Aftermarket headers for 67 GT500

[kbraitbe]

Hello,

Looking for recommendations for aftermarket headers for my 67 GT500.  Just discovered the set that is on the car now (I have had it for a few weeks) is incorrect for the model year and has some serious leaks.  I am aware that FPA makes a decent set up, but could use this forums input on alternatives.

Thank you,

K

[Mike James]

FPA

[557]

Fitment  on these FPA units?Require much massaging?

[The Going Thing]

It depends on what you're looking for. Short or long tube.I am running  the Hooker 6114. They needed absolutely no hammering what so ever. The down side was the sacrifice of a little bit of ground clearance.  I would stay away from the large tube as they often don't clear reinforcements or towers that have leaned in a bit.
I assume you're aware that headers are also not a factory item? I have some pictures if need be.

[shelbydoug]

It depends on what you're looking for. Short or long tube.I am running  the Hooker 6114. They needed absolutely no hammering what so ever. The down side was the sacrifice of a little bit of ground clearance.  I would stay away from the large tube as they often don't clear reinforcements or towers that have leaned in a bit.
I assume you're aware that headers are also not a factory item? I have some pictures if need be.

The Hookers are more then adequate and actually a good choice. It's more the angling down of the collectors that gives the appearance of low clearance.

If you had the time and can weld you could mess with changing the angle of the collector?

The good thing is they do fit out of the box. Stan's headers have had some complaints against the flanges not fitting right.

Tri-y's give up power. Period. If you don't care being down on power, then run iron CJ manifolds rather then tri-y's.



I use the "old" rule of thumb (because I'm old most likely) that the inside diameter of the tube should match the outside diameter of the exhaust valve. With that in mind, the Hookers are the right tube size.

2" tubes are likely torque reducers on an FE.


The coolest pipes are the Hooker Super Comps. They are individual tubes, thin metal (for weight savings), are 2-1/8" tubes and hang down and from the front view, look like a gorilla's knuckles hanging down. They have slip collectors.

They will scrape and are loud and leak because of the slip tubes. But cool? Just plain sick! 

[The Going Thing]

Doug, I guess the 1.76 exhaust valve was justified with the new engine so the Hookers breath correctly. <snicker>  I had never heard that correlation between primary tube and exhaust valve size before.  I can't find the flow sheet from the my Edelbrocks that Keith Black ported, but I think the flow on the exhaust side was in the 220 CFM range. 
There was a trade off Vs. the C6AE-R heads I had on the 428. Even with bowl clean up, unshrouding  and the 2.09 1.65 CJ valve the heads had more port velocity on the lower end of the RPM range. 
The ported Edelbrock heads seem to run in the 3200-6000 rpm range so it moved the torque band. In some respects it keeps one from smoking the tires every time you accelerate too hard in the first two gears.

[shelbydoug]

Doug, I guess the 1.76 exhaust valve was justified with the new engine so the Hookers breath correctly. <snicker>  I had never heard that correlation between primary tube and exhaust valve size before.  I can't find the flow sheet from the my Edelbrocks that Keith Black ported, but I think the flow on the exhaust side was in the 220 CFM range. 
There was a trade off Vs. the C6AE-R heads I had on the 428. Even with bowl clean up, unshrouding  and the 2.09 1.65 CJ valve the heads had more port velocity on the lower end of the RPM range. 
The ported Edelbrock heads seem to run in the 3200-6000 rpm range so it moved the torque band. In some respects it keeps one from smoking the tires every time you accelerate too hard in the first two gears.

I think that the valve size is as much a tuning thing as anything. With iron heads the dyno sheets I saw the engine already had 450lb-ft in the 1,500 to 2,000 rpm range and was pretty much flat all the way to almost 6,000 rpm's.



I'm thinking about a set of Edelbrock heads. I already have a set of List 3300 and 3301 carbs. I already dimpled the roof on the '68. I don't want to do that again. 

My engine builder likes them and you run around Dallas terrorizing the locals with them so that wakes me up in the middle of the night. I hate that.



I can believe you never heard the tube size correlation. Most of us who know that are already dead. You weren't born yet.



My SB AFR heads exhausts flow in that vicinity. 210 to 215. Those are 1.60 valves and I'm using 1-3/4" long tube headers.



The only engine that I know of that contradicts this but only just a bit is the Cleveland in my Pantera.

The bottom is a 357 but the top uses A3 Motorsport heads with a 1.71 exhaust and 2" primary headers with 180 configuration.

Those exhausts only flow around 180 AND that is with a radically raised exhaust port.



I put this all down to tuning the engine to a particular rpm range. In the case of a BB "Mustang" the chassis is more of a limiting factor and determines more then it should.

ANYTHING other then stock is going to have a drastic positive effect on power in that instance. Even tri-y's.


If anyone wants to use BB tri-y's, you won't be disappointed since ANY headers are better then ANY iron manifolds and you won't need to spend the rest of your life screwing with the engine configuration. Go for it BUT you ARE giving away power there. How much? Let's go to the dyno.

[427hunter]

Doug, I guess the 1.76 exhaust valve was justified with the new engine so the Hookers breath correctly. <snicker>  I had never heard that correlation between primary tube and exhaust valve size before.  I can't find the flow sheet from the my Edelbrocks that Keith Black ported, but I think the flow on the exhaust side was in the 220 CFM range. 
There was a trade off Vs. the C6AE-R heads I had on the 428. Even with bowl clean up, unshrouding  and the 2.09 1.65 CJ valve the heads had more port velocity on the lower end of the RPM range. 
The ported Edelbrock heads seem to run in the 3200-6000 rpm range so it moved the torque band. In some respects it keeps one from smoking the tires every time you accelerate too hard in the first two gears.

Wow, you must have had a very close relationship with Keith Black to get him to port aluminum Edelbrock FE heads, tell us about how you managed to get that done?

[shelbydoug]

Doug, I guess the 1.76 exhaust valve was justified with the new engine so the Hookers breath correctly. <snicker>  I had never heard that correlation between primary tube and exhaust valve size before.  I can't find the flow sheet from the my Edelbrocks that Keith Black ported, but I think the flow on the exhaust side was in the 220 CFM range. 
There was a trade off Vs. the C6AE-R heads I had on the 428. Even with bowl clean up, unshrouding  and the 2.09 1.65 CJ valve the heads had more port velocity on the lower end of the RPM range. 
The ported Edelbrock heads seem to run in the 3200-6000 rpm range so it moved the torque band. In some respects it keeps one from smoking the tires every time you accelerate too hard in the first two gears.

Wow, you must have had a very close relationship with Keith Black to get him to port aluminum Edelbrock FE heads, tell us about how you managed to get that done?

Keith? I thought he said Clint? Sorry, my hearing isn't what it used to be. What? Did you say something? Open side pipes, you know?

[Royce Peterson]

I bought a set of shorty FPA headers. I had to cut the corners off both engine isolators. I had to cut the corner of the engine block off at  the lower driver's side because I did not want to dent the powder coated headers. I had to hammer the lid of the starter bendix cover and beat the tar out of the header tube to get 1/8" clearance between that tube and the starter bendix.

Otherwise they fit fine.

I called Stan to tell him the fit was off. Maybe my set got made on a Monday by a trainee? He told me that my low mileage unmolested one owner car and engine block were all out of whack and proceeded to get really nasty before I finally hung up on him in disgust. 

Fitment  on these FPA units?Require much massaging?

[Royce Peterson]

Last year I installed a set of JBA shorty headers on a GT500 convertible with a stroked 427. Compared to FPA the difference was night and day. The JBA headers are perfectly fitted. They are stainless so no coating is needed. The H pipe from JBA is also a masterpiece of fit and finish. They also offer an X pipe if you prefer. Outstanding product. Cleared the power steering with no drop bracket needed.

[427hunter]

Doug, I guess the 1.76 exhaust valve was justified with the new engine so the Hookers breath correctly. <snicker>  I had never heard that correlation between primary tube and exhaust valve size before.  I can't find the flow sheet from the my Edelbrocks that Keith Black ported, but I think the flow on the exhaust side was in the 220 CFM range. 
There was a trade off Vs. the C6AE-R heads I had on the 428. Even with bowl clean up, unshrouding  and the 2.09 1.65 CJ valve the heads had more port velocity on the lower end of the RPM range. 
The ported Edelbrock heads seem to run in the 3200-6000 rpm range so it moved the torque band. In some respects it keeps one from smoking the tires every time you accelerate too hard in the first two gears.

Wow, you must have had a very close relationship with Keith Black to get him to port aluminum Edelbrock FE heads, tell us about how you managed to get that done?

Keith? I thought he said Clint? Sorry, my hearing isn't what it used to be. What? Did you say something? Open side pipes, you know?

It's just short of impossible to get Keith Black to port FE Edelbrock aluminum heads, especially since he was dead before the heads were ever made. Just digging the guy up, and bringing him back to life must have been a ton of work, then to be able to convince him to port heads - WOW ! 

[shelbydoug]

I bought a set of shorty FPA headers. I had to cut the corners off both engine isolators. I had to cut the corner of the engine block off at  the lower driver's side because I did not want to dent the powder coated headers. I had to hammer the lid of the starter bendix cover and beat the tar out of the header tube to get 1/8" clearance between that tube and the starter bendix.

Otherwise they fit fine.

I called Stan to tell him the fit was off. Maybe my set got made on a Monday by a trainee? He told me that my low mileage unmolested one owner car and engine block were all out of whack and proceeded to get really nasty before I finally hung up on him in disgust. 

Fitment  on these FPA units?Require much massaging?

I tried to buy a set of headers from him. I called to get a price since he had removed prices from his advertising. I asked him if I needed to do something with the equalizer bar.

Then he got nasty. He told me I was an  a ss h ole. Use a hydraulic clutch like 'EVERYBODY" else was.

He didn't care that it wasn't a street rod and said that "all you Shelby guys are a ss h oles and I won't sell you a set of headers" and hung up.

What are you people who say he is a great guy all S&M folks? I would have told him to go screw himself but I'm sure he knew that and does, since no one else will and that's why he hung up.

Kiss his a ss if you want to, I won't.

[Bob Gaines]

Last year I installed a set of JBA shorty headers on a GT500 convertible with a stroked 427. Compared to FPA the difference was night and day. The JBA headers are perfectly fitted. They are stainless so no coating is needed. The H pipe from JBA is also a masterpiece of fit and finish. They also offer an X pipe if you prefer. Outstanding product. Cleared the power steering with no drop bracket needed.

Now that sounds like a header to check into . I was not aware that JBA offered ready built FE headers for for 67-70 Mustang/Shelby.

[2112]

Last year I installed a set of JBA shorty headers on a GT500 convertible with a stroked 427. Compared to FPA the difference was night and day. The JBA headers are perfectly fitted. They are stainless so no coating is needed. The H pipe from JBA is also a masterpiece of fit and finish. They also offer an X pipe if you prefer. Outstanding product. Cleared the power steering with no drop bracket needed.

+1 to Bob's statement. Do you have a link?