[David Jones]

My GTO got the money for a set of Doug's headers for Christmas. After a little searching, I found that our host Performance Years had the best pricing on them so I ordered a set. Just like anything I've ordered from PY, they arrived quickly and nicely packaged. It took me a few weeks to find time to begin the installation, but a couple of weeks ago I dove in. First on the hit parade was getting the car high enough in the air. I guess I put mine up about a foot or so and found that to be close to not high enough. More is better in this department. That's a lot of metal to slide up from the bottom and you need height. Next is removing things that are in the way. Unhook the battery. My car is an auto, so the transmission cooler lines came off. The transmission fill tube came off. The oil filter and the block mount for the filter (Doug's supplies a new gasket for that) came off. The dust cover for the torque converter came off. The starter came off ( have a RobbMc ministarter). I pulled the spark plug wires off the plugs and layed them on the intake. I removed both of the Ram Air III exhaust manifolds and let the exhaust pipes hang. After comparing the exits for the back cylinders on both the manifolds and the headers and comparing that to where the pipes bolt up I made a rough cut on the exhaust pipes to get them close to the correct length for the headers. I didn't factor in the reducers that came with the headers, I just wanted to get the pipes just out of the way for the headers install, then I'd cut for correct length. At this point I decided that I'd replace the motor mounts. That is another story.....
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After finally squaring away the mounts, I did a test fit on the driver side header. I could see interference with the proportioning valve, but I looked clear everywhere else including all transmission linkages. I took the header out and took the proportioning valve off its mount and bent it up against the frame. I did that with my foot and it took care of the clearance issue. Just that simple. Installation of the headers started with the passenger side. I had glued the gaskets to the headers with red silicone as per Wheelspin (Les). That worked great. I spread a small bead of red silicone on the head side also. I covered the area that the headers slid up into with a towel to protect from scratches and worked them into place. I started the front bolt and one of the rear bolts to hold them in place. I found no real issues in installing both headers by myself. A couple of the bolts were a challenge to get to but patience got it done. Actual bolting in of the headers took less than 2 hours. Reinstalling the various bits and pieces removed took more time. The transmission cooler lines required a little tweeking. I attached the transmission end 1st and then the radiator end. The lines touched the headers at the number 8 pipe. I bent the away by hand. The oil mount bolts were a challenge to start and tighten. Working from the top was the best way. Having various depth sockets was a plus here. The Craftsman was right for one of the bolts, a Stanley worked on the others. The PF30 oil filter fit just fine. The transmission fill tube went in fine. Looking at the various brake lines on the driver side I realized that the one going to the passenger side front was to close. It pushed back away from the heat with a long screw driver. The starter wnr in with no issues and all transmission linkages cleared. Nothing there had to be removed or ground down as I had read others had to do. After all that I realized that I was also lucky in where the headers ended and the exhaust pipes started. Right in line!! I went to Auto Zone and got a couple of pieces of pre flared staight pipe and some clamps. Laying under the car with the reducers and the pipes I figured and cut the exhaust to correct length and bolted it all together. Adding 2 quarts of transission fluid to replace what leaked out of the filler tube opening and I put the car back on the ground.
I don't notice a lot louder car. Some say the headers are noisier. They may be a little, but to me it's just a slightly DIFFERENT sound. Not really louder. I'd say my install went well, once I got past the motor mount fun and games.

And no leaks anywhere.

So far.