Exhaust headers - full length vs 'shorties'

[C9OBY]

Hi,
   
   Has anyone had any experience fitting/finding/fabricating a set of full length headers for a 302-block on a MKIV/CRS?  With engine bays being quite tight on these cars, finding a replacement for my 'shorty' headers is proving difficult.  Thunder Road Speed Shop are currently working on this as part of a new engine installation but any advice/assistance from the forum would be appreciated.
   
   Bruce

[AK1161]

I am rebuilding the engine in my mkiv and am having the same problem. Look at JBA 1624S-2JT. These are titanium coated headers suppossed to be a direct replacement for the origional ford mustang ones. Once we have tried ours I will let you know. You can also buy a new set of  orgional pattern ford motorsport ones from Real Steel. ( 01895 440505 ) Let me know how you get on.
   Luke

[C9OBY]

Luke, many thanks.
   
   Real Steel have built my engine and Charles has been great with advice.  One of his recommendations has been to get an equal-length set that are as 'long' as possible.  As a halfway solution between the ford-replacement (i.e yours) and full length ones, have you looked at these equal-length shorties? (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BBK-15290/?rtype=10).  I haven't held a set yet, but looking at the picture they do look like they may be a little too fat to fit in the engine bay.
   
   Let me know how you get on, I'm expecting to be at the header-fitment stage in about a month's time.
   
   Bruce

[cobham cobra]

FYI – I’ve been running shorty headers for the past five years. They were sourced and fitted by Thunder Road in Woking ( www.thunder-road-shop.co.uk ) and I had headers ceramic (thermal) coated (www.camcoat.u-net.com )  internally and externally and they have worked really well. From memory the pipe work from the headers to the cats/ silencers has to be tweaked a little to line-up, Thunder Road cut and re-welded my orginal pipes. As my car is registered in ’91, I was able to have the cats removed at the same time. I also had the small silencers in the rear wheel arches removed as these can be quite restrictive.
   BTW - The removal of the cats and secondary silencers made negligible change to the sound levels.
   
   Cheers – John.

[AK1131]

I have JBA shorty headers installed in 2001 by the first owner. The installers receipt reads "modified driver's side (LHD)header...move #6 tube, weld and resurface flange". Looking down on the header, there is a purpose made dent in one pipe to clear the foot box. These are ceramic coated which look chrome but have lost some finish. I am pretty sure JBA now offers the same headers in stainless steel. Sounds like a perfect fit is hard to find. A MkIV is a far cry away from a Mustang.

[ANF289]

quote:Originally posted by AK1131
   
I have JBA shorty headers installed in 2001 by the first owner. The installers receipt reads "modified driver's side (LHD)header...move #6 tube, weld and resurface flange". Looking down on the header, there is a purpose made dent in one pipe to clear the foot box. These are ceramic coated which look chrome but have lost some finish. I am pretty sure JBA now offers the same headers in stainless steel. Sounds like a perfect fit is hard to find. A MkIV is a far cry away from a Mustang.
   

   Are they equal or unequal length? I've got BBK Performance, Inc. Unequal-Length Shorty Headers (EO D-245-5) w/ silver polished ceramic coating on my Mk IV, which fit w/o modification... but they are not equal (no pun intended)

[AK1131]

I think the pipes are equal length.