I would like to request a little help and experience in selecting new headers that tuck up nicely under the car. The current headers from SLP have been on the car for about 10 years and for the most part were decent except for they hung low. And dragged on everything that was 3 inches or taller in the road. Now Fast forward to June 2014, just got my tired Bilstein ASN shocks re-valved for stiffer springs and installed. Now with the height adjusters at max height the header is approximately 2.1 inches from the ground when measured. Definitely way too low for street driving. From where I jack the frame up I have 5 inches of clearance.

Any undercar photos that shows a well built system would be great.

Requisites are:
Stainless steel; full length headers; no bigger than 1.75 primaries; Y-pipe diameter smaller than 3 inch if possible, 2.5 inch would be great and then merge to 3 inch factory axle back exhaust.

A well engineered set of headers and Y-pipe that closely hug the floor pan shouldn't be a problem, should it?

I hope these photos show


This picture shows low header dilemma.

My QTP headers tuck very tight to the bottom of the floor board (a finger gap or less) and proven to be durable.

Wow, those are low! I had great fitment from my Hooker 1-3/4" headers and off-road Y-pipe. I just had painted aluminum ones on the car (thanks to the previous owner), however they make the same header in stainless. Tucked up nicely.

I eventually replaced those with TSP's 1-7/8" stainless headers and I love them, however the primary size is outside of the range you noted above. With their 3" off-road y-pipe I didn't have any clearance issues with a 1.25" drop, however once I had a local exhaust shop weld in the "Frozen Boost" cats I do have some clearance issues.

Thanks Midnight02 and LS1TORQ for your insight.

Ken Kurtz & Alan Blaine,

If its not too much too ask, how low is this car (Ken's car) to the ground from the front jack point? Those headers seem to tuck up quite well to the body, who makes them?

https://flic.kr/p/aryD7m
https://flic.kr/p/9HVqd8

I'll get a measurement for you, they are American Racing 1 7/8" long tubes.

^^^Which is the brand I was going to suggest, and the ones I would be getting if I ever go long tubes. (Kooks are not too shabby either, but I prefer the ARHs.)

ARH would be my top choice if budget was not a concern. They high velocity style merge collectors (Kooks don't I think...) and have complete welds around all flanges. QTP are like a budget ARH

Here is my exhaust clearance with American Racing Headers 1 3/4" with cats, only lowering is through the suspension. It's difficult to measure pipe diameter on the ground, but using a vernier it appears the collector is 2.5", the cats are 3.5", post cat is 2.5-2.75". I'll try to remember to get better measurements when it's on the lift tomorrow.

Passenger side ride height at LCA chassis bolt, approximately 6.5":


Passenger side lowest point on exhaust, catalytic converter, approximately 3":


Driver side ride height, approximately 6.25":


Driver side lowest point on exhaust, catalytic converter, approximately 2.5":

Thanks for the data and pictures Jim. I am going to measure from the lower control arm bolt to get the same reference and report back.

Just got the measurement from the front bolt and it is 6.75"when measured from the lowest part of the bolt head. So a noncatted Ypipe may be the ticket for now.

I'd suggest everyone measures how much space is between the header collector and the floor board. That way it eliminates the variables of ride height and the associated error in those measurements.

I'm happy with my Dynatech's

~DaVe

I have stainlessworks headers on my car. They have a 2.5 inch Y pipe like you are looking for. Their Y pipe hangs low though, and the headers don't tuck up particularly well compared to the Kook's and ARH I have seen. Not sure why you would want to restrict power with a 2.5 inch Y. From all of the dyno graphs I have seen on LS1tech, these cars always make more power with the larger header and Y, even 1 7/8 inch headers and 3in Y on cars with just bolt-ons.

Roy - Here is where Kens car is at:

ground to bottom of jack point 4 3/8"
ground to bottom of drv collector clamp 2 3/4" this has been worn a bit from dragging onto a flatbed, started 1/16" to 1/8" lower

and because this is a LS motor on custom mouunts in a Lt1 chassis, and the motor may be at a different height than yours, I measured ground to crank centerline at the damper bolt: 13 1/2"
The rear of the trans is at OEM height. These are 1 7/8" primaries with 3" Y pipe and 3 1/2" collectors

304 Stainless has a nice characteristic in that it will stress relieve itself during the first few heat cycles - you could install them, then pull the rear of the collectors up 1/4" or so with your hangers,
then heat cycle them a few times and they will stay in that position.

Alan makes a good point.

I believe my headers tuck up tightly because when doing the header install I also installed poly motor mounts. Those motor mounts seemed to raise the engine up a bit compared to my old worn out factory mounts