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10/08/2019 3:11 PM  #1


Headers for my 67 w/289

Years ago, 26 to be exact, I installed the T-5 behind the little 289. There is a lot more to the story but I ended up buying headers from the local speed shop to route the exhaust. They are Hooker Competition and I think they were designed to fit 260-351 engines, hence they hang really low. The fit is excellent other than the speed bump clearance. 

I would like to replace them with something that won't scrape the speed bumps. I am not interested in shorties.

I have a T-5 with late model bell and a stock Z-bar clutch linkage. I removed the cable clutch mounting boss from the bell housing. The car also has power steering. Heads are Edelbrock 6025's (1996 vintage). 

What have you guys found that fits well and hugs the floor without a lot of tube messaging to make them fit. Ceramic coated would be a plus. 


Gary Zilik - Pine Junction, Colorado - 67 Coupe, 289-4V, T5
 

10/08/2019 3:48 PM  #2


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Unfortunately your options are long tube headers that hang low or shorties that don't.  Honestly, I don't know why you are married to long tubes.  I've found over the years that in most car applications the hassle of living with them isn't worth the perceived power gain.  I've seen this born out in numerous dyno tests.  Long tubes may have better peak power, but they actually make less torque in the mid range, which is where most street driving is done.  I ran long tubes on one 5.0 back in the day and the 5.0s that I had shorties on seemed to have more power and had no fitment or clearance issues.  I have shorties on my '67 and my '89 and am quite happy with them.  Both are from JBA.  Just my $0.02.

 

10/08/2019 9:04 PM  #3


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Oh butt the sound!!!!!!!!!!   Long tubes...Worth it all.            Heddman has them I tink.    Black jack??  Haven't looked lately butt unless everybody just quit making them ........several companys make 'real' headers for your car.
6sally6


Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
 

10/08/2019 10:30 PM  #4


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

6sally6 wrote:

Oh butt the sound!!!!!!!!!! Long tubes...Worth it all. Heddman has them I tink. Black jack?? Haven't looked lately butt unless everybody just quit making them ........several companys make 'real' headers for your car.
6sally6

Sorry, Sally,  my shorties sound much better than the long tubes I had for years, which were constantly scraping the ground.  And when I removed them some of the pipes were reduced to small ovals that surprised me with how small the openings had become.  I couldn't believe that the engine still ran.

And, yes I had messaged them a number of times to increase ground clearance.
 


Original owner - 351w,T-5, 4whl disks, power R&P
 

10/08/2019 10:52 PM  #5


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

I think FPA has the best reputation for fit ... if ya gotta have long tubes. But you pay for it.
http://www.fordpowertrain.com/FPAindex/FPA%20index1.htm
 

Last edited by 50vert (10/08/2019 10:54 PM)


"Those telephone poles were like a picket fence"
 

10/09/2019 5:23 AM  #6


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Yeah, I'll second that, headers are only part of the sound.  I've had so many compliments on how my '67 sounds (JBA shorties, JBA X-pipe, Magnaflow 2-1/2" exhaust, modified GT tips).  I used to get compliments all the time on my '89 as well (MAC shorties, MAC catted H-pipe, 2 chamber Flowmasters). 

 

10/09/2019 9:11 AM  #7


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Go short. Won’t regret it. Sound has more to do with compression ratio than header length.


Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
 

10/09/2019 10:14 AM  #8


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

I was thinking of going the same route and running a Z bar.   Is anyone running a Z bar with shorty headers?

I thought the Z bar wouldn't work with Shorty Headers? 

 

10/09/2019 10:24 AM  #9


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

I wonder if Shelby style tri-y headers will work, they seemed to for good ole Carroll.
Lots of road clearance with the ones I have, I have an AOD and had to mod them for width though.


Good work ain't cheap, Cheap work ain't good!   Simple Man
 

10/09/2019 10:49 AM  #10


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

For a set of headers that will meet all your needs, there is always FPA.  They can build them for your specific application and tuck them up tight.  However, there is a price to pay.  For convenience and cost, shorties may work best.  For a nice but expensive header setup, FPA would be once and done forever.
  http://www.fordpowertrain.com/FPAindex/Mustang1.htm

 

10/09/2019 7:52 PM  #11


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

I'm running MAC longtubes on my 66. I chose them mostly because they'll work with GT40P heads even though they weren't designed to. They also fit very well. A nice feature on the driver's side is #5 tube slips in after the main assembly is in. This greatly eases installation. My car is also 4 speed. They pretty much cleared everything. The only issue was with the Z bar shaft on one tube that I had to put a slight dimple. Otherwise absolutely no issues with the rest of the linkage. While my car is manual steering these headers will clear the PS ram WITHOUT a drop bracket. Oh ground clearance is great[img][/img]


I'm not a complete idiot.....pieces are missing. Tom
 

10/09/2019 8:17 PM  #12


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Those tuck up pretty nice.  My bro-in-law sent me a link to a header dent test - a lot of people worry about minor clearance mods.  Turns out you can get pretty aggressive and not lose any HP.  Header bash 

 

10/09/2019 9:34 PM  #13


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

My car is pretty slammed and no issues with the headers at all. I have a Zray TA style front cross member with a jacking pad. I actually have to pull the car up just to get a floor jack under the pad, that's how low it is.

Here's the dent in the tube. It looks worse in the photo then it really is. It's long and shallow

[img][/img]

Last edited by Huskinhano (10/09/2019 9:35 PM)


I'm not a complete idiot.....pieces are missing. Tom
 

10/10/2019 4:58 AM  #14


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

I had to put a pretty serious dent in one tube on the LH side of my JBA shorties because of the larger size of the Borgeson steering box.  I doubt it hurt performance, but I surely wasn't a fan of having to do that to a brand new set of coated headers.  I used a large round bar (either an intermediate shaft out of a Dana 20 t-case or a countergear pin out of a Muncie, can't remember which, but over 1" in diameter) I had and hammered on that over a rag as opposed to directly hitting the headers with a hammer.  It seems to have spared the coating by and large. 

 

10/11/2019 3:59 PM  #15


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Steve69 wrote:

I was thinking of going the same route and running a Z bar.   Is anyone running a Z bar with shorty headers?

I thought the Z bar wouldn't work with Shorty Headers? 

I have shorties (Heddman) in my 351w.  And use a Z-bar.  No fitment problems at all.  However I did have to monkey a bit with my R&P shaft to clear the Z-bar.
 


Original owner - 351w,T-5, 4whl disks, power R&P
 

10/11/2019 5:09 PM  #16


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

There was a video circulating a while ago where an engine on a dyno with headers that were continually bashed and beaten almost beyond recognition and no loss in performance.


Good work ain't cheap, Cheap work ain't good!   Simple Man
 

10/11/2019 5:30 PM  #17


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Try the link on my post about 5 up from here.

 

10/20/2019 10:46 AM  #18


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

What did ya come up with for a solution Gary?

Inquiring minds want to know.😁

 

10/20/2019 4:34 PM  #19


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Nos681 wrote:

What did ya come up with for a solution Gary?

Inquiring minds want to know.😁

It seems that FPA does not make a set for the small block and Z-bar with stock/Eddie heads or I would go that way. The Hooker Competition currently installed clears everything with no dings, dents or prying. They just hang an inch lower than I would like. I've lived with them for the past 25 years, why not a few more.
 


Gary Zilik - Pine Junction, Colorado - 67 Coupe, 289-4V, T5
     Thread Starter
 

10/20/2019 4:45 PM  #20


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Just put a 351w and headers, won’t be low anymore.😁

Sounds like Mikey eh?😂

 

10/20/2019 5:51 PM  #21


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Nos681 wrote:

Just put a 351w and headers, won’t be low anymore.😁

Sounds like Mikey eh?😂

Find me a first run 351W and I'll do it. 
 


Gary Zilik - Pine Junction, Colorado - 67 Coupe, 289-4V, T5
     Thread Starter
 

10/21/2019 3:52 PM  #22


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

RV6 wrote:

Find me a first run 351W and I'll do it. 
 

 
Isn’t that like a bigfoot or ufo sighting?

 

10/21/2019 4:01 PM  #23


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Just took mine to the weld shop to have a couple pin holes welded up. The guy is pretty much 'doing me biggy' because we were swapping welding stories about the Navy yard. 2030 bux.
These headers ARE realllllly old butt they fit so darn good and I have no idea who made them!  Be hard to find a reasonably priced set that don't hang too low and fit around by T-5 and Z-bar.
6sal6


Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
 

10/21/2019 4:16 PM  #24


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

6sally6 wrote:

Just took mine to the weld shop to have a couple pin holes welded up. The guy is pretty much 'doing me biggy' because we were swapping welding stories about the Navy yard. 2030 bux.
These headers ARE realllllly old butt they fit so darn good and I have no idea who made them!  Be hard to find a reasonably priced set that don't hang too low and fit around by T-5 and Z-bar.
6sal6

 



Please share Mike😁

 

10/21/2019 5:11 PM  #25


Re: Headers for my 67 w/289

Nos681 wrote:

6sally6 wrote:

Just took mine to the weld shop to have a couple pin holes welded up. The guy is pretty much 'doing me biggy' because we were swapping welding stories about the Navy yard. 2030 bux.
These headers ARE realllllly old butt they fit so darn good and I have no idea who made them!  Be hard to find a reasonably priced set that don't hang too low and fit around by T-5 and Z-bar.
6sal6

 



Please share Mike😁

Hence the statement...'took to the weld shop'.   They're still there.
Not sure IF I can get a pic from my phone to the board/!
 


Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
 

Board footera


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