Hank, The Gonkulator agrees with your hunch about the Langdons vs Headers - When I Gonkulate Tom's Dyno250, with its 214-214 cam, Clifford and 390 Holley, and LumpPorts, using Headers only adds maybe 6ftlb and 5hp vs the Langdons. Really debatable if worth putting up with headers just for that.
gbauer, Here are a few numbers to think about along the way: When I ran my tired-250cid Nova Powerglide 3.08 on the GTECH it was very similar to your Camaro - stock 250, stock exhaust, Clifford 4bbl. GTECH said 2.62 60ft Definitely not a traction issue.... 11.42 at 61.8 1/8 mile (GTECH measured) 17.82 at 76.2 1/4 mile (Gonkulated)
The same setup only with a 292 instead of a 250 was almost a full second and over 4mph faster.
I suspect your Camaro is a bit heavier than the Nova and lacks the 4bbl (for now) but has a better exhaust (the pipes & muffler Gonkulate to a gain of 12 net hp or so) so the times will probably be similar. So counting the manifold, that's not far from your 20hp buttometer estimate!
I had a similar experience with truck headers: * They fit the Nova, and it could even run at Daytona since they let it turn left....but not right - Pitman arm hits. * On the 250 they just about hit the ground. * On the 292 they give about 1.75" ground clearance, so the car would be driveable as long as you don't plan any sharp right turns or bumps. A hammer may fix that or I do plan to cut a set like the above and make them work. Lots of work though.
