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01-17-2007, 03:27 PM
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#1
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Shorty headers or not?
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2006
City: Spring
State: Texas
Posts: 23
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I've read some posts that say "long tube headers or nothing at all". Are shorty headers (for example, the Ford Racing shorty headers) not that much better than the stock part regarding horsepower and exhaust sound? If horsepower gain was minimal but exhaust sound improved I might still go for it. Interested to hear what some of you have to say.
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01-17-2007, 03:33 PM
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#2
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Re: Shorty headers or not?
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Imma Ho...
Join Date: Aug 2004
City: Baton Rouge
State: Louisiana
Posts: 9,957
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From my understanding, and I am not an expert on headers, long tubes will give both better sound and HP numbers than shortties due to better scavaging of the exuast and what not. I will let some of the more edumacated chime in, but that is what I have always read/been told.
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01-17-2007, 03:36 PM
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#3
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Re: Shorty headers or not?
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Resident A$$hole
Join Date: Apr 2006
City: Columbus
State: Mississippi
Posts: 2,478
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Depends on what your plans are. If you are sticking with a bolt on car(mild), I'd stay with shorties, but if you plan on going with forced induction/nitrous in the future i'd go ahead and do long tubes. Beware though, there are some issues with some brands of long tube headers though, like having to disconnect them when removing the transmission, hanging to low and rubbing the ground(in a lowered car), etc. I say pick your poison. I'd go long tubes just because I know I can't leave a car stock, well, ever.
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01 Bullitt
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01-17-2007, 03:38 PM
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#4
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Re: Shorty headers or not?
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Imma Ho...
Join Date: Aug 2004
City: Baton Rouge
State: Louisiana
Posts: 9,957
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That must be why I keep getting told long tubes are better...
And yeah, long tubes will affect ground clearance and tranny access in case you didn't know.
Stainless works makes an amazing set of long tubes...welds are amazing...clean...and haven't heard anything negative about them leaking as of yet.
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01-18-2007, 02:31 PM
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#5
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Re: Shorty headers or not?
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2006
City: Spring
State: Texas
Posts: 23
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Just talked to performance shop in Webster, TX. They recently bolted on set of BBK shorty headers and larger throttle body to 05+ GT...pre and post dyno were exactly the same (291 RWHP). Could have been result of larger TB on normally aspirated motor...needless to say I won't be spending $400 on shorty headers though. They also said exhaust sound at rear of car was unchanged; headers only made engine compartment noise louder.
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01-18-2007, 06:39 PM
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#6
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Re: Shorty headers or not?
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Bob is Good.
Join Date: Jun 2004
City: Greenville
State: Texas
Posts: 5,171
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Longtube headers will make good gains on nearly any V8, whether it's N/A or boosted. They really are better than shorties in every way other than ground clearance, being pain to install and being a total pain to work around.
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01-20-2007, 10:31 PM
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#7
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Re: Shorty headers or not?
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Stangless
Join Date: Jul 2006
City: Flat Top Mtn
State: Tennessee
Posts: 1,126
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at times hard work is worth the trade off and this is one of the times go long.
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01-21-2007, 04:59 PM
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#8
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Re: Shorty headers or not?
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Mustang Evo NEWB
Join Date: Aug 2004
City: millville
State: New Jersey
Posts: 4,905
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I had shorty headers on my '02
was a definite gain over stock (at the track..), and it improved the tone of the stock exhaust a good deal, if I got another 99-04 I'd do shorty headers again + they looked a lot better under the hood + if you ever need to service your trans, its a LOT easier with shorty headers than Long Tubes ( most LTs would have to be removed to drop a trans) at least from the rustangs we serviced..
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1992 Mustang LX hatchback.. 1 of 542 black on black
2003 Regal GS - the beater/daily driver - somewhat stock. No its not a mustang, at least it's blown.
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