When I used the 68310 set I didn't have any clearance or heat issues (but they are thinner gauge steel than the 68318 Elite.) Double check to ensure the engine is not perfectly centered (PIA to loosen the frame mounts but it might give the extra clearance on the control arm.) You have the right idea to insulate, but not sure what would be thin enough to clear.
Thanks for your response. It is appreciated. I'm chocking the fitment problems on the passenger side up to manufacturing tolerances but perhaps the heavier gauge material is factoring in. I like your idea on the engine mounts except that when I installed mine to the frame, there was virtually no play in them or the bolts. In fact, they had to be very well aligned to get all three bolts to stab through them. I used 3/8" Grade 8 bolts instead of metric 10 so maybe that's why?
Was that passenger header maybe bent in shipping? It seems as though if you were to bend the collector twords the engine it would clear and dump straight back
Thanks for the reply Eric. There was no evidence of shipping damage. I believe they were designed that way to clear the starter.
This may be blasphemy, but we learned from Engine Masters on YTube that you can "clearance" the header pipes quite a bit with almost no power loss. Underneath in certain spots, that may be a viable solution. I know the idea of beating on new coated headers is tough, but it may be helpful.
Hutch
Thanks for the reply Hutch. I can't bring myself to start banging dents in them. This is not a max effort build so I'm not that concerned about power loss but I'm stubborn with regards to the headers should fit and I don't like the look of 'dimples'. It looks to me like the trimming is going to get the passenger header to fit satisfactorily.
You'll like the ball and socket collectors but there is one thing I suggest you change. I would cut the collector flange off and replace it with something heavier. I have the headman headers with the ball and socket collectors and the only problem I have had is the collector flange folding over which loosens the bolts and you can't tighten them after that. Nice thing about the ball and socket is there is no gasket to blow out if the collector loosens up a bit
Thanks for the insight Steve. I appreciate it. I have the ball and socket style setup on my truck and I agree, I like it better than a traditional collector flange. On my truck there are some spacers that go between the two flanges to prevent over-tightening. I'm not too impressed with the shiny bolts that came with the headers to install the collectors so I'll try to engineer a similar solution on this car. I appreciate you brining it up as I might not have thought about it. I think my flanges may be heaver though since I bought the 'Elite' set which is 14 gauge steel instead of 18 gauge steel. Whatever I end up doing, I'll post up in here.
We always ran a 3'' donut gasket insted of a flat gasket on flat header flanges. Gives you some room for air and will not blow out every other month. My right big block header on my Nova is pointed inwards to the drive shaft. That is why I have 3" duel exhaust setting on the shelf for six years. Will not fit and I don't want to load the car up, take a day off work, and go to the exhaust shop to have my pipe bent. They are big tube Hooker's. I have heard of people sticking a bar in the colector and straighten them, but I would be afraid of cracking them. Best of luck with them.
I considered putting a bar in the collector and He-manning it over but I was afraid of breaking welds where the primaries are welded to the flanges. If I was going to heat it up red hot with a torch, then pulling it over might be a little more viable solution. Thanks for posting up Zach.
To me that brake line looks a little too close for comfort for me. If that’s an actual ceramic coating on the headers, that will help to reduce any heat related issues. The coating keeps the heat in the tubes as opposed to radiating it, but even with that I wouldn’t be happy with the proximity.
It sucks to have to do it, but I think if you choose to stick with those headers your only option is to move/relocate the brake line as recommended. You don’t have to go far with it, just down and below the top of the cross member should do it. A couple of careful “field bends” working slowly along from the last mounting point towards the problem area should do it. Then use an additional line clamp or two to keep it where you want it. At least that way it keeps you from having to cut and splice into your nice new brake lines.
Just my $ 0.02 Jared.
Such is the joys of hot rodding. Unfortunately compromises have to be made sometimes.
Thanks for weighing in Donovan. I'm sticking with these headers. This is the second set I've bought and there aren't many options for mechanical clutch linkage in our cars. I came to the same conclusion that the brake line was going to have to be modified or replaced last night. I actually made decent progress on it but I'm not done. I'll post where I'm at in my next post.
Looks great with the headers, you are certainly earning a "Built, not bought" tag for the car!
Does Hedman not make a matching exhaust?
Thanks for posting and thanks for the kind words. I honestly would rather buy an engineered solution and bolt it on because of the time it takes to fab something or re-engineer it. At this point in my life I have more money than time and I'm eager to get the car going. That being said, I'm not afraid to build something or modify it in order to achieve the results I'm looking for. I'm nowhere near as talented or creative as some of the guys on this forum (or ambitious) but I'm not helpless either.
I'm not aware of Hedman making any exhaust systems. Just headers I think. I have a Pypes stainless 2-1/2" system with X-Pipe and Street Pro mufflers. That will get me to the crossmember and I'll have to figure out the rest. We have a 110V mig welder and I have some welding skills. I've never welded stainless but I'm not afraid to learn. That is probably what will happen.
First off, thanks very much for taking the good photos and posting them for us Jared. Like Northernregal, I'm curious if there is a matching exhaust system for these headers, or if you're taking a different route Jared. I'm considering the same headers for my Malibu with the stick shift. I'm curious to see what your solution will be for the clearance issue on the right side.
By the way, I understand you painting the engine corporate blue, but how come the bellhousing is red?
Jeff, You're welcome. I've learned so much from this forum and you guys that I want to give back any chance I can. My response regarding the exhaust system is immediately above. I did some more trimming last night and I'm getting to where I'm pretty satisfied with the fitment of the passenger header. The driver's side was good to go out of the box. Looking at the reviews for the 68310's (non-elite), lots of guys had them go in with no issues. I'm either suffering for buying the Elite's or there is a manufacturing tolerances problem with the car, the headers or both. I have some more pictures from last night but I have to get back to work so I'll have to post the next update either later tonight or tomorrow or this weekend. I feel comfortable that the headers are going to work for me. I probably should have gone with manifolds but I need headers on my 'hot rod' (cruiser). Hahaha. I can tell you, installing these is no weekend project. The headers I put on my truck were a Saturday project. They fit, right out of the box. These headers are taking some finesse to make them fit.
I wondered if someone was going to ask about the red bellhousing. I bought the bellhousing from someone on Ebay. I asked them "what's up with the red paint?" He replied "We sell torque converters and this is the paint that we use on them. It's very good paint. It's what I had on hand." The red didn't roll my socks up and down at all. It was always my intention to strip the bellhousing and either clear it or paint it silver or grey or even Corporate Blue. The engine and transmission went in the car during a week that I took vacation during the holidays. My goal was to get the engine and transmission in the car. Frankly, I thought it was an ambitious goal. I had never gotten around to stripping/repainting the bellhousing or taking it somewhere to have it blasted. When the engine went in the car I put the flywheel and clutch on it. At that point I wasn't willing to slow the project down to change the color of the bellhousing. I considered spraying right over the red but didn't want to see red paint under corporate blue or silver or grey anywhere it got scratched so I just went with it. I've gotten used to it at this point and it no longer bothers me at all. It would not have been my first choice for color if I had painted it myself.
Thanks for the replies fellas. I'll get the next update up here as soon as time permits. Until then...
Best,
