Hey all. Some might have seen a few posts from me this week regarding the purchase of a '97 SS. Anyway, I will be looking to give it a boost in HP as my budget allows. First on the agenda is exhaust. It currently has had the ram air intake changed to SLP cold air intake. Has the SLP 2OTL cat back from SLP, but the muffler was changed out to a Spintech muffler to reduce highway drone. The seller is providing me with Hooker shorty headers that he was planning to install. While it's nice to have the headers included with the purchase of the car, it presents me with some questions that I need to ask myself (and you all). While originally planning to buy an LS1, I am already starting off with less horsepower than I had planned so I want to maximize every bit of horsepower possible. I have two paths I can take. Install the hooker shorty's, eliminate the cats with off road pipe, and be done with the exhaust. OR... I can sell the hooker headers, buy a set of longtubes (maybe Pacesetters unless I decide to spend more money for higher quality), and enjoy the maximum horsepower. Of course, being in NY, I will have to throw the stock headers back on every 2 years for emissions. Someone told me that after 16 years old, the car doesn't get tested for emissions or something. Basically said that I will be fine due to the car being a '97 and not requiring another inspection until 2016. Another issue to keep in mind is that the car is on BMR lowering springs (1.25" but real world, about 1" drop). Was told that some brands long tubes will be scraping very easily.

So what is everyones recommendation? And if anyone has info on NY's emissions testing, feel free to share. I would love to be able to go with long tubes, eliminate the cats and not have to worry about swapping out the parts to pass inspection every 2 years.

Thanks!

 

you will not gain much with shorties. they are however the only legal setup in your state. changing headers is not a easy task so i dont think your going to relish the idea of pulling and reinstalling twice,,,lol. air intake, exhaust and heads are where you will gain hp

 

its not the headers that hang low its the crossover/y pipe. kooks do not require the lower tunnel brace to make room for the union. i found this out after the fact. not sure on the clearance with the pacesetters y pipe



as you can see the straight tunnel brace has stock clearance.

 

I would talk to a few inspection shops and see what they're opinions are on the exhaust matter. Either way you go, you will have to put a cat (or look a like) back onto the vehicle as that is a federal requirement, not a state.

You can also try finding a county that doesn't do emissions testing, as a lot of states, its by county. That's how we have it here in PA. My hometown has no emissions testing, just visual inspection that very few garages really look at. But the county I was in while going to school did have emissions testing and my car would have failed horribly.