I don't remember what tools I used to put the long tube Heddmans on my 351W, but I do remember that the #7 was a b*&^+h to put on, and that I had to get all the bolts started and turn them all in a little at a time to get the damn things on. Not fun, and you hope you got them tight so you don't have to go back in and retighten them. Wish I had a welder...

Bullet Bob wrote:

You have headers because it's a hot rod and you run most of the time at w.o.t. and need the best exhaust scavenging possible...and they're cool to look at, and...

RIGHT?

BB

And the "funky sound they make".... and the oouuu's&ahhh's a bunch of "old men wannabe hotrodders" make when you fire that puppy up....and that stupid grin you make when you're sitting in traffic and guys eeeease their window down so they can discreetly  "hear" your car....and on and on....oh yeah the performance aspect too.
6s6
 

Funny...LOLOL!!
Yeah I know why I got them on there, but Tueday night as I was fighting getting #7 header bolt started for a 1/2 hour it made me question myself.

If you have to get a neighbor kid out there and have him finger tighten it it there for you. My neighbors 8 all he says when he comes over to play with my nephew is he wants to drag race like his dad and own a auto shop. See if you can get to the bolts from the bottom. Or even see if a flex head ratchet would help.

I also have the hedmans on my 65 and can verify that #7 tube is a royal pain, matter of fact, the whole drivers side header ticks me off.  On my car I have to actually raise the drivers side of the engine to get the header in there.  But, when I originally got them they were the only game in town several years ago.  What part number are you guys using for the JBA headers?

MustangSteve wrote:

It was fantastic installing the JBA shorties that replaced the Hedmans on my 66.  I can almost get a socket on every bolt.  And there is nothing blocked from access to plugs.  I cannot imagine what Hedman was thinking with the 7-8 kickup tube.

It is neat to be able to create a special tool for a specific job, though.  I have a small wrench with the open end at 90 degrees to the handle to tighten that bolt.

Imagine your heirs going through your stuff someday.  "What the heck is THAT?"

It's obvious the Hedman employees who are responsible for designing and approving the poor design were NOT thinking. It's even more obvious they don't own a Mustang.

I thought my dad was nuts when I saw one of his wrenches cut and welded for a particular job. That is until I needed to modify one. A quick check of my wrench drawer revealed I may have a problem with leaving wrenches alone.



Bob 

I'm pretty sure the only reason I remember their use is because of the total time involved from realizing a special tool was needed, thru modifying the tool, and ultimately using said tool was such a long period, the intended use has been etched in my brain. But if my fading memory continues, I just might forget by next week.

Bob

terry wrote:

i've got Hedmann shorties on my 65 with 302 and they fit very well, bolts are accessable for the most part, not special wrenches needed.  I initially put them on while the engine was hanging on the chain hoist and i could push the engine side to side to mount them and then dropped it on to the engine mounts.  A year after putting them on I noticed they were rusting and called Hedmans and they said to take them off and send them in for recoating.  I really dreaded that!!  The passenger side was  real easy and just fell out the bottom!  the drivers side I think i had to drop part of the steering linkage down and it fell out!  the advantages of a lift!!  All total it took me about 30 minutes to take them off and prolly an hour to hour and half to reinstall them
I love these hedman shorties!!

A little more room to work around a 302 vs a 351w in a 65, the headers are designed a little different.  Once they are on, the hedmans on the 351 in my car fit fineand clear everything, it's just a pain to get them there.