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By Duck - 15 Years Ago
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Fellas- I am hoping to run a Lake Pipe style exhaust setup on my '57, and run headers as well. Can anyone tell me if there's such a thing as fender well headers for T-birds? If so, who makes them? Thanks in advance- Duck
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By paul2748 - 15 Years Ago
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Won't the fresh air ducts get in the way of any fenderwell header?
Honestly, I would hate to see fenderwells cut on an early Bird
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By Duck - 15 Years Ago
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Thanks Paul- No, I really would rather not do any cutting either- but I can't picture in my mind how I could possibly use the headers made for T-birds, as they dump rearward, and kinda almost too far back for side pipes. I figured they'd have to turn outward (like my '62 Belair) to put everything on the right plain... I definitely can't see using the factory manifolds to accomplish any of this...or am I wrong?
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By GREENBIRD56 - 15 Years Ago
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We're talking "outside the framerail" right? You could probably get there with some iron manifolds (or the shorty "Red's" replacements) - if you relocated the battery and then hired a fellow with clever skills on the pipe bender. The pipes on the "Doan Spencer" car are about the foxiest set-up I've seen...... http://www.kirkwhite.com/1st.html
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By charliemccraney - 15 Years Ago
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I know someone who can do it. He is a friend of mine and an excellent fabricator.
www.tubularfab.com He's in GA, though so that may not work.
I imagine you'll need something like this using stock manifolds or chassis headers:
http://tubularfab.com/gal2/main.php?g2_itemId=1176
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 15 Years Ago
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Maybe a set of blockhuggers or rams horn manifolds, and fabricate steady rest brackets to clear after the pipes are hooked up. I think that would eliminate any cutting of the Bird sheetmetal.
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By Duck - 15 Years Ago
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After looking at the pic of that black '55, I think that's probably the ideal setup. They exit through the space that the splash aprons eliminate. Completely reversible. Also, those headers look purpose built to me. I've read about a fella here a few times (Jerry Christiansen) who builds headers, I wonder if those might be some of his? I also considered using the iron manifolds, but had to dismiss the thought do to the dearth of pipe bending talent available where I live. Generally speaking, if it can't be ordered and bolted on, it's out of the question, around here. I think it might be time well spent to contact Mr. Christiansen (if I can find the contact info somewhere) and run this (pic and all) by him, and see what he says. Thanks, fellas...
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 15 Years Ago
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I think Jerry has stated that he doesn't do Bird headers. His contact: 15408 McKensie Blvd, Minnetonka, MN. 55345. Phone 952-933-3672. Also, John Mummert advertises T-Bird headers, doesn't specify what style they are.
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By Duck - 15 Years Ago
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Hoosier Hurricane (5/14/2009)
I think Jerry has stated that he doesn't do Bird headers. His contact: 15408 McKensie Blvd, Minnetonka, MN. 55345. Phone 952-933-3672. Also, John Mummert advertises T-Bird headers, doesn't specify what style they are. Thank you, John- I (of course) didn't know that. I guess there's really no need to contact him, then, and yes, a call to Mr. Mummert does sound like the prudent thing to do, now. Thanks again.... Duck
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By Eddie Paskey - 15 Years Ago
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Hey Duck; John M. uses Ford preformance headers look good.I could not use because of rack and pinion steering. So am using Sanderson, They clear the steering part. Believe they'd work for you-- they go over the steering colmun and then down to the original head pipes, before X frame. Just after the headers go over the col. they go into a collector with ball fitting. Think you could put a 90 or maybe 45 there and then down, out thru the splash guard. Jeezes hope you can understand. Hope this helps God Bless Eddie
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By Duck - 15 Years Ago
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Thanks, Eddie- that made perfect sense. What you're saying is I'd need a custom "intermediate pipe" to pass through the splash apron area to make the hookup. That really doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility at all. I'd kind of like to leave the battery tray as is, though, if possible. I'll figure it out- eventually.... Thanks, fellas... Duck
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By Eddie Paskey - 15 Years Ago
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Hey Duck-- I have my batt. in the trunk, but Sanderson designed them to go under the batt. so you may be OK. Only thing headers are a bit hotter. Maybe you could insulate under the batt. or fab a heat shield out of alum. Charlie ,John, Steve do you guys have any ideas?? Thanks to everyone Eddie
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 15 Years Ago
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Duck: I wonder if sbc street rod block hugger headers would be feasable. Cut the engine flange off and weld the pipes to a Y flange. They would have to be sprung apart a little in the center, but heating the tubes red hot after welding to the flange should relieve the stress. At least they are relativlely cheap, or maybe find a used set at a swap meet to trial fit.
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By Doug T - 15 Years Ago
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I have built one set of headers for my T bird and in the planning process thought long and hard about an outlet in the area you are thinking about. My conclusion was that it would be fairly easy on the right side but more difficult on the left because of the steering column and clutch linkage. I had already relocated the battery in the trunk so that was not an issue. But if you remove the bolted in splash panels at the lower edge of the inner fender panel there is enough space for a collector or bend to the outside. However, in the end I decided that I wanted to use mufflers in the stock location and that it would be difficult to get a reasonable sized tube back from a collector in the fender space over the frame and into the mufflers especially on the left side. I also decided lakes type plugs were not worth the trouble. So the headers I built end inside the frame directed at the muffler inlet. If you are going to eliminate mufflers or you decide to locate them on the outside of the frame then the problems are not so severe. But you are looking at a set of custom made headers.
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By miker - 15 Years Ago
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I used a set of Red's headers (55 bird), with the extension pipe, a rather tight s bend that gets you back to the stock exhaust. I "T'd" into the pipes right at the joint to the headers, went straight down, put in a set of cut outs, and then picked up the lakes pipes just aft of the front wheel well. Red's are not true Tri Y's, but they were the best available at the time. This is not a race set up, too restrictive, and not the best headers. Looking at the 4 tube Mummert sells (which are built locally, south of Seattle), I don't think this would work, as the collector is too far aft to go down thru the fender/frame opening. might make it with a couple tight bends, and then use the caps on the lakes pipes without the cut outs. Of course, I also thought about a straight axle like a gasser, but Pegleg told me he'd cut me off on parts. If you want pictures, email me a miker98038@comcast.net
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By Duck - 15 Years Ago
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[ If you want pictures, email me a miker98038@comcast.net Miker- Email sent, -Thank You- Duck
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By Vic Correnti - 15 Years Ago
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Duck, I have a set of Hedman or Red headers I think they were called tri-y that have been modified that have a capped 4 inch collector and at the collector there is an outlet welded to it. I ran these on a 55 T-bird with a four speed back in the 60's and was able to run thru my stock exhaust configuration and run open headers at the track. The only thing I remember having to do to the bird was remove some kind of shield that was bolted to the bottom of the inner fender well. The state that they are in right now is I grit blasted them and was going to reinforce the joints and have them coated. They are not rusty and are in pretty good shape. Instead of using them I bought a set made by Ford Performance from Mummert. Send me your email address and I'll send you a picture of them. My email dress is vics1955tbird @gmail.com.
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