[dragracer]

i recently purchased and installed a set of the new hedman shorty headers in a 1965 tempest convertible. they actually fit the chassis pretty good. the problems i am having are i went to port match the headers to the stock pontiac gaskets which which the heads were also matched to. i couldnt quite open them up enough cause the sealing ring on the header was getting pretty thin. i installed them anyway and the right header leaked at the rear port. i found that when the thing was ground flat for the gasket seal, it somehow got tilted and the top part of the seal was ground too fat so it barely made contact with the gasket. the left header sounds like it is leaking between the four tubes where they go into the collector. talked with hedman and they are going to pick them up and repair them, i dont want them replaced since i already built my exhaust and i dont need things to not line up again. the only problem is it is two weeks later and the headers are still in the box in my kitchen waiting to be picked up. will keep you guys informed

[dragracer]

i recently purchased and installed a set of the new hedman shorty headers in a 1965 tempest convertible. they actually fit the chassis pretty good. the problems i am having are i went to port match the headers to the stock pontiac gaskets which which the heads were also matched to. i couldnt quite open them up enough cause the sealing ring on the header was getting pretty thin. i installed them anyway and the right header leaked at the rear port. i found that when the thing was ground flat for the gasket seal, it somehow got tilted and the top part of the seal was ground too fat so it barely made contact with the gasket. the left header sounds like it is leaking between the four tubes where they go into the collector. talked with hedman and they are going to pick them up and repair them, i dont want them replaced since i already built my exhaust and i dont need things to not line up again. the only problem is it is two weeks later and the headers are still in the box in my kitchen waiting to be picked up. will keep you guys informed

[63Banshee]

You can weld a ridge back onto the header and grind it to size, but it sounds like the ports are larger diameter then the primary tubes... in which case all this work was for not.

[pro-tour79]

I would not buy those POS when you can get repro ram air manifolds and have the same perf. gains and not deal with the leak problems, now don't get me wrong they will save some weight.

[tom s]

there are still some cars out there where repo exhaust wont work and no 4 tubes are made.That is the exact reason I bought a set of the shortys.I hope mine dont have his same problems.Tom

[screamingchief]

You just have to keep in mind that the initial primary tube diameter is 1 5/8"(they step up to 1 3/4" with a 3" collector) and that they are'nt really meant to be "hogged out" all that much.I would just radius the port inlets and be done,as opposed to trying to "port match" them to a header gasket intended to fit a larger port diameter.I dont think these were ever intended to be anything other than a alternative to manifolds(logs or H-O).If they were they would have built them completely differently.You just have to work within they're limitations,like any given component.I don't feel they are total crap,just not designed to fully take advantage of a headers possibilities.

[screamingchief]

By the way the ram air manifolds are'nt perfect either.I had manifolds that leaked,were cracked,needed surfacing everytime I pulled them,broken studs,etc...Granted they're usually not as bad as headers,but they can still cause headaches too.JM2c...

[dragracer]

i mainly went with the shortys after i sat down and figured out what it would all cost. between the manifolds, the flanges and the head pipes i was looking at over $400.00.i got the headers, hooker collectors, 2 1/2 U-bend, 4ft of 2 1/2 exhaust pipe, and copper collector gaskets for just under $300.00. i fabricated the rest of the exhaust myself. everything would have been great if they would not have leaked. one good thing was when i went to pull them off, it took me less than an hour to pull both headers off. i only had to remove the starter and pull the right engine mount bolt off to lift that side of the engine slightly

[elefantrider]

don't these install without having to pull the starter motor and jack up the engine? that is one of the two main reasons why i'd buy them, to make installation/removal easier...... increased ground clearance being the other reason.

[tom s]

FYI,they dont fit a 63 tempest.Tom