Hello H.A.M.B. been awhile for me but thought someone has done this so here goes. I bought a 56 Chevy pickup. Nice build but needs to be finished. It has a Camarillo subframe, 454, and mid length Hedman headers. How do you get the exhaust pipe up high? Right now as connected to the reducer the pipe bends down before it can level out. Special mandrel bend? Trying to avoid long tube headers. Plus, wouldn’t know what to purchase anyway. Any input would be welcome. Thanks, Kent. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
On my uncles 57 we used camaro big block headers. They were hedmen, and exited closer to the floor. The reason we did that is that he had the same subframe in it when he bought the truck.
Thanks. I’ll look into the Camaro bbc headers. Still would like to see what I can do to the mid length headers on the truck now. Thanks guys Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
if you point the camera up under the truck so we can see the headers, we might could give you some suggestions that you might find helpful. But I'll echo the idea to use full length headers that are designed to fit the frame the engine is sitting in, I had a pair on the BBC mocked up in my 57 Suburban, before I switched to a small block. They fit good.
I had a small block in my 48 when I had the 68 Rear steer subframe in it and was running a set of designed for a Camaro headers. They were they belonged. On my 71 GMC the headers hung down a long ways, Patriot headers designed for a 71 Chevy/GMC pickup. That makes me wonder if you have truck headers if yours hang down quite a bit.
Nice. Do you know the brand of the headers? Meanwhile, here are a few pics of my current setup. They are Hedman headers. Think they are mid length. 1-3/4 tubes 3” collectors. I’d like to keep them if there’s a way to transition from the reducer to the exhaust pipe without such a drop. Thanks all. Kent Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
just get a mandrel U bend, cut it off at the right place, weld it to a flange. The setup you have is typical exhaust shop work, not hot rod fabricator work, so of course it's ugly and doesn't fit right.
@rc57: Excellent pic with the tape depicting frame height from ground, also exhaust height.* My stainless block hugging headers (FE Ford 390) came with curved transducers, and sliding collars. This means they can be turned in any direction. I think Summit (or Jegs or Speedway) has these in stock. They are 3" at the flange, and reduce to 2", curve about 30 degrees. Hope this helps.
I agree it's ugly. Bought it that way. Mandrel bend may be the ticket. Looking to drop the front end a bit and don't want to have any issues with it getting lower. Thanks.
Got them off ebay a few years back, I wanna say they are DynoMax 70-81 Camaro w/BBC. I can dic for the receipt if need be.
I agree with getting a mandrel bent U-bend and a couple of header collector reducers. Then you just sneak up on the fit, trimming them to where you like it, here's the ones I did on my 41 pickup.
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