Hp manifolds or TTI headers

[LocuMob]

Ever own a car with headers? They can be great for a car that you are racing and a general PITA for a car that you are just cruising around in.

The tti headers in my Polara fit great, seal awesome to the heads, have more than enough ground clearance with a lower front end, give easy access to the plugs, didn't interfere with my column shirt linkage, and are worth the money, to me. I already had a mini starter on the engine, and it was very easy to replace in the car with the headers in place. I did have to modify my wires to the starter and cover them with some heat shield tubing, but that's all I've done in over a decade.

But they were designed for a C body specifically, so I'd expect they'd be pretty close to fitting like a glove.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

, seal awesome to the heads, have more than enough ground clearance with a lower front end

My brother in laws argument that he loses ground clearance with headers. If you put the car up on the lift it's the exhaust pipes that drag every speed bump. He still blames the headers.
Am I going to put headers on my '81 Imperial? Probably not, because the gain is not there. Am I leaving the 1 1/2" single tailpipe on the car, no, but maybe I should. The back pressure of it and the 3 catalytic converters on the car it should spin the tire like it is on a ice patch.
Now I will get, "oh that's the wrong kind of back pressure". So exactly where is this formula in Google infinite answer land to determine "correct" back pressure. Or maybe I just go down to the local exhaust bending shop those rocket scientist, seem to have all the back pressure answers.
The real back pressure answers is...as per engine masters " you have more torque with some back pressure, because you killed any horsepower at higher rpm".
Hey don't believe a machine that actually measures torque and calculates horse power, just believe Jimmy down at the muffler shop.
Hey, I get why to use exhaust manifolds that are designed for a car body, easy, reliabile, cost effective. But believing they don't suck, for flow is just lying to yourself.

 

[Big_John]

The tti headers in my Polara fit great, seal awesome to the heads, have more than enough ground clearance with a lower front end, give easy access to the plugs, did t interfere with my column shirt linkage, and are worth the money, to me. I already had a mini starter on the engine, and it was very easy to replace in the car with the headers in place. I did have to modify my wires to the starter and cover them with some heat shield tubing, but that's all I've done in over a decade.

But they were designed for a C body specifically, so if expect they'd be pretty close to fitting like a glove.

That's good. I've seen soooooo many headers on cars that don't do any of that.

 

[Big_John]

My brother in laws argument that he loses ground clearance with headers. If you put the car up on the lift it's the exhaust pipes that drag every speed bump. He still blames the headers.
Am I going to put headers on my '81 Imperial? Probably not, because the gain is not there. Am I leaving the 1 1/2" single tailpipe on the car, no, but maybe I should. The back pressure of it and the 3 catalytic converters on the car it should spin the tire like it is on a ice patch.
Now I will get, "oh that's the wrong kind of back pressure". So exactly where is this formula in Google infinite answer land to determine "correct" back pressure. Or maybe I just go down to the local exhaust bending shop those rocket scientist, seem to have all the back pressure answers.
The real back pressure answers is...as per engine masters " you have more torque with some back pressure, because you killed any horsepower at higher rpm".
Hey don't believe a machine that actually measures torque and calculates horse power, just believe Jimmy down at the muffler shop.
Hey, I get why to use exhaust manifolds that are designed for a car body, easy, reliabile, cost effective. But believing they don't suck, for flow is just lying to yourself.

I think you're responding to me, but I'm not sure.

I didn't say one single thing about "back pressure". I know that most people that say the car needs "back pressure" don't know what's going on.

My point is more about "what is right for the application". Just like your '81 Imperial, some cars really aren't going to respond to headers enough to make their purchase and installation worth doing. The OP (who hasn't been back since he posted) hasn't listed any mods to his 383 Newport. For all we know, and probably can assume, this is a stock, possibly 2BBL engine. We don't know what he plans to do with this car either... If you want to run headers, knock yourself out... If you don't then don't... Your car, your decision. I don't think the OP needed to just hear "Headers am good" from everyone without some counterpoint... especially if the OP has never laid on his back and installed headers. It all sounds easy until you get the jack and the wrenches out.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I think you're responding to me, but I'm not sure.

I didn't say one single thing about "back pressure". I know that most people that say the car needs "back pressure" don't know what's going on.

My point is more about "what is right for the application". Just like your '81 Imperial, some cars really aren't going to respond to headers enough to make their purchase and installation worth doing. The OP (who hasn't been back since he posted) hasn't listed any mods to his 383 Newport. For all we know, and probably can assume, this is a stock, possibly 2BBL engine. We don't know what he plans to do with this car either... If you want to run headers, knock yourself out... If you don't then don't... Your car, your decision. I don't think the OP needed to just hear "Headers am good" from everyone without some counterpoint... especially if the OP has never laid on his back and installed headers. It all sounds easy until you get the jack and the wrenches out.

No your good John. I know you get it. I guess you got dumped into the ground clearance thing sort of, only car I have ever had with headers and ground clearance is a A body with the around the steering pipes, my Challenger sits really low, like scrapes on the oil pan low, headers do not hit.
I'm just spouting off about the inevitable back pressure wives tale that comes up and nobody can produce a mathematical equation to size for said back pressure.
Just another aimless rant, enjoy, lol

 

[HOT FURY]

My two cents... Which with inflation is more like 8 bucks.

I've been called a "purist" for voicing an opinion about headers before when someone can't handle a differing view. I see what makes them happy so I laugh at it. "Purist" I'm not, but I digress....

Ever own a car with headers? They can be great for a car that you are racing and a general PITA for a car that you are just cruising around in.

The downsides are they are more prone to leaks at the heads or the collectors. Some headers make it hard to change a starter or make you switch to a smaller starter. Then there's ground clearance. I've seen headers destroyed by bottoming on railroad tracks. They can also be noisier.

The good thing is they do flow more... But you have to understand that extra flow might not help until higher RPM. A lot depends on design... Smaller and longer primary pipes help lower end torque while larger, shorter pipes help at the upper end. Then there's the tri-y designs etc. Most are limited by fit though and a C-body will only have a few headers to chose from. With a heavy Chrysler, low end is what you want.

IMHO, the best bang for the buck for a street car that doesn't ever see the drag strip is a set of HP manifolds. They are the easiest to install and maintain. HP loss is minimal, if any at lower RPM. They'll last forever and all you need is the casting number to give to TTI and you'll have a nice exhaust system that will fit great and you won't have to touch for many years.

But, that's just my opinion and the guys that run headers may say different. I've run headers on the street on a few cars that I occasionally raced. For that intended use, they were great and I was willing to live with them. For cars I never intended to race, the HP manifolds really were better. In fact, I removed a set on my A12 Roadrunner and went to the correct HP manifolds. On the street, there wasn't any noticeable change in performance based on my "seat of the pants" dyno.

Big Johns two cents is always worth a million bucks! lol but thats just my two cents which is a penny at best

 

[LocuMob]

as per engine masters

A great show that shows what different parts do, I have learned plenty from it, like ditch my Weiand tunnel ram intakes for a stock style Edelbrock Six Pac.

Engine masters has done a bunch of exhaust testing, and shown that headers and an 18" extension seems to be the sweet spot for producing power. And that goes for any engine combo. I used to believe the back pressure tale, but I was young and just got into cars. My Dart with a 360 didn't like open headers, but I think it was just an old dog that needed a refreshing.

I bought the headers for my Polara because I was just mad at the crappy exhaust that came on the car, and I had plans for it to be a rowdy engine in the end. Still happy I bought them, and I love the sound of the 3" pipes vs the 2.5". I'll buy headers again, but do have plans for an engine that could benefit from them, not just because I can.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

A great show that shows what different parts do, I have learned plenty from it, like ditch my Weiand tunnel ram intakes for a stock style Edelbrock Six Pac.

Engine masters has done a bunch of exhaust testing, and shown that headers and an 18" extension seems to be the sweet spot for producing power. And that goes for any engine combo. I used to believe the back pressure tale, but I was young and just got into cars. My Dart with a 360 didn't like open headers, but I think it was just an old dog that needed a refreshing.

I bought the headers for my Polara because I was just mad at the crappy exhaust that came on the car, and I had plans for it to be a rowdy engine in the end. Still happy I bought them, and I love the sound of the 3" pipes vs the 2.5". I'll buy headers again, but do have plans for an engine that could benefit from them, not just because I can.

My Charger has headers on it, solely because the price of B body HP manifolds I can literally buy 2 pair of cheap headers. So it has free headers on it, and it fits with the used parts extravaganza engine that is in it, (remember it has one sanded down .030 piston in a std. bore block). Knocks down 15+ mpg and has gone over 16k miles. Does it need headers, no. Does it have headers yes and IMO it's better off with them. No they don't hit the ground, no they don't leak, yes they have dents in them from when someone thought they were Chevy truck headers, again free. I think this horse is dead..... again.

 

[volksworld]

Govier's book shows r/s 67-69 r/s HP manifold has a casting # 2806900 and 68-69 l/s is 2863409...it doesnt list a 67 l/s HP casting #....i have a TTI system with HP manifolds...had to modify the rr TTI exhaust hanger to clear the lip on the shock crossmember and re-route the trans cooling lines from Vans but that was it...if the car has an older aftermarket rear sway bar it wont clear the tailpipes (eventually going to try to modify my mounts so it will) cause i don't want to spend $600 for the Firm Feel one that does fit..I'm old and dislike headers for all the same reasons as Big John but i think the new stuff like TTI doesn't have the same issues as the $99 specials we grew up with

 

[Big_John]

but i think the new stuff like TTI doesn't have the same issues as the $99 specials we grew up with

^This^

And $99 got you the better headers. The Doug Thorley headers and the like could be bought for $59. Hookers were the best at the time and were $129.

 

[HOT FURY]

HURRY HURRY HURRY SOMEONE POST ANOTHER THOUGHT, I WANT TO SEE IF THIS HORSE IS REALLY DEAD!

 

[Big_John]

HURRY HURRY HURRY SOMEONE POST ANOTHER THOUGHT, I WANT TO SEE IF THIS HORSE IS REALLY DEAD!

Oh we could get into it a lot more....

We haven't discussed primary and collector lengths... Tri-Y designs... negative pressure waves... scavenging... 180 degree headers... etc. We can really get some discussion going and probably get someone pissed off...