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Re: 4-2-1 Exhaust Header

To: dougnad@bellatlantic.net, spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: 4-2-1 Exhaust Header
From: Cwn74@aol.com
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 23:00:28 EDT
In a message dated 9/19/2000 7:07:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
dougnad@bellatlantic.net writes:

> Are they junk because:
>  
>  1: They fit poorly?
The 4 tubes go straight down and bent 90 degrees to the rear into a single 
pipe/outlet UNDERNEATH the frame, reducing ground clearance at least 2 
inches.  The bottom 2 pipes end up getting squashed flat as time goes bye 
(and worse if installed without modification).  I have a Cannon header of 
this design on my car now, I had cut the 4 pipes while they were vertical and 
parallel by 2 inches and brazed them back together, then heated the lower 
pipes and bent them to direct the collector within the frame.  This gave me 
some clearance back, but the lower 2 pipes still got flattened while driving 
(car is not lowered from stock).  You may also get clearance to frame 
problems if your frame doesn't have the cutout the later 1500's have (mine 
doesn't).  I bought the Rimmer 4-2-1 header for when I change engines, if I 
ever get to that project.  I bought the complete stainless system for that 
event.
>  2: They fall apart?
Just ruin ground clearance and don't fit well.

>  3: They offer no improvement over the stock manifold?
No opinion here.  My cast iron manifold was broken and it seemed like a good 
idea at the time...
I wanted Stahl headers, but they required cutting the engine backing plate 
and bell housing (this was in the 70's).
>  
On my website there's some discussion with a racer Dave Belden that installed 
the Rimmer header at my suggestion over the 4-1 system he had and was about 
to install.  He was very happy with the results.

The 4-2-1 system fits up in the frame with plenty of clearance as I've seen 
at the Gaydon 75th get together and on Dave's car.

There are several suppliers of these type headers.  Rimmers, TSSC, etc.  
Basicly, all the 4-1 headers I've seen I'd stay away from.

"If it's not fun, why do it?" Ben & Jerry
Clark W. Nicholls
CWNicholls@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/CWNicholls
fax: 419-844-7564 (yes, 419)
phone: 413-243-3433

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