[Tigers] Side Out Headers

Bob Hokanson tgrrr at peoplepc.com
Sat Dec 13 15:43:04 MST 2008


Bought a set of Bellanger headers with the side out exhaust routing and 
block-off plates on the collectors about 30 yrs ago.  Learned the importance 
of proper brake line routing at my first hillclimb.
At Mary's Peak when you came off the start you had an uphill run of about 
1/4 mile before the first major turn... a hairpin switch back.
On my first run with the headers uncapped and under full throttle the 
exhaust was blowing back on the brake line which quickly boiled the fluid 
rendering the brakes near useless, a point which I discovered only shortly 
before the hairpin. By downshifting, I scrubbed off enough speed to make it 
through the turn without crashing and aborted the run.
So if you're going to run the side outs uncapped, take a good look at where 
your brake line runs.
A few years later at the same hill I wasn't as fortunate and crashed the car 
badly due to a stock sway bar mount failing in the middle of a corner... but 
that's another story.

Bob H 


More information about the Tigers mailing list