I have a 1951 3100 with a sbc 383 installed with clam shell mounts on a camaro clip.. What are you using for headers? I can prob use manifolds or ram horns but I would love to run headers if poss. pics and ideas.
I have an original 51 GMC with the original 228 six in it. But I am swapping in a 350. My front end is stock. I am thinking (other than the steering gear interference issue) that a set of block huggers would fit. I guess we will see when I get to that point!
One header option that guarantees that you will get exactly what you want is to make your own. U bends and J bends are available in infinite sizes and materials and the 16 and 18 gauge stuff is easy to shape with aviation snips and it welds very nicely.
If you're a welder, or have someone available who is, making a set of custom headers is a fun project. And header technology is highly evolved so with a little research you can find header designs for whatever your intended use is. You can even add a fitting for an O2 sensor to tune your intake for a perfect air-fuel ratio.
My son was given these block hugger headers for the 350 sbc engine going into his '66 Chevy 1/2 ton and I made this exhaust H pipe for him from tubing he got from Summit Racing.
If you are running a front clip from a Camaro, I would think that you would start with headers for the Camaro and go from there.
I personally don't care for block huggers if you are working the vehicle and driving it much. I had a couple different sets on my 59 Suburban, and could not keep collector gaskets in them. I was running a 350 and pulling a trailer a lot of the time. I even melted the deadsoft aluminum gaskets. I went to long tube headers and never had another issue. It may be with a lighter rig, driven less (especially on the freeway, and up long hills) I may have been able to keep collector gaskets in it but, that is my experience with block huggers.
"I personally don't care for block huggers if you are working the vehicle and driving it much. I had a couple different sets on my 59 Suburban, and could not keep collector gaskets in them. I was running a 350 and pulling a trailer a lot of the time."
Mike,
Why do you suppose the collector gaskets were the weak link and not the gaskets at the heads? And why on short headers but not long tube?
When my now-restored '36 Chevy PU was a sbc powered rat rod in the 1960s I made a set of headers for it copying the Doug's Headers Tri-Y design and had them coated with flame sprayed aluminum. In the head port flange area the aluminum would melt and then solidify again showing that right at the head the headers do get pretty toasty but the collector area? What's up with that?
Even where the flame sprayed aluminum melted no rust ever showed up so the tubing stayed coated enough to prevent rust for the 5 years and about 50K miles it was a daily driver rat rod.
"I run block huggers. Had to go with NGK plugs. They are shorter and your plug boots don’t melt. On mine anyway. 350 ci."
Beltfed,
I'd seen "header plugs" advertised so I checked to see if the major plug manufacturers also make short plugs. In figuring out what plugs my roadster engine liked I tried out both Bosch and Champion short plugs in various heat ranges that are standard equipment in common applications and are inexpensive at auto parts stores. The ones in this photo are Champions and as you can see they provide good clearance for the plug boots in the tight spots, cylinders 1,2,7 & 8. These plug wires from Summit Racing are about 15 years and 23,000 miles old and there is no sign of the boots and wires getting toasted by the headers. So there are choices in short plugs for header clearance.
Also on this subject we are often told on this forum that headers are chronic leakers. The headers in this photo have never leaked and they are fastened by plain old stainless steel Allen head bolts and stainless steel lock washers from a local hardware store, nothing fancy. If you look closely you'll see that 2 of the bolt heads on each cylinder bank (cylinders 1 & 7 in this photo) had to be slightly machined to create clearance at the exhaust tube. That was a 5 minute job on my lathe.
