Hey fellas,

As you know, I'm still working my way up to all of your guys automotive knowledge, especially when it comes to dents as I'm partial to that generation of Ford trucks.

I don't understand why the PO would spend so much on every other inch of the rig, ESPECIALLY the engine, and not do better with the headers. Well, after only 13k miles since the restore was finished, the headers on there now are starting to pit and show rust on the pitted parts and I'm ready to replace them with some nice ones that would match with all of the chrome under the hood.

I have a trusted friend who has a garage that will let me work beside him when we do anything to my rig, so that settles that. I just need some help and guidance from you on what would be best for my rig for what I'm looking for.

I'd like it to be shiny like the other chrome and silver in the truck, but I also know that chromed and steel pipes turn color with the heat...I've seen and had conversations about it with other show car owners at car shows.

I went to Jegs and Summit and it looks like there in line with eachother price wise for the same products.

What about these:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HED-89218/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BIG-32506FLT/

Anything else I should know about installation?

Thanks!

Ken, I'm gonna be Frank with you...both of those headers are garbage. Thermal coating can't hide poor craftsmanship, cheap steel, bad welds, etc. Steel and flange thickness make the header. If you want a cheapie header, Hooker is where it's at...if you want the best, check out the Sanderson FC-3's. You also have to determine what length and exit style header you want. The Sanderson is a shorty, and you need some adapter plates...so at the end, you'll have about $6-700 tied up in these headers, but it'll be worth it. As the saying goes, 'only cry once.'

,,,,,Best option for long lasting appearance and corrosion resistance would be stainless. Expensive, but will give the longest life. You will have a little discoloration possibly, but you will have that no matter what you do.

Got to agree with Ben, I looked at stainless and they do discolor and it seems that the ceramic coated ones hold up the best over time.

Appearance = shiny isn't really going to happen well on headers. There isn't a coating that I am aware of that will keep a shine but take the heat.

Ken just an fyi..I do have the hookers on my rig which is what i recieved with the rig and i went with them for now ( had other higher priorities in getting the rig together) I did blast them and i painted them with the heat paint.to make a long story short they still are getting rusty and i am not pleased with their look.in time i am going to have to upgrade to the better units that Ben is describing.

UTfball68 said:

Ken, I'm gonna be Frank with you...both of those headers are garbage. Thermal coating can't hide poor craftsmanship, cheap steel, bad welds, etc. Steel and flange thickness make the header. If you want a cheapie header, Hooker is where it's at...if you want the best, check out the Sanderson FC-3's. You also have to determine what length and exit style header you want. The Sanderson is a shorty, and you need some adapter plates...so at the end, you'll have about $6-700 tied up in these headers, but it'll be worth it. As the saying goes, 'only cry once.'

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best custom made header company out there, highest ratings. Seen them on a small block engine in a car and big block in a truck from a customer of mine. He went with shorty headers for clearance concerns underneath. Seems a lot of people are going to shorty headers, me being one of them. ( I have BBK stainless shorty's Ken)

Fellro said:

Appearance = shiny isn't really going to happen well on headers. There isn't a coating that I am aware of that will keep a shine but take the heat.

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From what I've seen, ceramic will keep a luster if applied correctly and prepped correctly...it will dull to a degree, but still look good.

Ceramic coating holds up well and have seen headers coated from JET HOT Coatings and they look awesome and hold up well.

Stock cast iron manifolds will last a lot longer then headers.

UTfball68 said:

Ken, I'm gonna be Frank with you...both of those headers are garbage. Thermal coating can't hide poor craftsmanship, cheap steel, bad welds, etc. Steel and flange thickness make the header. If you want a cheapie header, Hooker is where it's at...if you want the best, check out the Sanderson FC-3's. You also have to determine what length and exit style header you want. The Sanderson is a shorty, and you need some adapter plates...so at the end, you'll have about $6-700 tied up in these headers, but it'll be worth it. As the saying goes, 'only cry once.'

Click to expand...

I hope you're nothing but frank with me, Ben, especially when it comes to my dent....thanks a bunch, I had no idea where to start or what's best, which is what I want.

So, I guess I need a little more info on the installation and I'm sure my mechanic buddy will have some help here.

I need adapter plates as you mentioned and I'm not sure what else I'll need to make sure they fit with the muffler I currently have on them.

These:

http://www.sandersonheaders.com/San...Header-Set-for-1972-Up-Ford-F100-Pickups.html

Thanks again fellas!!!!!

I'll be posting pics....it's on my summer to do list.

So, the shorty's, the adapter plates, the bolts, and copper collector gaskets is all I need to replace what I have on there now? Should be able to bolt on my existing mufflers?

You will have to get some pipe work done as the shorties will be well, too short .

So you have the long style header now, and looking to go to shorties? You will need a little bit of pipe added to make it all hook up, but not really that bad to do. Just be good to be prepared to do it. So essentially, the total list would be: headers, header gaskets, header collectors (the part that hooks to the header flange) flange gaskets, bolts for the collectors and headers (if you want to have shiny bolts, you will want to get those new as well)and the pipe to stretch the existing pipes to the shorties. Next problem I see is if you have shiny headers, hooked to pipes that will be rusty, you will next want to replace the exhaust pipes too.

No worries Ken...this board is always a place for help. Now if you wanted to get reeeeeeeeeal crazy, you could have some custome built long tubes (to keep the power from the headers lower in the rpm range)...but you're probably looking at $1500-2000 there.

I don`t know that I would call a set of Hedman Elites "garbage". They have 3/8" flanges, 14 gauge tubing, ball and socket collectors, and they`re coated. They also don`t need adapter plates.

Now, I can`t say a thing about their coating, but I`ve used a few sets of Hedmans, and the set I just bought seem pretty decent. They`re not $1200 Banks, but the welds look nice, the flanges are straight with no weld bead on the sealing surface, and they fit. Except for the y-pipe that doesn`t clear the trans crossmember brace. They also have ball and socket collector flanges.

Just sayin. You do get what you pay for however.

Fellro said:

So you have the long style header now, and looking to go to shorties? You will need a little bit of pipe added to make it all hook up, but not really that bad to do. Just be good to be prepared to do it. So essentially, the total list would be: headers, header gaskets, header collectors (the part that hooks to the header flange) flange gaskets, bolts for the collectors and headers (if you want to have shiny bolts, you will want to get those new as well)and the pipe to stretch the existing pipes to the shorties. Next problem I see is if you have shiny headers, hooked to pipes that will be rusty, you will next want to replace the exhaust pipes too.

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The exhaust piping is stainless, so no rust at all....there's a shade of rust on the welds, but hard to see and I've even gotten detailed enough for car shows to crawl under there and use Eastwood's rust remover and then touch up the little spots with high temp silver paint.

And yes on the new bolts...those will be on order also...thanks!

Pipe work question below.

UTfball68 said:

No worries Ken...this board is always a place for help. Now if you wanted to get reeeeeeeeeal crazy, you could have some custome built long tubes (to keep the power from the headers lower in the rpm range)...but you're probably looking at $1500-2000 there.

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Will get some resistance from the wifey going this route. I like the Sanderson's.

DNFXDLI said:

You will have to get some pipe work done as the shorties will be well, too short .

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So, on the pipe work, do I just look for stainless in the same diameter and have the mechanic weld it? Will there be special bends? Does this need to go to a specialty shop?

It depends on how the fit is as to whether an exhaust shop is needed. If your welds are rusting,t hen whoever did the welds used regular wire instead of stainless wire. Most any custom exhaust shop should be able to make the pipe pieces you need. The best way is to have the pipe expanded enough to go over the existing pipe, but butt welding is also possible with a skilled welder. I have done it both ways.