More header dillemas and a couple questions for anyone with Hooker Longtubes

I know a few people on here run these. I was just wondering a few things. One, is the oxygen sensor bung on the header collector, or on one of the primary tubes? I see images with it in both locations, so I am confused. I don't like the idea of an 02 sensor only reading from one cylinder, like if it's on a primary tube.

They are desigend to be able to be used with a modified stock H pipe. A Pypes X pipe is also designed to be used with a modified stock H pipe. Putting 2 and 2 together, I assume that the Pypes X pipe closely follows the dimensions of the stock H pipe, so I assume it will work with Hooker longtubes. Has anyone done this?

And, lastly, has anyone sucessfully spliced cats into a system with these headers? Doesn't look like there's much room in there, but ya never know.

I have been having a lot of trouble deciding on which headers to get for my car. I will not spend the money for Kooks, ARH, SLP, etc, that's just not an option. So for a while I was set on Macs, I was going to buy a package from Brenspeed for 699 that is the header, an offroad X pipe, 02 sensor extensions, gaskets, and hardware. I was told that they are good quality headers, fit well, etc, and that they should make just as much power as any other header, give or take, despite being shorter. My main reasons for choosing them were because this package is relatively cheap, fits what i want, and if it will make good power, why not. I figured I can easily splice some cats in since there is plenty of pipe to play withdue to the shorter lenth of the MACs, and they're even ceramic coated. I also figure they'll be a lot easier to install since they aren't as long and bulky as full long tubes. But by the time I buy cats, I'm up to $850ish, which is getting up there for "accessorizing" a cheap header...

But at the same time, I just have this idea in my head that I'm better off with a full long tube. Am I right, or is the power difference going to be negligible between the two like a few people have told me?

In the market for full long tubes, all of the options that are offered with a catted X pipe are way too much money. But I I noticed that Hookers are available for 600-650. So I got to thinking, if I can get these and use themw ith my current Pypes X pipe, then I am at the same level in the game for $50 less than with the Macs (sicne I won't be buying a second X pipe), and with a full lenth header instead of a mid-lenth longtube, and after buying cats I'll be at like $750-800. That seems pretty sweet to me. My only concerns here would be wether the X pipe will work or not, the location of the 02 sensors, and most importantly, if I can add cats, because I want cats.

So now I am stufk between the two. I can get A. the Macs, which I know will work, as it is a package, and Brenspeed told me they have added the Pypes cat kit to them with no problem. They should't be too hard to install since they aren't that long and may have less clearance issues. Yet they are still decently long. If they make just as much power, then why not? Or B. The Hookers, which would be harder to install (not my main concern, as a professional technician) and may be a tighter fit, but would be full lenth. But I may not be able to add cats.

So what does everyone reccomend, which would I be better off with, and which would make more power?

Sorry for my constant threads about this, I have a lot of trouble deciding on everything I buy, especially things I can't see until they show up on my doorstep.

So then the 02 bungs are on the primary tube, not the collector?

The pypes X pipe didn't need any modifiying, it fit just like it was made for them huh?

Could you tell me if there is 9 inches of straight pipe to add cats behind the headers? Thanks for your help.

Do you mean like the left header has it in the primary, he right has it in the collector, or vice cersa? Or do you mean each header has 2 bungs, one in the primary and one in the collector (which I would assume would be just to give you somewhere to stick the rear 02s)? If it's the latter, than I'd just use the rear bungs for my primary 02s and plug the front ones.

I am from IL, but our OBD2 testing is lax enough that I can get away with not having cats so long as the monitor is disabled.

My reason is that I'd like the car to be a bit quieter than it is now, and I assume headers will make it even louder, so I want cats to bring it back down a couple notches. But I intend to try it without them first, before buying cats and splicing them in, since I might like the loudness more with the sound of the headers and new axleback, as opposed to my current setup.

My car is tuned and they turned off the rear 02 monitor, so no CEL.

FWIW, I went with the MAC longtubes.

They aren't on the car yet, but they look to be pretty good quality. Only complaint I have is that there are a lot of spots where they missed the ceramic coating, like down near the collectors.

When I put them on I will probably make a write-up with before and after dyno results.

I will. I might not do the dyno results now because 5.0 magazine just did that for us, and I got laid off from work so I'm broke now. But I will deffinetely do a writeup with pictures of the actual install.