my camaro had shorty headers on it when i bought it. will longtube headers make much of a difference?

 

Generally long tube headers maximize scavenging at lower RPM's which will in turn add up to a few more HP and torque but there is alot more to it than just short versus long. the major factors in exhaust tuning is primary, secondaryand collector size. since we don't know any of the sizes, there is no way of giving you any accurate info. in general on a novice street application, your looking at about 20 extra hp switching to long tube. in dragging some would sell their mother for 20 extra horsepower. LOL. Sick

 

I'm glad I came across this thread. I could not find any application for short tube headers for my 79 4 spd. I am keeping al my accessories including the A/C and headers make that a pain and long tubes scrape the ground or get hung up on speed bumps. Who makes shorties for second gen Camaro's?

 

Wow Sick is back.......I'll look around and see if I can find some mid length for you...I don't much like shorties....I think JD knows a company that makes some good mid's.

 

well the car is an 81Z and the motor is a 400sb out of a 74 chevelle. the motor swap had been done before i bought the car and the shorties were already on it. the a/c compressor had been taken off so thats not really an issue for space. its basically just a street car that i run down the strip from time to time. i'm thinking of going with longtube headers, x-pipe from summit, and i've already got flowmaster 40's. I've got a lunati voodoo cam on the way as i speak as well. Also i've heard that the 400 heads are prone to cracking my local machine shop can get me a pair of alluminum heads for $500 should i go that route or get a set of 350 cast heads and get them ported? thanks for all the help

 

Always go long tube if you can..just get stiffer shocks.......heads I would go with the cast ones and have them ported...

 

$500 aluminum heads are really cheap unless they are used or just bare castings. Iron eagle platinum are good heads for cast iron they are around $1000 assembled. Vortec heads would also work well. Remember with the 400 you need to drill steam holes in the heads for street use. Most of the smog heads including the 350 heads of that era (70s) are not worth the cost of rebuilding or porting they just not good performance heads.

 

yea the heads are unassembled but i havent heard of any problems out of them yet. vortec heads aren't too expensive from what i've heard? what year did they start producing those? should they jus be a direct bolt on after i get them drilled to match the 400?

 

On a lager cubic inch small block, money spent on good flowing heads will yield you a big performance increase.

the stock valves for a 396 big block are 2.06 x 1.76...the better heads are 2.18 x 1.88....

so for meI think 1.94 and 1.55 valves are a little small on a 400.....(if you choose to rebuild what you got, at least have them install larger 2.02 and 1.60 valves..and use hardned sets on the exhaust)...

However it would be better
If you can wiggle it someway. something along the lines of
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...p;autoview=sku

http://static.summitracing.com/globa...structions.pdf
cast iron, angle plug, 220 intake runner, screw in struds, guide plates, 2.08 intake 1.60 exh, 64cc, stainless vlaves, 3 angle...
they are $509 each.

Summit shows the vortec at $300 each 1.94 x1.55, 177 cc runner....no guide plates...and you need an intake....

I think the extra $400 or so would be very well spent...

As for headers for the 400, get long 1-5/8 or 1 3/4 tubes..thick flanges are always good, I prefer 14 gauge wall thickness and pick up a set of coil over shocks to help with the ground clearance...

Just my opinion...

What are you running for an intake and carb?

 

yea i figure ill just save up and go with a good set of heads after all you get what you pay for. right now its just got an edelbrock performer intake that was already on it and an edelbrock 650 that i put on. other than that and the shorties the motor is all stock i haven't had time to tear into til now. i also have a performer rpm manifold i was thinking of using when i get my cam or should i stick with the performer?