V8 / V6 Headers?

What do you guys think is a better set up, block huggers or fender well?

The block huggers are slick, but looks like everything is really tight, all routing is between the frame rails. The fender wells look much easier, assuming you don't mind cutting your inner fenders and you are routing the exhaust out the side of the jeep.

What about the steering shaft? (assume Sagniaw PS set up)...Clutch? (assume hydro)
What are the other fitment issues I am missing for a glass body cj5?

Thanks

 

What engine? What year Jeep? What are we working with here?

 

57 frame, SBC V8, 4WD Hardware glass body, OEM metal front fenders, Saginaw PS, manual gear box, D18.

 

I'd say block huggers, simply because i don't like the mufflers hanging right under the door & the tailpipes exiting by the tire. But, it does make for a much simpler exhaust system.

 

Probably better off in the "Early" tech section rather than "Intermediate".

I removed my fender headers because I didn't want side pipes, too loud for me. Can't answer about interference...my Jeep is 3" longer than yours.

 

For power, fender well.
For a clean appearance, no chopping up your inner fenders and a longer lasting exhaust, since the header tubes aren’t exposed to spray off the front tires, shorties (block huggers).

 

I have fenderwell on mine...like the sound but hate the look of both exhaust...i will fab a costum rock slider that will hide both and add a chrome pipe for the look...

 

I had many sets of fender well, broke them all eventually. Short exhaust run/vibrating engine is a bad mix. Went back to manifold (stock). If they made block huggers that would work with the original Ross steering box I would go back to headers, but I don't think they do.

 

I have fenderwells. My concern with a glass body would be the heat. The floor of my jeep gets awfully hot from the mufflers being right underneath. On road trips, I tend to hang my left foot off the door opening to keep it from being so hot. No escape for the throttle foot though. It was hot enough to warm up a bucket of chicken sitting there for 45 minutes!

 

If I can cook chicken while I'm driving down the road, that does it for me...I want a jeep chicken cooker! I did think they might need to be wrapped near the tub, maybe a heat shield? But actually fiberglass resins (polyester) can handle over 250 degrees without damage, you just think it is about to melt. May work better than steel, as it wouldn't conduct the heat as bad?

Definately appears more guys have the fender wells?

 

The chicken cooker was a bonus...hee hee.

Mine has what looks like thick asbestos cloth tacked to the underside of the floorboards. Still seems plenty hot inside. One other bummer is that the exhaust fumes tend to get to me when I'm crawling. The tips are just ahead of the rear wheels.

I would like to switch to manifolds, but right now the budget won't allow it. I just welded up a couple of pipes that had broken loose from the flanges to get me by.

 

different jeep than yours but, I ran both exhausts on a 79. As said above, the fenderwells rust out and fall off after a few years and their hot on the feet in the summer. I went to the block hugger type and ran them straight out the back with flowmasters and absolutley loved them, the jeep was quitier, fumes were gone, and sounded awsome. If I had the choice again I would go block huggers.

 

'68 CJ5 V6 fender headers. Instead of turning out at the tire, had pipe turned in in front of the tire then to the rear and out the back. Much better than at the wheel!! Used 2" pipe, and the bends do not restrict flow.

 

More folks will have the fender wells because in the 70's, 80's and I suppose most of the 90's block huggers were not available.

 

I have fender well versions on both the 3B and the 5. If you buy decent headers, you can get 20-25 years out of them so don't really think the exposure issue is much of an issue and really will not be an issue if you get stainless. My 3B is also glass and I did install heat shielding along with about 8" of header wrap. I did this after the paint started blistering with about 3" clearence. No problems since and it's on the second set of Hookers. You definately need to give some thought to the muffler support on the fenderwells- it has to flex or you WILL break welds/flanges/etc.

Fenderwells are certainly a bit more noisey than a rear exit but only as loud as the mufflers you buy. Personally, I don't mind the looks. I do have skids under the 3B mufflers but not on the 5 which do have a few dings in them as a result.

With a sbc, I think there is some significant potential performance gain with long tube fenderwell headers. That and it's almost like running open exhaust.

 

Thanks for the ideas and tips, I had not given much thought to the muffler mount, but according to everyone the vibration issue needs addressing. Sounds like a short section of SS flex pipe would save the headers.
Great idea running the exhaust pipe behind the tire, thanks for the picture (worth a thousand words)

 

If you run them out the back try to get them to exit out the side behind the tire or else the exhaust fumes roll back in the passenger compartment when driving with no top.