Whats your opinion on the best LT headers out there?

WICKED50LTR

Founding Member
Aug 28, 2002
257
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17
Central NJ
Im lookin to get some long tube headers for my Stang. Ive read plenty of reviews and what not on BBK and MACS and other brands. Money isnt an issue and im not really lookin into the chrome because of the discoloring. I know plenty of you guys have had ups and downs with them. From fitments, cookin starters, steering issues, etc etc. Im lookin to replace my FFRP shorties just to open the car up a bit more, my mods are below. Will i even notice a difference in performance??
 
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A friend of mine just did this same swap on his 331. He switched from FRPP 1 5/8" shorties to 1 3/4" BBK Jet Hot L/T's. He made the EXACT SAME POWER with the LT's as he did with the shorties. 389 RWHP.

This upset him so he found the collectors to be the cork and replaced them. In NA form it picked up 15 RWHP and 11 ft. lbs. with the new collectors.

He is now putting a new combo together with a blower but he is still using the BBK's with the new collectors. Heres what they look like.
581377_136_full.jpg
 
Yes you would benifit, especailly in mid-range torque.

Fit often tends to be an issue. I have BBK 1 5/8ths and I think they fit perfectly and went in easy, had no other issues.
 
The BBK collectors are the ball-socket type like stock. I think for easy install so it is easy to adjust the angles and such. I would just to ahead and put them in stock and once you get everything aligned perfectly take it to an exaust shop and with everything held in place have those stock collectors cut off and have the three bolt type connecotor put in like 89sleeper's friend did. I never did to mine, should have.

Another thing about BBK's is where the flange on the heads meets the header tubes. They welded the tubes to the flange from the inside. If you look inside you can see how messy it is. I have heard of people having extra weld put around the outsides of the tube then grinding it clean on the inside to smooth it out.