Best Bang For The Buck Shorty Header?

[Cool Beans]

From most expensive to least:

Sanderson Shorties: Coated, will run me about $500 Claim to need no header gasket.

http://www.sandersonheaders.com/Sanderson-FF3-Small-Block-Ford-Header-Set-for-64-68-Mustang.html

Patriot Clippsters: $350 coated. Looks like a cheaper version of JBA shorties. Rear tubes on the driver side might pose clearance issues for plugs/wires? 3" collector?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/p...year/1968/make/ford/model/mustang?prefilter=1

Hedman 88408: $350 coated. Passenger points right at firewall?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hed-88408/overview/year/1968/make/ford/model/mustang

Thoughts and experiences welcome. I was thinking of pairing new headers with the FLowmaster 44 kit.

I was also thinking of some tri-y's, but I couldn't find any that didn't require a power steering drop bracket. I've read a lot of people having steering issues after the bracket and the frame parting at the seem. . .

Thanks!

 

[GNGREN]

I didn't have any issues at mockup with plug clearance with the patriot headers I have. They are shorties but not sure if they are clippster. (Have had them a few years). I have my engine moved back a bit and the bed radius for the passenger side exhaust connection was a little tight, and it didn't leave much room on the drivers side at the Borgeson box. They cleared the cable for the clutch though. I am using a set of Headman long tubes with modified tubes now. The fit and finish of the Patriots was pretty good though.

Back around 1990 I got a set of BleckJack long tubes from Pep Boys that I installed with no drop down bracket. They were very close to the ram but didn't touch it. Melted the boot a bit but I had those things on it for almost 20 years no problems other than that melted boot. Steering never seemed to be affected by it.

 

[Cool Beans]

Many thanks for the reply! I think I'm just going to go with the Hedmans. I have read the least fitment horror stories of them so far. For my HP goals the Hi-po manifolds should work, but for the same price I want the look of headers

 

[bchampion]

I have the Hedman Elite Shorty's on my 289 and love them!! At the time of install I had a C4 but have since swapped over to a T5 with cable clutch setup. No fitment issues with either. The only issue I had was that the drivers side header had a pinhole leak in the weld. Hedman customer service was fantastic. I sent them the damaged one back and they sent me a new one to replace it. No charge to me.