flathead header questions

Ol' Ron said:
I think the stock headers will work fine in your application, Headers add no additional power, just a lighter wallet. Just add dual exhaust and a set of glass packs if you like the sound.
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I ran a muffler/performance shop in eastern Idaho during the early '50's, of course this was before computer testing showed the real difference between headers and stock manifolds on a streetable engine..
The application of headers on the average car really fattened the cash register, while draining the customers wallet...
I am currently building a '49 Olds 88.. I opted to discard the original 303 CID engine in favor of a '78 Olds 403 with a 2004R AOD.. The builder of the engine suggested headers, I wanted stock manifolds.. He put a beautiful set of polished SS headers on the engine... I did some home work via the internet.. References kept popping up about Olds W30 engines of the mid/late 70's with high flow cast iron manifolds that were made for dual exhausts with 2-1/4" pipes..
Checking with the engine builder about the pros/cons of the W30 manifolds, revealed that at the most, I would loose 5 hp at high RPM's with the W30's.
The 403 engine is putting out 500 hp vs. the original 303's 315 hp and 550 pounds of extra weight for the 303/Hydra-matic combo...
The 403 now has the W30 manifolds and 2-1/4" exhaust pipes... If this application was good enough for the Olds factory engineers, it is good enough for me..
 
I've got a set of Red's headers on my 31(1952 8BA) 32 frame and F 100 gear box. They fit like a glove even with an 1-3/4" worth of pinch in the rails.My 47 with an 8BA has a set of Bob Drakes that also fit just fine. Drakes were a little cheaper, I went with Red's on the 31/32 because it's nowhere near stock.
 
I would think that headers would run much cooler than the stock manifolds. The exhaust (heat) is going to exit the engine compartment much quicker. It leaves, direct, rather than crossing over in front of the engine. By the time the left exhaust reaches the R/H manifold, the heat has gone out the back with headers.
MIKE :)
 
Another vote for Red's Headers. I bought a set from Mac's for my 35 Tudor, and had them Jet Hot coated. They look great, fit perfectly with NO ISSUES at all, and I think they give the engine a little more low end torque over the stock cast manifolds. I don't have any experience with the Fenton Headers, but I know I will be buying another set of Red's for my 35 Convertible Sedan. I found a custom exhaust shop in Glen Burnie Maryland, who welded up a really compact system with the Smithy Glass packs I bought, and it sounds spectacular! Dumps out right at the end of the running boards, pointed down at the ground. Not as Henry built it, but cool just the same.
Bob T
 
i had tube headers on my 41 pick and fenton cast headers on my 50 car. the tube headers disapated alot of heat INTO the engine compartment than teh cast iron headers did.. tubes were around 200 degrees hotter with the cars sttting at idle for 20 minutes when checked with a laser tester.. for that fact i would always recomend cast iron fentons over tube headers. when i had the 350 c***y in the 41 i had sanderson tube headers and eventually changed to rams horn cast iron manifolds and that was even after wrapping the tube headers with heat wrap. the tube headers really do get alot hotter and that means the under hood temps went up...... don
 
I have Fentons (from Patricks) on my 38 std. coupe' and Reds on my 52 F1. Brockman mellow tones on both. I really like both applications.
Note: I would have put Fentons on my 52 but I don't think there is a "reasonable" way to make them fit.
Why would anyone say they are a waste of money? Isn't almost everything associated with a hobby a waste of money?
 
work out what you want to do street work fentons every time race work tube every time horses for courses remember on street you very rarely opperate at wot and on race its all or nothing each has their place ive got fentons on my 39 mercury and they work fine as its a driver not a racer just cause it wins on sunday dosent mean its right for monday!!
 
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