Header Design........ hooker on top?

[Canadian1968]

I am gettting closer and closer to being ready to purchase a set of hearders for the my charger.  I thought I had decided on a set of Hedman Elites, but some recent talks with a co-worker of mine and some reading has got me wondering.

The topic was , equal length headers and how important they can be.  We had an old header in the shop for a SB mopar not sure what make it was, but we were measuring the length of each tube to the collector. This particular hearder had 7" difference in tube lengths.  A bit of reading I had done had expressed that anything more than 1" is unexceptable.

I got looking at the popular headers offered for our mopar.  Now I am just comparing what they have on Summit racing  ( where I plan to make my purchase ) but even by just looking at the pictures you can clearly see there is a BIG difference in the design of the hedman, summit, flowtech, compared to that of the Hooker headers.  The hooker tubes are routed completley different from that of the hedmans.   Just eye balling, it looks like Hooker are much closer to equal lengths than that of hedman and other companys.

All the talk on here has just been about fitment, and bascially I can take any brand of header and find a complaint about it on this site, even the magical TTI's . Now I am thinking that I would rather have to make a small ding, here and there to make an equal length hearder fit, rather than put in a heard that fits wiht out problems, but has 5" difference in tube length.

Comments , suggestions???

[Ghoste]

Personally I still think TTI are best for fit but I don't know about tube length.  For competition Hooker have always been a preferred.

[Bob T]

I think Headers by Doug are on a par with TTI for fit and performance   

[Canadian1968]

I can't seem to find find a 440 Header that is smaller that 2" primarys from Doug's. I am looking for 1 3/4

[flyinlow]

I have Hedman Elites on my '73 (440 Eddy heads, A518 trans with Ultra bell)     1 3/4"  Hedman Coated on the '70 (440)  Mini starters on both. Minor fitting on both. Overall happy with them.

Only the Hooker super comps are tuned. If your not racing with un capped headers I don't think the tube length difference is critical.  

[ottawamerc]

I have the Hooker super comps and ya I had some fitment probs too although minor, torsion bar etc. The ceramic coating is a MUST!!! they keep the engine compartment and especially the cabin cool. One thing that I'm not happy about with the Hookers is that after 3500 miles (one summer) they are rusting??? BTW mine are on my 3rd gen with a 440 and Eddy E street heads. I think if I had to buy again it would be the TTI's

Have fun with your choice

Scott

[Kern Dog]

Interesting title to this thread...a HOOKER on top?
Never beenwitha hooker, but I have used 2 sets of Hooker headers. They both required dings and dent to clear things.
Regarding equal length tubes: Sure, on a high RPM street or race engine, you'd benefit from that. I doubt that you'd see more than 10 HP from it in a street car that rarely spins past 6000 rpms.

[Ghoste]

I wonder if it would even be that much?

[firefighter3931]

Regarding equal length tubes: Sure, on a high RPM street or race engine, you'd benefit from that. I doubt that you'd see more than 10 HP from it in a street car that rarely spins past 6000 rpms.

Exactly ! 

I've seen it myself on the dyno a few times....no difference on a set of Hookers VS TTI's 


Brian (OldSchool) had his 850hp  580CI stroker dynoed with a set of 2in TTI headers and later with his $2500 custom built Kook's step headers that were originally built for the car. In the end it made the same HP and lost 5 ftlbs of torque when they tested it with the Kook's headers. I found that interesting but not surprising. 

For the OP ; a set of Headman 13/4 primary tube headers will be more than enough for a mild street build, inmo. 


Ron

[oldschool]

Regarding equal length tubes: Sure, on a high RPM street or race engine, you'd benefit from that. I doubt that you'd see more than 10 HP from it in a street car that rarely spins past 6000 rpms.

Exactly !  

I've seen it myself on the dyno a few times....no difference on a set of Hookers VS TTI's  


Brian (OldSchool) had his 850hp  580CI stroker dynoed with a set of 2in TTI headers and later with his $2500 custom built Kook's step headers that were originally built for the car. In the end it made the same HP and lost 5 ftlbs of torque when they tested it with the Kook's headers. I found that interesting but not surprising.  

For the OP ; a set of Headman 13/4 primary tube headers will be more than enough for a mild street build, inmo.  


Ron

That is exactly right, as Ron has said. Bigger is not always better.......

[Skull-1]

I have the Hooker super comps and ya I had some fitment probs too although minor, torsion bar etc. The ceramic coating is a MUST!!! they keep the engine compartment and especially the cabin cool. One thing that I'm not happy about with the Hookers is that after 3500 miles (one summer) they are rusting??? BTW mine are on my 3rd gen with a 440 and Eddy E street heads. I think if I had to buy again it would be the TTI's

Have fun with your choice

Scott

Agree with the above.  Mine are rusting underneath the car.   I am having them powder coated black to see if that will help.   The coating they come with SUCKS.   Otherwise, I am happy with them.   The driver side was a b*tch* to get on though and you better use REALLY REALLY good gaskets at the heads....

[odcics2]

Winners run Hookers.   

[cudaken]

My Hookers Super Comps are old (No smart ass remarks needed) and they have held up great! I bought them around 1983 and never a leak or any rust. They are the chromed plated style, I don't know if you can still get them? While the chrome is no longer pretty, they still have not rusted.

No dings or dimples need to fit in my 68 Road Runner. Only down side is the way the weld on the collect flange. One bolt on the driver side is facing down. Hole and bolt has been 1/2 ground down my hitting the payment once is a while. But still does not leak.

Far as TTI headers, on cast iron heads getting to the plugs are easier than my Hookers.

Cuda Ken

[1974dodgecharger]

My hookers are ok, but when it comes to spark changes man its a beooootch!!!  The No 8 is a pain and one other number I think 4 hurts too.....

[flyinlow]

Had Hooker comps originally. A lot of fitting, collectors rubbed t bars. Painted, very hot under hood. Ceramic Hedmans run about 300* cooler.

[Canadian1968]

I have decided to go with headman ceramic coated headers . Look forward to getting them!

[Ghoste]

Said it before but if you changing plugs on a Mopar with headers is bad try a CJ Mustang.  (or big block Vette)

[Kern Dog]

It was funny....When I posted about my problems with detonation and such, some guys said..."What do the plugs look like? Take a hard run and pull the plug immediately to see."
Yeah, right!
Tight fit, burned fingers....I decided to install an air/fuel guage instead!

[flyinlow]

Both hedmans look like they will work fine with the stock starter. With the mini's they are almost touching one tube, so a simple press with a 2 inch socket gave me about 1/2 clearance from the starter thru  bolt.

Used Percy's soft aluminum gaskets with good results so far. 

Have fun.

[ChargerST]

anyone already tried the OBX stainless headers?

[myk]

What about Hedman "shorty" headers?

[Ghoste]

I don't care for any of the shorty designs, might as well keep manifolds.

[flyinlow]

What about Hedman "shorty" headers?

We have a set on 350 El Camino. Lots of ground clearance, easy to change the plugs. If the ones for the 440 B body's fit as well I would consider them. I don't remember ever seeing a car with them.

[firefighter3931]

I have decided to go with headman ceramic coated headers . Look forward to getting them!

That is a good choice. I had a set of Headmans on my old 440 and they fit fine with no clearance issues. With a mild build using factory heads it's a good match. 


Ron

[Canadian1968]

Did I see someone say they will clear a factory starter but hit a mini??? That sounds backwards ??