Hi,
I'm in need of a set of headers for my 79 z28, the ones on there are rusted to crap and in need of replacement.

So I was thinking it would be cheap ... but NOT!

So I was wanting a 1 3/4" primary and came up with two choice in a price range... well really 3 choice.. unless someone has a good suggestion.

Hooker Super Comp 2117HKR, painted or Hedman 66104 Ceramic coated

Both are 1 3/4 inch primaries my cost on the Hedman is $425 vs $450 for the Hooker's.
Are the Hedman any good? I'd rather have ceramic coated but am looking for the best performance.

What's the comparison in length?

30" for the Hookers I believe and 32" for the Hedman

Either the full tube Hooker or Headman are excellent for around $150. I've been running the same set of Hooker full tubes for 30 years. What I do is take them off when I see they might need some cleaning up, Clean them with lacquer thinner, sand blast them then brush on some POR's 15 Aluminum Hi-Temp. You might be wise to brush some POR's on your new set.

Either the full tube Hooker or Headman are excellent for around $150. I've been running the same set of Hooker full tubes for 30 years. What I do is take them off when I see they might need some cleaning up, Clean them with lacquer thinner, sand blast them then brush on some POR's 15 Aluminum Hi-Temp. You might be wise to brush some POR's on your new set.

POR's? Which set are you seeing for $150??? Are they 1 3/4 primaries?
I'll be all over that like a hobo on a ham sandwhich :D

For a relatively stock 350 a set of 1-3/4" primaries is a couple of tube sizes too large.

I'm going to be adding a set of AFR's and a Edlebrock air gap performer intake as well. Plan is to eventualy drop a punched out 350 in it.


The painted Hedman Hustler's # 6501 is what Z15cam is saying?
The painted Hooker Super comp's are $419.95

So thats why I was thikning about the ceramic hedmans for the same price as the painted hookers. Or if the painted Hedmans are just as good and only need some TLC everyonce in a while I can go that route I guess. I hate rusted headers! but I'm not going stainless... unless I get carried away later down the line.

I like Hedman. Especially on 450hp or less engines. You are just buying a better scavenging effect. Stepped tube hedmans are pretty good headers for a street oriented SBC. jm.02

From a performance standpoint I can say you will likely see no difference. I had 15 year old, rusty, unequal length 1 5/8" Hedmans on mine. Replaced them with Hooker Super Comps, 1 3/4 equal lenth "tuned" header and the difference was nearly nill. I'm not talking about seat of the pants either. The time slips at the drag strip were within about .02 of each other.

I would look at fitment as the big decision criteria. For me the smaller headmans fit a good bit better, but that's on a 69, not a 79.

So you guys are saying the stepped 1 1/2 to 1 5.8 hedman is the better choice than the 1 3/4? I plan on a 40X when all is said and done.

I know you're running a SBC, but my new Hookers Super Comps really SUCK! See my web site, photo #229, for a list of problems. The list is too long for polite company. They really suck.

Well I just orderd up a set of heads AFR 1034's. What are my rocker options?

I have the afr 210's. I actually just got off the phone with the tech and he said their head's have roughly an 1 3/4 exhaust port therefore since I am running a pretty decent cam spinning to 7200 or maybe more he said i should have 1 7/8's.

I am just having some trouble finding what I want too...

AFR told me to go with Kooks because they have seen 35-40 ft/lb gains in the 3500 rpm area on some SBC's with their heads. Kook's makes nothing for our application and a custom header is 1750-2250 and the car has to be in house in NY.

I like the Hedman 1 3/4. Ran these on the last couple SBC first gen Camaros and only had one issue, the right side had a tube that would just touch the idler arm if steering was fully turned to the stop. No clearance issues at all with the A arm bolt that many claim to have. I buy the 65003 set from Summit blast them and use VHT Flame Proof coating in dull aluminum. Never had any issues with rust or the paint burning off them. For a second gen you probably need another part number header.

I've heard others say the Hooker Super comps are thinner gage steel, some have said they're too thin, I have no experience with them, so I'll trust what I'm reading others say. I've also heard the newest Hedman 1 3/4 tubes use the 1 5/8 sized flange. I find that very hard to believe, but several have commented that it's true. If it is true there's not much advantage to moving up to the 1 3/4. I'd call Hedman before I'd buy another set and verify. Like I said it's hard to believe they'd do this.

I'm loving the advice guys, its very refreshing to see a board with members and facts , not just a cheeleader group for vendors.
Thank you very much to all have input. Its been many many years since I rocked a sbc and i will need a lot of good advice to complete my project.
I have a 99 Camaro SS with a 457 going into it so the 79 z28 doesnt need to be the big HP car in the garage, but it needs to be respectable. Some where in the 450hp 400tq range at the rear wheels is good enough I think.

Eventually I'll have my builder work up something from a 350 block.

Chris,
If you want a good set of headers for a fair price look at Shoenfeld headers. They made their name in dirt track/circle track racing. I ran a set on my 70 Camaro. You can get them in all kinds of configurations even stepped 1 5/8 to 1 3/4 which might work well for you if you plan on upgrading the engine. Might as well build a 383 when you rebuild the 350 won't cost you any more and you will have a lot more torque.

Here is their website: http://www.schoenfeldheaders.com/

Look at the street stock headers http://www.schoenfeldheaders.com/street_stock.htm They fit well and are well made, I will be running another set on my 70 Nova as well. You can have them coated locally or just paint them. They come with the typical gloss black header paint on them, I don't know how well it would hold up, I had mine blasted and coated. I do have another set of stepped 1 3/4 to 1 7/8" that I might try on the Nova (I'm just think I will need larger headers for that appliication)

Average price for ceramic coating headers is upwards of $300.00, something to keep in mind.
15/8's size is probably big enough but if you want to make 450 at the wheels you do realize thats upwards of 500hp at the crank right? That is hard to do even with afr's but if you go that route get the 13/4 or larger sizes.

The "thermal coating" on the headmans last long and are WELL worth the low $280.00, they fit very well, and from what it sounds like they fit better than the super comps, for some reason super comps don't seem to fit well on any vehicle.

Wow, that is a nice option on the Shoenfelders.
I'm waffling right now. I think the stepped 1 5/8 to 3/4 is a great option for me, but the Hedman ceramic coated ones are $300 my cost so I'm not sure which way to go.

Yea the 450 at wheels would be with a stroker of some sort. I have an ls1 block laying around but really didn't want to do a conversion. It also has a burnt bearing in it which can be taken care of and a cheap rebuild done but I was looking to do something else with the block. (also it wont be the most dependable with an over-sized bearing and living on borrowed time, which isnt necessarily a bad thing either

I was really dissappointed with my Headman's. I bought some 1 5/8's some years back and they had kept leaking no matter what type gasket I would run. I lived with it forever until I replaced the motor. When I took them off I noticed the welds on the part of the flange that mates to the heads were very irregular and bumpy. I took a couple of hours and filed them flat and that solved the problem. Poor quality control. I also have clearance issues with spark plugs and the right hand upper A arm.

Wow, that is a nice option on the Shoenfelders.
I'm waffling right now. I think the stepped 1 5/8 to 3/4 is a great option for me, but the Hedman ceramic coated ones are $300 my cost so I'm not sure which way to go.

Yea the 450 at wheels would be with a stroker of some sort. I have an ls1 block laying around but really didn't want to do a conversion. It also has a burnt bearing in it which can be taken care of and a cheap rebuild done but I was looking to do something else with the block. (also it wont be the most dependable with an over-sized bearing and living on borrowed time, which isnt necessarily a bad thing either
I'm confused now.
First you said you wanted headers for a gen I 350.
Now your talking Ls1, if you want headers for an ls1 in a gen2 camaro your going to need headers made for the conversion or ls1 headers that you could modify but would be hard.
heads and cam on a ls1 will get close to 450 at the crank.
450 to the wheels on a 383 gen 1 motor means serious money and serious parts.

sorry, was thinking out loud with the ls1, its going to be a SBC.

Yep I ran Headmans years ago on a 340 MAG - Nice header but tended to warp between the middle 2 Cylinders. I manage to correct the problem by welding a 1" x 1/4" Steel Plate over the top of the flange in that area and filing the mating surface flat.

ended up with the Hedman painted and 3 can's of VHT silver ...LOL

For the price I guess you cant really go long, thoiugh about the dynatech super maxxx and the thicker steel but if I get sick of the Hedmans ior have an issue with them it wont bother me to sell them for $25 and buy something nicer.