hedman vs hooker headers..help!!!

[texasdvldog]

I sent away for 2 sets of ceramic coated headers..the first one is:

Headman part# HED-68278

VS

Hooker Competition Headers part# HOK-2451-1HKR

I have to send one of these bad boys back to Summit but I wanted to know which one would give me less headaches when trying to get around the steering box?? I keep hearing all these nightmares of having to put dimples in the tube that runs by the box.

Oh by the way, I have a 67 RS/SS with a SBC 350 performance crate motor that's going to be installed. Thanks in advance!

[Castlesmith]

I don't know about the hedman's...but the hooker super comp, I have on my 67 vert. 383, with stock steering. The headers are 1 3/4 tubes and I did have to dimple the tube to clear the steering box. It took 4 hands and a piece of pipe and a bench vise to make a nice clearance and we did not mar the ceramic coating....but we had to do it!

[mdprovee]

Also with the Hookers, they hang down low on the drivers side. They also have the 3 hole flange welded with on hole pointing down. Cuts down on your road clearence.

Mike

[texasdvldog]

cmon guys, help me out here...I'm sure you all have to have an opinion of which ones are the better fit?!?

[RobM]

i don’t know about headman but i personally am not too impressed with my hooker headers. and I’ve called their tech support and they basically told me that no matter what their designee is right and i just have to make them work in my car. In my car the passenger side collector sat way up high and i had a very hard time running exhaust off of it with out hitting the tranny cross member for my 4 speed. All hooker told me was i had to bend the exhaust to fit and the header was supposed to be that way. also both of my collector flanges have one of the holes pointing down on both sides which cuts down on ground clearance. I also hear that some people have this problem and some don’t. Now i know non of these old cars are exactly alike but i would think the flanges on all their headers would be welded on the same! this leads me to believe that the quality control isn’t that great

[Kenova]

Another set of Hookers here. They came with my Nova when I bought it. I don't have a part number, but I can tell you they are 1 7/8 inch tubes. They look bloody huge on the small block 400. I have excellent clearance with manual steering and four speed. They fit close to the floor and the flanges don't hang too low. I'm using a small starter. If the old full size starter doesn't hit, I'm sure there would be a problem with heat.
I've never had any experience with Headmans, so I may not be much help either.
Ken

[inSANe DIEGO]

I have Eagle (which I was told are the same as Hedmans) and the fit is fine. The primaries hang a bit low- about the same as the collector flange if rotated to have one bolt straight down. My UCAs have "dimpled" one primary on each side, BUT that was with the soft stock saggy springs and a couple of Duke of Hazard moments back in my more foolish days...
Bring the driver side header in from underneath the car.

[NOVA]

I am on my forth set of ceramic hedman's on all chevy app's 283,350-2 and now on my ZZ4 and have been very pleased with the fit and quality,I get the shorty style so I do not have clearance issues .... I ve had good luck with hedman's.

[HILROD]

All the heddmans I've used fit great with very good ground clearance. The drivers header some times just touches the steering box lightly. There is clearance normally but scratches the coating under torque. The should fit fine on all normal cars (1969 camaro) but I used mismatched poly mounts and stands to lower engine to keep it under the stock cowl. It has a Weind 144 blower. Also these are the 1 7/8 tubes. FRANK

[Drewhelm]

I have a set of Hedman's on my 69 Firebird and they fit better than any other header I've seen. (Hooker, Hooker Super Comp, Thorley, or Dynomax. They are ceramic coated and have the ball collectors.

[1Fine69]

i ordered the hooker super comps and they were jsut bad. I couldnt get the drivers side in. They were supposed to be caoted inside and out. the inside was rusted. I sent them back and ordered hedmans. il tell you how it comes out

[6'9"Witha69]

Hedman. I have had 2 pair on my 69. ne was a long tube and the current are shorties. The shorties had an argument with Steering box. Just slightly though.

My friends also run mainly Hedman. The ones who have tried hookers have given up on them quickly!

[zuess4u]

We just ordered S&S headers for our project today. They do cost a little more, but the flange is 3/8's, and flanges are lazer cut, rather then stampped. The thing we were pleased with, was the routing of the tubes, lots "O" clearance for R&P and or power steering box. Their welds are show quality as well, these will be 1 7/8's.

You can go to their site and get a really good picture of the acrual header....nice close up... www.Sandsheaders.com see what you think.

[1Fine69]

check out the headmans. compared to the hookers they seemed to be a work of art!

[DeltaT]

These are Hedman Huslers after I modified them: Lowered bolt holes .2" for raised exhaust port heads, clearanced for mini-starter, Jet-Hot coated.




I've had both Hookers and Hedmans, and they both seem to have a wide variation in craftmanship and quality. I think it depends on the guys in the shop the day yours were built. I also see a lot of differences between right & keft side headers, so I suspect the same guy doesn't do a set at a time.

If you get them uncoated, at least you can clean them up and port match them as much as possible and not ruin the ceramic. Either brand, I'd never run another uncoated set.

Jim

[JL8Jeff]

I ran the Hooker headers (I think they were the 2451) on my 68 Camaro with AC with a 94 LT1 in it and they fit fine. I think the passenger side header was close to the floorboard and the driver's side hung down lower. The driver's side was real close to the steering box but then I think they all are.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

ahhaha

man has ANYONE ever had a good experience with installing, fitting, getting headers right the first time without a prybar!?

hahaha

[6'9"Witha69]

ahhaha

man has ANYONE ever had a good experience with installing, fitting, getting headers right the first time without a prybar!?

hahaha

Not me!