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By Florida_Phil - 6 Years Ago
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I have used Red's Y Block Headers in the past in a 1957 Ford Passenger car. They're not fancy, but they work. Anyone tried them in a 1955 Thunderbird with a manual transmission? What are other alternatives to stock exhaust manifolds.
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By Joe-JDC - 6 Years Ago
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FPA. Best header for torque and horsepower out there short of custom. Ceramic coated and fit snug to engine. I recently tried to get a set of headers made for my '55 Thunderbird, and the so called "header guru" quoted me a price of $3500.00 and I would have to take the car to Charlotte for the fitting. My FPAs made the best score on a dyno test recently among five different brands. Joe-JDC.
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By charliemccraney - 6 Years Ago
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In Ted's testing, the FPA headers were right at the top and are the best headers you can buy off-the-shelf for a Y, period. Too bad they only fit T-Birds.
http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/FindPost99070.aspx
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By miker - 6 Years Ago
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I’ve run both sets on my 55 bird, manual trans. The Red’s aren’t a true “Tri-Y”, as the primary tubes aren’t paired to the firing order. There’s a pipe available that goes from the exit and snakes down the the original exhaust system. Kind of an S bend. It’s 1 1/2” or so, and mates to the stock muffler. They looked good, fit well, and held up fine. But they don’t buy you a lot of power due to the size restriction.
The FPA’s are just what Ted’s results showed. They also fit well, but they’ve got a bigger collector. The ones on the car now have a 2 1/4” exhaust, exiting behind the rear wheel. My car has a tri-4 bar with coil overs in back, otherwise I would have gone 2 1/2”.
Based only on the seat of my pants, I’d say there’s not much difference with a stock motor and full exhaust system. You start adding ported head, more cam, at one point I ran an SN series supercharger, the FPA’s start to post the gains. Currently, the car runs a 10.5 to 1 compression and aluminum heads. No doubt in my mind the FPA’s are needed with those mods.
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By Florida_Phil - 6 Years Ago
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Thanks for the replies. When I pulled the motor out of my 55 TBird, I found two different types of exhaust manifolds. One side was the original 55 and the other was from an early sixties Y block of some kind. I would like to find two 1957 TBird exhaust manifolds which I assume are rare and pricey. I ran a set of FPA headers in a 1957 Ford a few years back and I liked the quality. I am not a serious racer. My car has 57 heads, intake and valve train. I am building a new motor with an Isky E4 cam. I am looking for options.
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By Lou - 6 Years Ago
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Right side exhaust manifold is same as passenger car, left side is T-Bird only
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By Genuinerod - 6 Years Ago
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Sanderson also makes a set of headers for the T-Bird (FTB1:$575.00 coated) although not as good as the FPA's.
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By paul2748 - 6 Years Ago
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This guy may have a set of 57 manifolds for a Tbird
Adrian, lilbirds567@wmconnect.com. No idea what he would want for them
Florida_Phil (7/8/2018)
Thanks for the replies. When I pulled the motor out of my 55 TBird, I found two different types of exhaust manifolds. One side was the original 55 and the other was from an early sixties Y block of some kind. I would like to find two 1957 TBird exhaust manifolds which I assume are rare and pricey. I ran a set of FPA headers in a 1957 Ford a few years back and I liked the quality. I am not a serious racer. My car has 57 heads, intake and valve train. I am building a new motor with an Isky E4 cam. I am looking for options.
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By Florida_Phil - 6 Years Ago
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I emailed Adrian and he has a 1957 Thunderbird driver side exhaust manifold he will sell me for $175. In the photo he sent me the middle casting number is "9429" and the bolts are broken off in the exhaust flange. Isn't the right casting number for a 1957 Thunderbird Exhaust manifold ECJ-9431-C?
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By NoShortcuts - 6 Years Ago
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Phil. I checked with a friend who has been into 'Birds forever. In checking his parts, he has an ECJ 9431-C exhaust manifold tagged as being off a '57 Bird driver's side. He also has an ECJ 9431-A exhaust manifold tagged as being off a '56 Bird driver's side.
Other than the casting number, I don't know the difference in the castings.
IF you can reference Gil Baumgartner's authored Classic Thunderbird Club International Thunderbird Restoration Manual, you will likely be able to obtain more info. I don't have access to the book at this writing. 
Hope this helps.
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By Florida_Phil - 6 Years Ago
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Adrian found one with the ECJ9431 casting number. I should now have both 1957 Thunderbird manifolds. Thanks for the link! The FPA headers are $800 bucks. Yikes!! I'm sure they are worth every cent, but for my application the stock 57 exhaust manifolds should fit my needs.
Once I get the motor back in I'm looking at a custom exhaust system. I want the pipes bigger than the stock 1955 pipes. I'm not sure now big they can make them and still have them fit within the frame rails and out the rear bumper. I also want a side three bolt exhaust dump visible behind both front wheels. Anyone ever seen this done?
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By CSPIDY - 6 Years Ago
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CASCO and CONCOURS parts both sell repops of the 57 Tbird exhaust manifolds for about $250 ea.
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By Vic Correnti - 6 Years Ago
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Phil I have 3" that exit as stock 55 bird. I have had 2" also which were a lot easier. Both have the mufflers and pipe located in the stock locations.
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By miker - 6 Years Ago
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With the Red’s headers I had electric cut outs to the lakes pipes, so you should be able to get to the down pipe for just a dump tube with a block off plate. Might take a bit of fancy welding, and exit right behind the back of the wheel well. Couldn’t make it work with the FPA collectors.
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By DryLakesRacer - 6 Years Ago
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Bellflowers out the back...First time I've ever seen them on a Bird...
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By Rono - 6 Years Ago
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Hi Mike;
Do you remember what brand of electric exhaust cut outs you used on the Bird? I'm planning on a set for the coupe. I've been looking at the Quick Time 2.5", but they are quite spendy.
Thanks
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By miker - 6 Years Ago
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I know you’re not supposed to have bellflowers and lakes pipes, but they did visually lower the car. That shot was taken for planning, there was a set of dumps to replace the lakes, and cut tips for the bellflowers. The Connie kit was something we built and came right off. It’s got 10” cheaters on 7” rims in that shot. It drove so squirrelly with the little fronts the whole project got abandoned.
Ron, I don’t remember which cut outs were on the bird, but they were the butterfly type. They leaked a bit, but not a problem with the lakes pipes on. The dump tubes were much more audible. My roadster has a set that are a “sliding door” type, and they don’t leak at all. In the winter with the top on I’d add the block off plates to the lakes to tone it down, but driving with the top down they were ok.
Ron, I tried to send a pm, but your mailbox is full. All I’ve got is the juno email, is it still good?
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