Header Suggestion

dmoz

dmoz

Junior Member
Looking for recommendations for headers for a 1950 Mercury that has the stock Flathead and steering/ suspension.


Thanks in advance for your responses.
 
Talk to these guys > http://www.reds-headers.com/html/flathead_eng.html


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(760) 343-2590
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Red's Headers
31-410 Reserve Dr. Suite 4
Thousand Palms, CA 92276
Or contact us via email at info@reds-headers.com​
 
Second the recommendation for Red's. I bought all the engine parts from them when I rebuilt the 8ba in my '39 p/u. At the same time a buddy bought headers for his AV8 with an F series steering box. Quality stuff, fair prices, AND they know what the F they are talking about. They won't try to sell you something that isn't right for your application with the "it should fit BS". JMO.
 
An option,
I used truck manifolds, 1-3/4” pipes with 18” steel packs from Van Pelt.
Sounded great!
I looked at dyno tests that denied any performance gain on a stock engine......the log manifolds are plentiful and relatively inexpensive.
 
Unless you have a Highly modified engine the stock cast iron manifolds work well. This information come from an article by Don Francisco in a 1956 Hot Rod Magazine
 
JWLs book says about the same thing. Running dual pipes off the stock would be fine for most of us.

I like "headers" as they get heat off the motor quicker (?) and they sound cool. Prefer fenton cast but in your situation reds. But some say you get a sound off blocking the intake crossover. Different conversation maybe.

If you are looking for performance, and cash is a thing. might be the last thing to think about. Just my opinion. Mill the heads will be better and easy to manage.


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personally im using fentons its basically stock and the cast keeps the heat out of the eng bay sounds great when used with smithys
 
I like the Fentons as well. Their much quieter in the car and last forever. however. If your looking for an increase in power, Headers and dual exhaust offer little. purley esthetic, but I love the sound..
 
I've had Fentons on two cars and really liked them. One thing Ron is correct about is that they will last forever. I pulled an engine in '2016 that had a set of Fentons that I installed in '87. Good as new!
 
I am curious as to why no one offers full length equal tube length headers for flatheads like are used on almost every overhead valve v8 applications. The whole point of headers is to make more power, disperse heat, & help scavenge (pull) the exhaust from the cylinders creating a vacuum helping (in most cases) to pull the next intake charge into the motor. The short cast iron headers don't really do any of this. If you are going to spend the money anyway, why not try to get the most out of it? Just thinkn out loud.
 
By the time the exhaust pulse gets from the valve, through the block, and out the port, it's already seen more restriction than any OHV there is. The shared center port certainly doesn't help, like "Murre" points out.

On the Hemi in my race car, I can see the whole bottom of the valve through the ports; try that on a flathead, especially the exhaust.
 
petes 50 merc said:
i have fenton headers on my merc they are the best
Click to expand...


Did you have to do any modifications? I ask because I looked them up and found this:


"Application Note: These headers won't fit most Model Ts or Model As due to narrow the frame width, particularly on the passenger side. 1948-52 Ford F1 (1/2 ton) pick-ups will have interference with one bolt on the stock steering box. That bolt can usually be modified so that the headers can be used. The headers will not work in 3/4 ton or larger trucks from 1948-52. Most 1942-48 Mercury cars will require shimming of the motor mount for steering clearance."
 
"Application Note: These headers won't fit most Model Ts or Model As due to narrow the frame width, particularly on the passenger side. 1948-52 Ford F1 (1/2 ton) pick-ups will have interference with one bolt on the stock steering box. That bolt can usually be modified so that the headers can be used. The headers will not work in 3/4 ton or larger trucks from 1948-52. Most 1942-48 Mercury cars will require shimming of the motor mount for steering clearance."


It doesn't say anything about '49 to '51 Merc's, so I would think they should fit well. The application note just mentions applications that won't work or need modification.


Sal
 
i would personally recommend cast iron headers, like Fenton, as they do not radiate heat like the metal pipe tube headers do. Fentons will help keep under hood temps lower. i found that out when i put tube headers on my '41 pick up....
 
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