[jeff's69]

Hey Guys! Anyone know if there's a good middle ground option between stock exhaust manifolds and tubular headers?

I'm looking at the Sanderson QP1000's. Anyone have any good or bad experiences with them? They've been mentioned in posts from a few years back, but I couldn't find anything recent.

This is for my 69 with a 290hp... nothing too crazy.

Thanks!

[DjD]

Sanderson are rather expensive seems to be the talk I have heard... If you don't want full length headers several companys make nice 3/4 length and shorty headers at reasonable prices. I run 1 5/8" tube 3/4 length Dougs on my small block ragtop.

[jeff's69]

Thanks for the response... Seeing as I don't have too much experience with the differences, what's the benefit of shorty headers over full length?

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by jeff's69

Thanks for the response... Seeing as I don't have too much experience with the differences, what's the benefit of shorty headers over full length?

The biggest advantage to shorties is that you don't have all the header tubes and collectors hanging below the body, so you can usually get the exhaust tucked up tighter. That helps avoid the dreaded "speed bump scrape" that becomes more of an issue as we lower these cars to improve handling.

[Vintage 68]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

The biggest advantage to shorties is that you don't have all the header tubes and collectors hanging below the body
...

The collector exit flange/connection is also nominally larger than any stock or cast manifold so you can spec. larger dia exhaust pipes from the 'shorties' back ...

The only negative I've heard of with cast Sandersons is the latent heat from their large mass causing plug wire issues - that, and a few stories of cracking around the exhaust exit flanges over time ...
Lots of $$$ for a system that can be improved upon.