V-6 Headers

Will the Novak headers be tucked in enough for a saginaw power steering conversion? the fenderwell headers I have now had to be modified to work. Maybe I should get a picture of it to get some feedback on what to expect when I start puting the old girl back together

 

I've run Hedman headers on my V6 for the last 9 years. I'm on my second set. The first set rusted out and broke at the flange. The second set I'm on is used and the drivers side also broke at the flange. I welded all the tube-flange connections on that one and its been fine since but its only a matter of time before the passenger side breaks. The tubes are thin and only spot welded to the flange on the inside.

My next set will be Novak, but I'm afraid the drivers side will dump right into my steering shaft. Anyone have any pics of the Novak headers installed with a saginaw conversion?

 

My hedmans have been on around 15k miles and were put on back in 1992, not rusted thru yet. Were removed and repainted in 2005.

 

Thanks for the pics Chuck!

 

I've been wondering what I must have done wrong. My memory is clear from the 70's, 80's and 90's, and as I said in my earlier post, the hedmans and other spot welded brands (like JC whitney generic) I had back then tended to crack within a year or two. Now I see the discrepancy. My jeep was my year-round daily driver then, 15k would have been about 9 months.

 

I had my headers nickel plated before I put them on. No rust yet. But, I don't drive it on the salted PA winter roads.

 

Headman headers came from Summit today and look perfect. The tubes are bead welded at the flanges, not tacked, and have a ball socket at the outlet. As for the Novac headers, all sounded good until the end of their description where it said they wouldn't work with the Ross steering box, which is what I have. I think I would rather have them exit outside the frame anyway for me, a little more room to work and I wanted to dump the exhaust in front of the rear tires anyway. Thanks again for all of the input.

 

That's what I got, and you're right, they look perfect. Thanks

 

I have Novaks on my 67 225 that I am rebuilding. Now I have to figure out how to put pipes to them. I'm thinking y them and then down the right side over the crossmember and crossmount a magnaflow behind the axle. I'm hoping for 2 1/2 inch pipe but it looks tight. Any body ever do something like this? Or how have you done it? Pics would be great. I want to keep them inside the frame. Thanks.

 

I think a lot of the problems with flange cracking on fender well dumps is improper mounting at the turn outs. You absolutely need to support them but there must be enough flex in the mounting to accomodate the engine mounts you are using. I have been running fender dumps on both the CJ 5 (225) and the CJ 3B (nominal 383) for almost 40 years and have yet to break a flange with either Hookers or Hedmans. Wear/rust them through where exposed to road gravel-yes, but no other failures. You really should provide them with skids that minimize that exposure and which also prevents them from being smashed on rocks. This is the pair of skids I made for the second pair of Hookers, but the first pair lasted about 30 years:

 

With all due respect to what chuck123wapati mentioned, I have a set the I took off my 55 with a 231, they are Hooker " super competition" headers. I ran them in my Jeep for years but now I went back to a stock F-134. I am located in Phoenix , AZ

 

just cause the ones I bought were worn out, doesnt mean yours are.

 

I don't have a V6, but i have done what you are proposing with 2 1/2" pipe. I ran it down the right side, and around the transfer case inside the frame, then 90 degrees to the muffler and another 90 towards the rear. I used Dynamax super turbo muffler and a tight mandrel bent U pipe from summit racing which I cut in half and stuck in each side of the muffler. It would just fit above the rear axle and exit next to the left rear shackle. The entire system is above the frame rails and I have yet to damage it. The mandrel bends are key, if you try to use the bender from an exhaust shop, you can't get a tight enough bend to fit between the frame rails.

 

I found in another thread a place called Waldrons Exhaust (www.Waldronexhaust.com) in MI. I sent them a note asking if they make a Y for the Novaks. They'll make a complete original system for just about anything. Even if they make the Y back it would be a big help and I would just have to make a Y for the Novaks.