Shorty or longtube headers?

What is the difference between shorty and longtube hedders? What do you guys prefer? and what kind would you recomend for a 3rd gen with a SB350. It used to be an inline 6 and was swaped out. The person who sold me the Nova didn't tell me that the driver's side hedder was longer and closer to the gound:mad:. I now have ground clearance and the hedder hits the ground when I go over potholes and bumps:mad:. By the way my car is stock height. Thanks guys:)

Fusion

Greetings,

I'd go with a set of long-tubes made specifically for a Nova with a 350 in it. I've got the long-tube Hedman Hedders on mine and there's no issues with anything dragging or even coming close to dragging. Makes me wonder if they bought some-sort of universal header?

Jason

Go long tube....fo sho!

I've got hooker comps on my '72 w/ sbc and p/s.
Didn't have to modify them to fit. The driver side header is a touch lower than the drivers side...but I think that has to do with shift linkage and what-not. It's not all that uncommon.

Anyhoo, even being about 1.5" lower that stock up front (and roughly stock out back) I've got about 4" of ground clearance up front. I scrape a speed bump maybe once every 2years.

I'd bet the stock springs up front are the original 6cyl springs, and that's why it is bottoming out and scraping over bumps. New springs might be all you need!

My '72 was the same way. Front end was squishy and soft with the 6cyl springs.
Now, with new springs, my front end sits lower and I scrape less...simply because they are good springs! :D

Go long tube....fo sho!

I've got hooker comps on my '72 w/ sbc and p/s.
Didn't have to modify them to fit. The driver side header is a touch lower than the drivers side...but I think that has to do with shift linkage and what-not. It's not all that uncommon.

Anyhoo, even being about 1.5" lower that stock up front (and roughly stock out back) I've got about 4" of ground clearance up front. I scrape a speed bump maybe once every 2years.

I'd bet the stock springs up front are the original 6cyl springs, and that's why it is bottoming out and scraping over bumps. New springs might be all you need!

My '72 was the same way. Front end was squishy and soft with the 6cyl springs.
Now, with new springs, my front end sits lower and I scrape less...simply because they are good springs! :D

:eek:So you have a lower driver's side hedder to! My front springs and leaf springs are shot but you said that you replaced the 6 cyl springs and it lowered it even more, I will take a pic later so you can see if that is how yours is.

Greetings,

I'd go with a set of long-tubes made specifically for a Nova with a 350 in it. I've got the long-tube Hedman Hedders on mine and there's no issues with anything dragging or even coming close to dragging. Makes me wonder if they bought some-sort of universal header?

Jason

Is your driver's side hedder lower than your passenger's side like ours?

Long tube. Hooker super comps!:D

Steves70SS

:eek:So you have a lower driver's side hedder to! My front springs and leaf springs are shot but you said that you replaced the 6 cyl springs and it lowered it even more, I will take a pic later so you can see if that is how yours is.



Is your driver's side hedder lower than your passenger's side like ours?

Greetings,

Not by much at all...If I were to measure maybe around an inch at the most. My car is lowered 2 inches in the front and I've never scraped...and I've got 3 inch collectors.

Jason

Greetings,

Not by much at all...If I were to measure maybe around an inch at the most. My car is lowered 2 inches in the front and I've never scraped...and I've got 3 inch collectors.

Jason

That's the way mine is...probably about 1/2" difference.
I think you'll run into this with most of your run-of-the-mill headers--again, due to linkage clearances for various transmissions.

:eek:So you have a lower driver's side hedder to! My front springs and leaf springs are shot but you said that you replaced the 6 cyl springs and it lowered it even more, I will take a pic later so you can see if that is how yours is.

Yes. I my car had the original 6cyl springs in it. I swapped in the 350 and the front end sat an inch or so below stock...but I could bottom it out fairly easily.
I replaced the springs with BBC springs with about 1.25 coils trimmed. It's quite a bit stiffer (but by no means harsh!) and I haven't been able to bottom it out yet. MUCH nicer driving/handling!

I do bottom out a lot. I think it's time for new springs and will go with stock height wit a little bit lowered on the front.

Ive got the summit long tubes with 3inch collectors... i learned i have to crawl over speed bumps, very big ones i go a little sideways over it.....

DOUGS HEADERS these are the best fitting header I have ever used,1 5/8 with a 3 inch collector bolted up to a magnaflow 3 inch exhaust I love this set up.

I got the Summit long tube headers ( SUM-G9001-9 ) like SS and they tuck up in there pretty well. Mine is stock ride height with the correct springs (350/350 with AC).

Dave

I have long tube and drag all the time... Changing to short as soon as the funds come in... Lowered 1 1/2 up front.

I have Dynomax Blackjack longtube headers. I also have 6 cylinder springs in the front.

I just take speedbumps slow, and I bottom out occasionally on real bumpy roads.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/2532000-2532999/2532222_24_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/2532000-2532999/2532222_110_full.jpg