I Finally Bought Headers.

Mattstang04 · Nov 12, 2013

I've been thinking about it forever. Been many mods in preparation for these little darlings (i.e. tubular K member). So I placed my order for a set of Bassani headers today . This thread doesn't really go anywhere but I am freakin' stoked about it.

Anybody had trouble removing stock exhaust studs or bolts? I also got a set of Stage 8 locking header bolts so the oldies got to go.

Any tricks for header installs I should know or snags to look out for?

Thatsweetstang · Nov 12, 2013

Nice man! Best advice I can give is have money to pay some one else to do it . it's a pain, I've replaced stock gaskets on my dads 99 gt and thought I was gonna die from frustration. Until I put BBK long tube headers on my brothers 95 5.0, if I had a lift I would for sure drop the motor down and install them. Maybe you can drop subframe with the motor and get the car as high as you can up in the air. Either way best of luck man.

Deleted member 38176 · Nov 12, 2013

Seeing as you got Bassani..... PLEASE tell me they are full length headers and not mids or shorties!

Bassani is expensive! Is there a reason as to why you didn't go with BBK or MAC?

Mattstang04 · Nov 12, 2013

Sorry Nightfire. Got mids so I wouldn't have to buy a new mid pipe. Plus my clutch will be an upcoming project and I don't want to take a header down to do that job.

After the headers are on I'm throwing on a smaller pulley and getting a fresh dyno tune.

superstang01 · Nov 12, 2013

I dropped my passenger side header and it was a PITA. I will never do it again without a lift. It takes a lot of patience and very bendy arms

Thatsweetstang · Nov 12, 2013

Nothing wrong with mid lengths, better than shorties. Plus you get to pull the trans with out removing the headers. Also it is too much of a pain to do it more than once on your back. I'm a I only want to do it once kind of person, i lose enthusiasm after already doing it.

Mattstang04 · Nov 13, 2013

@Thatsweetstang - I hear you. I've done everything to my car with a kind of "set it and forget it" mentality. I pay a lot but the things I've bought and done to the car have never given me any trouble.

Even with the tune. I have a more aggressive tune stored in my tuner. But its only for cold intake air temps and I never bother with it. Just leave the safety tune in.

Do it once and do it right. I could probably have more power doing things different or buying different pieces but my reliability, consistency and performance have been irrefutable.

Deleted member 38176 · Nov 13, 2013

Mattstang04 said:
Sorry Nightfire. Got mids so I wouldn't have to buy a new mid pipe. Plus my clutch will be an upcoming project and I don't want to take a header down to do that job.

After the headers are on I'm throwing on a smaller pulley and getting a fresh dyno tune.

I hear you. I have a stalled auto so I never have to worry about the damn clutches. I never had anything but stick shifts before my GT so I know very well the headache.

Blown 2V's FTW!

Mattstang04 · Nov 15, 2013

Here's some shots in packaging I took while doing inventory. Not the best pics but its a shows what I am starting with.

usaf_branham · Nov 15, 2013

Not sure about mid lengths but for longtubes your best bet is either pay some one or rent a lift for a day... You are going to want to use an engine support (fender to fender) and drop the k member. I did it with the k member in... Not cool. If only I knew then what I know now, I would have saved a whole mess of time money and work.

Mattstang04 · Nov 17, 2013

I'm really hoping my tubular K member will greatly ease the install. I can put my hands on every bolt with the wheels off.

Thatsweetstang · Nov 17, 2013

I've heard of it helping, but I don't have a tube K member or have worked on a mustang that did. You need to do it and tell us how it goes

Mattstang04 · Nov 17, 2013

Unless my project suffers some great calamity, I will be doing this install.

I bought and installed the K-member almost 2 years ago in anticipation of this very project. Changing the k member wasn't overly complicated but it was a labor intensive PITA. Having to do that while installing headers would have been an even bigger PITA.

So, hopefully I have offset a majority of the hassle involved in installing the headers. I will keep you all posted. May start next weekend if time allows.

sneaky98gt · Nov 17, 2013

usaf_branham said:
Not sure about mid lengths but for longtubes your best bet is either pay some one or rent a lift for a day... You are going to want to use an engine support (fender to fender) and drop the k member. I did it with the k member in... Not cool. If only I knew then what I know now, I would have saved a whole mess of time money and work.

If you had access to a lift, why not just unbolt the K-member from the body, and raise the body up off the motor/tranny/k-member? Then everything is right there in front of you and easy to work on. That's how I thought was the easiest way to do it.

superstang01 · Nov 17, 2013

I didn't find it too difficult taking my headers off with my upr k member. Putting them back on......different story. If I did it again I'd definetly drop the k member

1987stangman · Nov 17, 2013

Are you saying that you bought a t-k member just to make your future header install easier? I would have waited and done both at the same time and def would have went with a set of long tubes but it will be a lot easier going with the tubular.

I'm in the same boat you are though I am am waiting till after x-mas to get the headers to go along with all the other crap I have collected but I was going to yank the five speed out and pull the engine up to do it as I will be putting a clutch in at the same time.

Mattstang04 · Nov 17, 2013

Having the k member has made many things easier. I wanted a project and scored a good deal at fun Ford on the k member. That combined with my plans for future mods made it an easy sale.

If I had the money for headers at the time I might have done both but I figure one thing at a time and as money allows.

1987stangman · Nov 20, 2013

Mattstang04 said:
Having the k member has made many things easier. I wanted a project and scored a good deal at fun Ford on the k member. That combined with my plans for future mods made it an easy sale.

If I had the money for headers at the time I might have done both but I figure one thing at a time and as money allows.

I hear you there, money is not really my issue this time it's health. I had a major surgery two years ago and I swear I just don't have it in me to do the things I used to before all that came at mr from nowhere. I'm getting there though and it should all come together soon.

Mattstang04 · Nov 20, 2013

I hope you heal up soon and good luck with your upcoming projects.

I Finally Bought Headers.

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