Exhaust Fitment

[Shawn F.]

I just bought full length Hooker headers to put in my 1980 El Camino with a sbc. They are the regular cheaper ones from Summit Racing for about $170 or so. I bought them because I hear that they have a good flange thickness, fit well and do not cost a fortune. My plan is to get them ceramic coated or powder coated (high temp) and put them on the car and try to run my own exhaust enough to get it to a muffler shop about 45 minutes from my house so they can run it out the back how I want. My question for you guys is, if I put a double hump trans crossmember in the car, can I get a kit online with the mount and gasket that is just straight and bolt it to the header and run a glass pack on each side or a Thrush muffler on each side and it fit fine or do there need to be bends right after the header? It is a long tube Hooker header so they come down and point straight back. I know there are some here who run these headers and figured you guys would know. I just want to be able to do from the headers back to the mufflers myself so I can drive the car to the shop and have them finish the rest without having to tow the thing.
Thanks in advance for any info!

 

[DOUG213XRJ]

For the headmans on my 81 Malibu, The Driver side goes straight back to the trans cross member But the passinger side needs to be bent a round the transmission and then bent back to the cross member ](*,) . Doug

 

[Shawn F.]

Are your headman's full length or shorties? I figured I'd have a pain to deal with on this setup...

 

[79loserbluebu]

I'm pretty sure I know what headers you have, Doober and I both run these. His fit better than mine. Make sure you bolt them on the car and drop it down to ride height before you send them to get coated, as I had to dent a couple primaries on the passenger side.

Also, Doober and I both have the Pypes 2.5" kit with X-pipe. He went with a different sounding muffler and I with the Pypes brand Street Pro. They both sound good. I had to get another 2.5" piece of tubing from the local Autozone to reach the headers, but it fits pretty good. Also, you'll need the 3" to whatever size reducers coming from the header flange. They bolt on so no worries there. The flange thickness on these headers is very nice though I do agree.

 

[DOUG213XRJ]

Are your headman's full length or shorties? I figured I'd have a pain to deal with on this setup...

Full length #68310