inner fenders and went back to manifolds for several decades, until I just recently installed TTI under chassis headers. Not nearly as easy to install as the fenderwell headers, but I like the look, the fit, and the tire clearance much better.
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Yes. We'll said.

I have 2 HP Darts. One with fenderwell headers and one with Doug's. I have a 4-post car lift in my garage and was able to install the Doug's myself - with no help. The rest of the exhaust was on the car.

The fenderwell headers are of an unknown make and were installed back in the late 60's. Definitely a hack job. I would not recommend going this route.

Sell the Hooker's and get an Accurate Exhaust Products system. Kind of pricey but worth it. I think toolmanmike has the system on his Dart. They add just the right amount of rumble to the car.

Just my opinion.
 
Not much difference in HP why bother. I have to agree with ddartdude above, get the 65 Commando straight through exhaust. I definitely would not cut that car.
 
Plymouth 65 said:
I believe you have to cut those beautiful fenderwells to install those headers. Are you prepared to do that? 65'
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Yes I am. I love the clean engine bay and the reason the PO didn't do it was because he's the one who painted the car, but since I already have the headers and I really like the way they look peaking out of the wheel wells, and because I don't drive it so often that I'm concerned about road debris in the engine bay, the answer is yes. Also, I was under the impression that for these years, headers which actually fit without cutting are an incredibly tight fit.
 
dibbons said:
When I cut my '65 fenderwells for Cyclone's, I accidentally switched the right and left templates for cutting on the first cut, which means the hole on the passenger side came out a little larger than necessary.

I don't know what all the fuss is about, we replace/weld complete floorboards and quarter panels to repair rotted sheet metal all the time. The little fenderwell cutouts can easily be patched back in later. Dropping in headers from above in five minutes time is a pleasure on these vehicles. Just my opinion, of course.

And the look is Badass.

View attachment 1715579941
Click to expand...
Your engine bay does look amazing. I was anticipating a bit more hastle putting them in though. It looks like you had to move a brake line and I have two and a bigger master cylinder, I also probably have to move the electronic ignition on the firewall.
 
dano said:
After replacing my inner fenders that a PO hacked up, please find a header that goes under the car. TTI and Dougs come to mind. I heard Magnum manifolds work too with mods. I know its not what you wanted to hear and all but I would sell those to someone with a dedicated drag car and put something more street friendly and cleaner looking in.
Click to expand...
Thank you, actually what I want is practical advice. I will look into the TTI Dougs and Magnum's, I'm keeping an open mind, but I am anxious to do something this season since the exhaust leak at the head pipe is distractingly loud.
 
B'cuda said:
Along with the pros and cons above, cutting the inner fenders weakens the unibody in a bad place. Think of it as adding two crumple zones ahead of the fire wall. Mine was over-cut by the previous owner and I can feel it, driving and lifting, jacking etc.
Click to expand...
Thank you, that is not something I've heard before. My plan was to seek out an accomplished welder who could minimize the openings.
 
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