I am going to be installing Edelbrock long tube headers along with SLP x-pipe and loud mouth II mufflers on my 2001 convertible GT in a couple of months. Does anyone have any advice on installation?
Are the factory subframes on convertibles an issue?
Do a quick search, you'll find plenty of tutorials on how to do it. FYI, it is a PITA, as you're going to have to remove the K-Member and such in order to install them.
Here is some advice. Pay a shop to install L/T headers. They are a pain on 4V and 2V motors. They are more of a pain on 2V because the angle of the cylinder heads is worse than a 4V motor. Also, if you have an auto trans, that makes it even harder than if you had a 5spd.
Oh for the love of god, don't pay someone to do it.
As far as install goes, its actually pretty EASY! its no different then doing oil change. Its just REALLY REALLY time consuming.
There are several ways to tackle this task. you can either drop cross member and gain huge access to it, or leave cross member, and have not so great access to it. I know there are several member here that did the install with K-in place to save time. But any time you save by keeping K member in there is gonna be ofset by time it takes to locate 3rd starter bolt(you see when you get there this stupid bolt), so i would not even recommend doing this way.
here is article that i followed when I did mine - http://www.fnsweet.com/garage/ltinstall.shtml
spend some time reading it over. You'll need to read few times to get the mental picture of process itself. Then you'll also go through the list of tools you have and you don't have. if there are some tools in list you don't have, then get it now.
i used 1 jack, and 2 jackstands, and 2 rhamps. You don't wanna use those cheap $9.99 jackstand from Wallsmart. trust me. get a good one with wide base.
You'll have to be very creative here there. I had no help. SO i had to be very creagtive to cagotiate 80+ lb crossmember. I had use busted milk crate and shop chair with tires to do this.
You might want to reverve an entire weekend for this if this is your first time. And secure several buddies. MUCH easier with friend at your disposal.
You'll also want to consider doing things like clutch now if condition of clutch is unknown. Just because it grabs good is not a good indication. Case in point - my clutch blew apart week after I did the LT install. And i had to remove LT to get the trans out.
Good luck with it. It is really important to tell yourself that you CAN do this, as you'll wonder yourself if you can put all this back together as ir progress, and pile of removed parts gets bigger and bigger.
Any question, we'd be happy to assist you in anyway!
I did LTs on my 00GT vert about 2 years ago. I also replaced the clutch the month prior to installing LTs for reasons already mentioned. I'll confirm that the install is not complex, just very time consuming. I dropped the K member and used the fnsweet instructions.
If you go with mid-lengths or long tubes, you have to change the midpipe. I have BBK ceramic LT with BBK catted H pipe (short H pipe). No fitment problems and no leaks. The only downside is if you have to remove the tranny.