headers question

[kewpie79]

I want to put headers on my stock 305. I am not going to put in a 350 or anything else, just want to open it up little. I've searched about a million threads, but never came up with a definitive answer. Which headers are out there that for the 305 that are inexpensive and fit without modifying anything?

 

[midwestls]

Here's a link to a summit page....
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch ... 4294918680


I got hookers on mine and they do alright.

 

[TBRtat2]

you should watch ebay, sometimes you can get lucky.
I found a set for my car that cost me less then 80.00 w/ shipping for a brand new pair.
The guy that listed them for the motor they fit, but didnt list the car (so nobody was biding), all i had to do check the part number before i bid, and they where just what i was looking for.

Also i am running a set of hedman headers, and i like them, but i have allways run hedman headers on everything i run.

 

[kewpie79]

Short or long ones? Which one is easier to fit?

 

[TBRtat2]

if they will hook up to the stock pipes perfectly, then the shorty's are ussually easier, but i have never put a set on a g-body.

Also I have been told that shorty's help the bottom end power, where full length headers help the power band and the top end

IMO I like the sound of full length headers over the sound of shorty's

 

[megaladon6]

just a double check, do you expect to get power out of the 305? it's not really worth it. it'll take a full build up to make 300hp, if you're lucky. and while the 305 headers will bolt up to a 350, the tube size probably won't be right.

 

[kewpie79]

No, I'm not going to mod the engine. Are the headers not worth it then? Would I be better off with a cat back system?

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, just doing headers will net you little if any benefit on a LG4 305. The stock exhaust is VERY restrictive and plumbs everything through a single 2.25 in catalytic converter. You would need to step up the whole exhaust, including the catalytic converter to take advantage of headers. Then, you run into having a restrictive camshaft and low compression as your next obstacles, followed by really bad heads on some of the later models. Honestly, your best bang for the buck would be better gearing. Something like a 3.23-3.73 would really make a huge difference. I would stay on the conservative side of that range, as you can sometimes find a 3.23 geared V6 car in the junkyard and swap in the axle and rebuild the brakes for less than $100. Do that first if you want the biggest performance improvement for your dollar.

 

[Blake442]

No need for headers, just get a system that splits in to two pipes after the converter.

 

[kewpie79]

thanks for the information, it's been helpful.