shorty headers vrs. long tube

[70malibu307]

I am goin to put headers and a full exhaust on my 70 chevelle 4 dr malibu here shortly and was wondering if I went ahead and bought a full exhaust that hooks up to the stock headers would shorty headers hook up to a stock dual exhaust or should I just go for the long tube and exhaust all in one?

[Warputer]

I would imagine that the original stock dual exhaust might be a smaller diameter tubing, which would kill any gain that you might have from adding headers.

[Hank70SS]

You'd have to check with some of the header manufacturers. I think most shorties have a standard 3" collector just like the long tube so you'd still have to cut the old exhaust. Then you have to know if the pipes are the right distance part where the headers tie in.

[Bowtie-Bri]

I think weather you go with long or short headers, your going to end up making some modifications to make them work. If your going for performance, go with the long tubes. Shorties are good if you have clearance issues. If you have starter problems, long tubes can a pain.
Goodluck with your car.

[Derek69SS]

I like shorties. They actually don't lose much in performance, and the fit is so much better.

[Highway Star]

There are daily arguments on the interwebz about whether shorties are worth anything at all. My opinion is that they HAVE to be better than cast manifolds, but that they physically cannot make the same power as long tubes headers, by design. Long tube headers have primary pipes that are waaaaaay longer than shorties. I believe that tq is built or lost in the primaries, and that the right primary length (and collector length) vary based on specific engine specs and flow demands. A 383 needs 1-3/4" dia primaries. A 283 needs 1-1/2" primaries. It is about flow speed and temperature, and overall system volume.

In a cruiser type car that isn't a max effort built for every 10th of a second, there probably won't be a noticeable difference between the two.

I have a set of shorties. They are as Derek said, easy to take off and put on. I just need to jack up the driver side to get that one out from the bottom, but the pass side lifts right from the top side. I have issues with clearance for the steering rod, and spark plug clearance on the driver side though.


I am pretty sure the only system you can buy that will directly bolt in would be full length headers and an exhaust system by the same manufacturer as the headers. Summit's headers and pipes come to mind.

Shorties aren't the same size as manifolds, so one of those manifold-back systems likely wouldn't fit.

[70malibu307]

thanks for all the info i think i am just going with the long tubes and full exhaust i want to try and get as much power as i can out of the 307 i got. thanks again