Need Longtube Suggestions

Rcdgl · Sep 15, 2019

So I am putting my new engine back in the 82. I wanted a new set of longtubes, and bought BBK 1516. As much as I dare try, they do not look like they will fit around by large bell C4, so I am sending them back. BBK suggested MAC.

Anyone got experience and a part number that will fit a 302 in an 82 with a 164 tooth flexplate/large bell C4?

96pushrod · Sep 15, 2019

Unless you find a supplier who has the Mac longtubes you want sitting in their warehouse ready to ship, I would avoid buying the Mac’s.

Rci can fab you a set of headers and they're pretty much guaranteed to fit if you tell them what you need.

Rcdgl · Sep 16, 2019

Thanks. What would be the issue with the MACS, are they out of production? Not familiar with RCI.

At this point the engine is going in with my 1987 Blackjack mid length units, I guess.

96pushrod · Sep 16, 2019

Rcdgl said:
Thanks. What would be the issue with the MACS, are they out of production? Not familiar with RCI.

At this point the engine is going in with my 1987 Blackjack mid length units, I guess.

The Mac product itself is great. The issue is with customer service and their promise dates. I'll share my experience with them. In April of last year I ordered a set of 1 3/4 in longtubes with a 3in collector and opted for the ceramic coating - I also ordered a pro chamber to match. My engine was due in mid July, so I figured that was plenty of time for a production item.

The pro chamber came quickly, the headers were apparently still being made. So after a few weeks I gave Mac a call; they said the headers were on the truck for the company that does the coating and I'd have the headers in 2 weeks. This was fine, as it was only late May and I wasn't in a big rush at the time. Fast forward 3 weeks - no headers yet, and no notification of when they may be in route. You call Mac and never talk to someone, just a voicemail. I probably called them a dozen times, left a message each time, and talked to a person once. They never returned my voicemails. Shocker.

After a month and a half of more bull from Mac I decided to cancel the order. At this point it was August, I was going to miss Drag Week over Mac's piss poor attempt to get my headers to me, and it was too late to make my deadline if I made a custom order from Accufab or RCI. I was pretty pissed.

Then the next week, American Muscle had a set of the exact same headers in stock I was trying to get. Even though I didn't want another Mac product, my pro chamber was specifically built to mate up to their longtubes, so I was stuck. I called AM to confirm they had the headers, and they indeed did. AM got them to me in 3 days and I finished my car a few days later.

It sucks because the headers are great quality, and have awesome fit and finish. Plus, their ball and socket flange is a true 3in on the inside. It's just a shame Mac is ruining their name. With that being said, If you can find their products IN STOCK somewhere, and you can confirm this, I would recommend buying them. If not, stick with another brand.

RCI headers is ran by (if not he is heavily involved) George Klass. He used to work at Accufab and knows his stuff. If you have the time, order a set from them. He'll definitely get you squared away.

General karthief · Sep 16, 2019

He is also a member here, you can email him @ geoklass@yahoo.com

revhead347 · Sep 16, 2019

BBK headers unless you want to spend a lot of money. I haven't done Mac products in awhile, but the last set I tried to put on had to go back. Didn't fit worth a . The people I know that got them to fit weren't happy because they didn't come with a one piece flange and started leaking after awhile. I'm pretty confident the 1516 will fit with your large bellhousing C4, but if you really want extra space, go with a 1519. That's the part number for an SN95, and the headers sit really far apart. You'll have to cap the EGR bung on the passenger side. You aren't going to get any longtube in a Mustang without some sort of wrangling and modification.

I am currently running the 1594 headers (save as a 1516 with a 1 3/4" primary) with a Tremec 3550 transmission. I imagine the Tremec has as big of a bellhousing as the C4 plus a clutch fork. the headers come together behind the bellhousing. It's tight, but they work. I did stick with my Mac Prochamber though. I spent about half a day sectioning mandrel bent tube sections and welding them together to get it to work with the Fox headers.

Kurt

deathb4dismount · Sep 17, 2019

Will the AOD specific (BBK 1531) headers fit his application? I would also stay away from MAC headers, they have a hard time sealing up because of the individual flanges.

TOOLOW91 · Sep 17, 2019

I have the RCI in my car, i have an AOD .

I will say this. Yes they fit , i did have to beat them up in some spots.

The steering shaft runs through them and they are not Slip fit - the headers is all one piece . The bolt holes are on but the pipe itself at the flange wasnt clearanced enough i had to grind the shoulders down on the bolts and then use a screw driver to dent the tube in a hair withe the bolts half started to make clearance to attempt getting a socket or wrench on. They hang a touch low for a street car too. Just below my wheelie skis. If i were doing it again im not sure id use them . Alot of money for what i had to do to get them on the car. Engine had to be half in the air on the hoist to get them in then the steering shaft had to go in last. If they were slip fit i think it wouldve avoided alot of this.

revhead347 · Sep 17, 2019

TOOLOW91 said:
I have the RCI in my car, i have an AOD .

I will say this. Yes they fit , i did have to beat them up in some spots.

The steering shaft runs through them and they are not Slip fit - the headers is all one piece . The bolt holes are on but the pipe itself at the flange wasnt clearanced enough i had to grind the shoulders down on the bolts and then use a screw driver to dent the tube in a hair withe the bolts half started to make clearance to attempt getting a socket or wrench on. They hang a touch low for a street car too. Just below my wheelie skis. If i were doing it again im not sure id use them . Alot of money for what i had to do to get them on the car. Engine had to be half in the air on the hoist to get them in then the steering shaft had to go in last. If they were slip fit i think it wouldve avoided alot of this.

Did you try jacking one side at a time?

Kurt

junkyardwarrior · Sep 17, 2019

They (long tube headers) are all a pain. Pain to put on, pain to deal with, hang low (well most of them do), etc. Sometimes a shorty can make just as much power and fit better in some cases. Used to be some mid-length headers that were sorta a cross between long & short tube--had a set on a Fairmont back in the day, with Supertrapp mufflers nonetheless.

I have experience with Flowtech, hooker long tubes on 5.0/302 with a C4. They both work. The "large" bellhousing isn't any bigger than the "small" bellhousing; however it is shaped slightly different and that can cause some issues occasionally. I have always run "small" (157t) bellhousings only because I had a stock pile of C4's and 157t bellhousings to fit them at one point. Switched to powerglide at a later date, ditched the C4's and never looked back (bracket racing Mustang, then a Fairmont, now a '85 LX coupe). Flowtechs DO fit with the small c4 but are really tight with the powerglide. Hooker's fit ok as well with the C4. Never tried RCI, Kooks, or any other brand as I never needed to. Did a 414" in the '85 LX coupe for a little while and used Hooker swap headers with it; they work fine but it is nothing more than a race car that doesn't have any exhaust on it; and the collectors point RIGHT at the crossmember. I stuck a 302 back in it and used Hooker 1 3/4" long tubes on it, then stuck the 351w headers in my '92 GT 427"w. Same issue but had to dogleg the H pipe to clear; and that's just barely clearing. Everything else fits pretty good around the shaft and the T56 magnum and the starter (using 8031 bellhousing) and a stock type 93 Mustang starter. Big starter won't work. neither would my old CVR starter but that's ok cause the stock starter is cheaper and easier to find when it does die.

TOOLOW91 · Sep 18, 2019

revhead347 said:
Did you try jacking one side at a time?

Kurt

Dude I’ve done it all you don’t get enough room. Engine has to come half way up . For the money. They suck . Lol

Rcdgl · Sep 18, 2019

thanks all, I am sending BBK 1516s back and using my 87 Blackjacks again.

Saberdemon · Mar 12, 2020

I am also dealing with a set of RCI headers. Biggest mistake I made with my build was buying these things. The welds are ugly, they don’t fit at all, and when I tried Them on a bone stock 1969 mustang they wouldn’t fit on it either without hitting the frame. Not to mention the collector on the passenger would point towards the drivers side rear tire if they did fit properly. And I was Told that the headers are right, it’s the car that’s the problem. So I guess Both my car and my buddies stock 351w 1969 mustang are built wrong compared to all other mustangs. Lol

srtthis · Mar 12, 2020

you should buy my hookers... they wont bolt up... and they are way too big for the motor. but i need them gone LOL

Saberdemon · Mar 12, 2020

Lol. A local fabricator cleared some of his work to make me a proper pair. Only parts of these headers any good are the flanges, which I bet were bought somewhere else.

TOOLOW91 · Mar 12, 2020

Saberdemon said:
Lol. A local fabricator cleared some of his work to make me a proper pair. Only parts of these headers any good are the flanges, which I bet were bought somewhere else.

Yup . Biggest mistake I made . Mine did fit . After beating them up a bit . They are a real pain . Glad you went that route of having new ones made . For the money they should be a lot nicer then they are

Saberdemon · Mar 12, 2020

Needless to say, that company is a joke. I will Make sure no one I know Ever buys from them. For the $ for “custom” headers it’s a joke.

TOOLOW91 · Mar 12, 2020

Saberdemon said:
Needless to say, that company is a joke. I will Make sure no one I know Ever buys from them. For the $ for “custom” headers it’s a joke.

I totally agree . Then they make the claims about how they are all built in frame rails of cars etc and how well they fit

Saberdemon · Mar 12, 2020

Here is how bad mine were. See the angle of the collector.

TOOLOW91 · Mar 12, 2020

Saberdemon said:
Here is how bad mine were. See the angle of the collector.

Yup !

Need Longtube Suggestions

Rcdgl

96pushrod

I think they're a little easier to get off

Rcdgl

96pushrod

I think they're a little easier to get off

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

deathb4dismount

Crap, didn’t realize my crotch was in that picture

TOOLOW91

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

junkyardwarrior

Well-Known Member

TOOLOW91

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

Rcdgl

Saberdemon

Active Member

srtthis

the guy doing it does every local racers rear end

Saberdemon

Active Member

TOOLOW91

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

Saberdemon

Active Member

TOOLOW91

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

Saberdemon

Active Member

TOOLOW91

If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

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Need Longtube Suggestions

I think they're a little easier to get off

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wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

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If you're the village idiot what's that make me?

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the guy doing it does every local racers rear end

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