"Whoooooooooo cares"?
This question appears pretty regularly on this forum. Most recently it was Old Tractor Guy who asked "If I keep the stock steering and use block hugger headers does the engine require an offset or the steering box moved away from the frame."
The advice he got concerning the inevitability of leaks is inconsistent with my limited experience. So that got me curious. Then Justhorsenround chimed in. So that's at least 3 of us just very recently.
Justhorsenround probably got it right. Preventing leaks probably depends on quality parts properly installed.
Headers have always offered potential performance improvements and tuning options, especially when combined with "H" pipes, "X" pipes and even multiple "X" pipes on the same vehicle. There is extensive and very interesting information about "H" and "X" pipes in the "Performance Related" section of the Chevy Talk forum. Moderator "Grumpyvette" has compiled a vast library on every imaginable performance topic including these exhaust subjects. He presents extensive, illustrated how to articles along with track and dyno test results on all these topics.
Even 50 years ago when I had the summer welding job at Doug's Headers there was a variety of approaches to header design; Dougs "tri-Y", long tube, short tube, 180 degree, etc. And header design had evolved greatly since then. So I'd venture a guess than anyone who is interested in performance improvement "cares".
Last edited by yar; 09/20/2017 7:32 PM.
