Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines Header options (want to learn more)

So I know Langdon's has the short cast iron headers, and then there are several long tube headers on the market.

I've seen many inliners/stovebolters recommend fenton (for the 235 series), and Langdons (for the 230 series), but why?

I get superior durability versus mild steel long tube headers, and better fitment with the shorties...

What are the differences in performance between the short cast headers and the long-tube?
Stock 230 in a 1954 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup, street use, not a daily driver, but in the restoration process. I eventually plan on rebuilding the engine for a little more power... but finances don't allow at the present time.

Thanks fellas!

Long tube headers will win out for low end, midrange, and top end if the headers and collectors and lengths are correct (or even close). They will gain typically 5% vs cast iron shorty stuff, sometimes more. 5% doesnt sound like a lot but thats 20ftlb and 20hp on a 400hp engine, think of it that way.

But-
1. The gains diminish as you add smaller exhaust pipes and muffs.
2. The iron manifolds are a lot easier to live with.

I did the dynamometer development work on the early (5.0 L) Mustang GTs at Ford R&D. On the dyno shortie headers were about 5 hp less than long-tube headers when run through a compete exhaust system, this being on a V8 engine in the range of 225 - 245 HP. I agree with DeuceCoupe that on a street driven car split iron exhausts are the most solution between performance and durability. I use the split, cast iron factory EFI exhausts on my 300 street hot rods.

I did the dynamometer development work on the early (5.0 L) Mustang GTs at Ford R&D. On the dyno shortie headers were about 5 hp less than long-tube headers when run through a compete exhaust system, this being on a V8 engine in the range of 225 - 245 HP. I agree with DeuceCoupe that on a street driven car split iron exhausts are the most solution between performance and durability. I use the split, cast iron factory EFI exhausts on my 300 street hot rods.

agreeing with what you are saying..I didn't know that those neat f.i. 300s had a dual outlet exhaust manifold too--the Intake manifolds took my breath away. The four bbl OHC Pontiacs had the best best exhausts I had seen sofar-do you have a shot of these Ford exhaust manifolds? The best thing Chevy had for their 194/292 series would be the 2-1/2" single outlet early 292 exhaust-kinda hard to find these days, they usually came on the dump trucks and school buses--very few are the real item on ebay-the ebay stuff is usually something 250, or something perhaps shared with the 250 well into the "smog" era. The factories rarely have anything too neat for the inline sixes. Now I mean for the American vehicles. Neat, but almost unknown, old "Canadian Ford" flathead, heads, and perhaps a bunch of South American, and Austrailian goodies are the exception, and pretty hard to get.

If possible, I would like to see a pic of the ford dual manifold. On E-bay there are 3 different new exhaust manifolds for sale. One of them has a 2.5in outlet, two have a 2in outlet wiht a ruler held up to the pipe connection. Is the large outlet the same as a older 292 manifold? Looks like more of a rear and straight down exit than the std. 250 unit. Of course the 2bbl intergrated head comes with a split 2in. dual outlet manifold,one of the reasons I like them. Still haven't figured out what to run for an exhaust system. Jay #6155

How about this

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hed-89300/overview/make/ford

If I'm not mistaken, didn't the late F150's come from the factory with long tube headers?

e-bay #271358759025 & #321205384274 are both the better manifold--the clue is the 2-1/2" dia outlet and the outlet being more or less positioned beneath cylinders #4&5-also in other views the runners run farther from the head before they join the "log portion" (more streamlined) compared to the other 194/250 chevy exhaust manifolds which have a smaller outlet and it is more centered along its length--much more "jammed up" passages tight to the head.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exhaust-Manifold...edced6c&vxp=mtr

To my knowledge there were never any long tube headers offered on F-series trucks.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exhaust-Manifold...edced6c&vxp=mtr

To my knowledge there were never any long tube headers offered on F-series trucks.

O.k. my mistake.

If you don't want to mess with someone elses old parts, Dorman makes new iron headers for the 300.

http://www.dormanproducts.com/itemdetail.aspx?ProductID=28689&SEName=674-185

Looks like it's around 70 bucks each, so around 140-150 for the pair on Rockauto.

Hi. I am no expert but I have always preferred the Fenton's as I just like the looks & durability of the cast iron & had used them many years ago on some big GMC stuff as well as a 49 chevy with a 216 engine.

Now after over 55 years away I am coming back to the inline chevy's for some fun driving.

BUT with that said, for my 235 I recntly purchased a Clifford dual carb intake with 2 of the 36-38 Webber 2 barrel carbs and as that intake has the very large water jacket all the way across the bottom of the intake manifold the Fenton's just will not fit without major modifications by grinding.

So when I ordered the intake set up I also ordered a set of the Clifford shorty steel tube headers as no modifications would be necessary to work with that big Clifford intake manifold.

In talking to Larry at Clifford he stated that when using the shorty's they would equal out to about the same as with their long steel tube header set as long as an X pipe was used between shorty headers & the mufflers. So I am going that way. As I am not an engineer I cannot explain exactly how that works but they have been doing this setup for many years. Perhaps use of an X pipe setup would also benefit the Fenton's.

I am having a problem with it being very slow getting my engine together to install due to my mechanic having been ill so I cannot comment on the actual results of going with this set up yet. It will likely be sometime next month now before I have a chance to get everything put together & the engine swap from the old 216 to the 56 model 235 completed.

This engine change with the 235, 2 two carbs, dual exhaust & a 264 cam grind should make it a good daily driver at today's highway speeds. But to do that I lilely will also add radial tires to get the old 46 chevy coupe to track better at today's speeds.

Jimmie