Long tube headers on SBC..Am I dreaming?

Long story short, my Jeep is pretty much getting rebuilt (again) this winter. The 283 is getting replaced with a 331 and I want to completely redo the exhaust. I currently have the old Chevy center dump manifolds which work fine, but I really want to go to long tube headers to help this thing on the high end. The question is, which ones? Speedway has an assortment of universal street rod headers, but it's near impossible to look at a pic and decide if it's actually going to fit in the Jeep or not. Right now the exhaust runs inside the framerail and I want to keep it that way. So, is anyone running a SBC with longtubes? Any pics? Am I crazy?

 

Hooker 9810's. Not sure if they make them in stainless, but if so it would be worth the extra bucks. If you weld the mufflers directly to the collectors, you can get a 14" muffler in there and still turn out with 2.5" before the wheels if side dump is what you want.

Ancient history photos from 1974-with Walker turbo mufflers




And how the current pair look on the flatty-Borla's

 

Long pipes to the collector promote a lower rpm peak torque.............versus short pipes to the collector resonate at higher RPMs...........

 

Very true and for an off road application, the longest tubes you can find will usually yield the best results. However, just about any decent aftermarket header will surpass the stock cast iron versions on both ends of the rpm spectrum.

That engine in my 74 pics was a 1970 LT 1 350 running 11:1 and a wicked Sig Earson cam and worked very well with those long tube headers right up to the 7k redline. We will not say how well that engine worked off road but it was in there less than 2 years-just enough time to gather enough parts to put a replacement together.

 

Going to have a hard time finding long tube headers that aren’t fender well exit.
I’ve got Hooker Super Comps similar to duffer’s picture, except I ran 3” out the back. It’s been a while but I think I got them and the Flow Master mufflers from Summit.

 

How much cam do you have? Anything less than 210 degrees at .050 doesn't need headers IMO. I replaced the long tubes in my Jimmy with 2 1/2" outlet Corvette Rams Horns, and I thought the low end power was improved and the end at least the same. I did go from 2 1/4" exhaust to 2 1/2" at the same time. I'm not a header fan for the most part as the manifolds are less maintenance intensive and quieter. The Corvette manifolds the best of both worlds.

 

:tea::iagree:

 

like the way duffer has his setup, looks like there up in the frame area. rock crawling is to friendly on exhaust pipes, or mufflers, that hang down. your motor has more than enough power stock to do everything. headers are really a waste of money on a V8 in an old jeep. all lot of people take them off because of leaks.