NEED HELP! full length headers hit upper tubular arms

[evostilo]

I have a 68 camaro with LS1 and full length headers.

The problem is that i droped in some tubular control arms and know there is almost no room between the headers and the control arms. could i heat the headers (with the arms off) with a small propane torch and add a dent where needed, or no heat and just hammer the dent? or just leave them as is and the poly bushings can take the heat?

When i had the stock a-arms there was more then enough room to clear the headers.



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[evostilo]

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[feeble]

If it were me and I didn't need to have the car back on the road right now, I'd remove the header on that side and have the offending tube moved. It looks like you have room.

[BulldawgMusclecars]

What brand upper control arms are those? You definitely need to do something, since the poly bushing will melt up against a header like that.

[evostilo]

How much clearance do you guys figure ill need .25", .5", 1"

[BulldawgMusclecars]

As long as there is an air gap between the header and the a-arm, and it doesn't hit when you accelerate (not likely with the BRP mounts; there really isn't any play in them), its enough. .25 should be enough.

[evostilo]

okay so then maybe i dont need to relocate the hole tube and maybe ill just heat the single tube and bend it. that why i can avoid having to re-coat the headers

[exwestracer]

okay so then maybe i dont need to relocate the hole tube and maybe ill just heat the single tube and bend it. that why i can avoid having to re-coat the headers

If you get it hot enough to soften the steel, the coating will be shot anyway. I would VERY carefully mark the tube where it gets closest, and use a 1" steel rod laid across the tube at the correct angle and hit it with a BIG hammer, cold. You will need to support the tube on the corner of a table or something similar.

[BulldawgMusclecars]

If you get it hot enough to soften the steel, the coating will be shot anyway. I would VERY carefully mark the tube where it gets closest, and use a 1" steel rod laid across the tube at the correct angle and hit it with a BIG hammer, cold. You will need to support the tube on the corner of a table or something similar.

I agree...overheat the tube, and the coating is screwed. If you do mess it up, and want it recoated, Performance Coatings in Jonesboro, GA does all the coating for Hedman/Husler headers, and could just redo the one and have it match your other one pefectly. They typically charge $200/set for longtubes, so figure $100 for one.

[68 TT]

Do you have room to set the engine back enough to clear the tube?

[LUACE]

what caught my attention are those motor mounts... I also have a 68 and im running i have like 2" clearance... maybe your engine is sitting wrong? Just a thought...

[Frank the Crank]

I'm thinking along the same lines as Luace above - are the holes in the frame mounts oval or slotted? 1/4 inch is not a huge amount and my thought is that you could get it by moving the engine/trans back. Just loosen all the mounting points and work the engine back with a cheater, floor jack, or hoist.

[evostilo]

okay guys i have taken care of it i hope.
First off i have BRP Muscle Rods full length headers and motor mounts with there 4L60E trans mout as whell, These guys a BRP Muscle Rods know there stuff and they make all these parts work great the set the engine back as far as possible and the engine low enough to where the oil pan trans mount and subframe cross member and headers all sit flat, sp moving the engine was kind of out of the question for me.
With stock a-arms it was why more then enough room, but when i got my (CPP) a-arms they where much larger then stock

I ended up taking a 2" pipe and a Mallet and beat on the tube a few times (cold) till i got about 3/8"-1/2" clearance around the tube coating is still fairly good and i must say i was happy with the easy resaults gives it character HAHA! I hope this helps


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[Chevy]

Stilo,
Have you aligned the car yet? I think the alignment shims will push the a arm back into the header. I have a bit of an aggressive camber on mine since i autocross and road race, but i have about 5/8" shims. Unfortunately this may put the a arm back into your header again.
Paul

[BulldawgMusclecars]

CPP must use 2nd gen F-body cross shafts like Global West does.

[evostilo]

Paul, i did think about that so i put a 1/4" shim in there originaly and thats when i found out i needed more room so the updated photos include the 1/4" shims but maybe i need to go back a put a bigger dent in that tube if you think ill need more then that in shims? im going to add another 1/4" of shims and see how much room i have after that


Joe, do those cross shafts make a diff in the camber or shims?

[Cdminter55]

I would wait until you have it aligned. I have the Global West upper and lower control arms with the offset shafts. I have a shim on the rear bolt and none on the front bolt on both sides. The shim is nowhere near a 1/4 inch thick.

[LS6 Tommy]

Those bushings are Delrin, not Poly. They'll probably be OK with .25" clearance & you can use a high temp grease in them. You can also fab up an el cheapo heat shield or adapt one of the ones they use on GN's. I'm not sure how close it is, but I'd also be concerned about that brakeline, too.

Tommy

[evostilo]

Thanks for the advice guys been lagging on my project im going to wait till the car has been aligned and i will probly fab up a heat shield for just incase

[TXsilverado]

this is annoying to find. I have brp mounts and headers to install on my car and I have the same upper control arms. Hopefully BRP has noticed the issue and corrected it since 2012? we'll see. the issue may be worse with 2" primaries. I don't plan to bend the headers...