First off I'd like to know if anyone else here has a 62 Buick. Now to the main problem. I've been looking for headers for a little while and I finally found some that are made for the 401, some blockhuggers from Sanderson. However, when I e-mailed them they never got back to me. The biggest problem if anyone has seen a 62 ( I don't know if other years are like this). But the driver's side of the engine compartment is pretty full. Between the brace and the steering gear there isn't much space, so if anyone has or knows of headers on a 62 please give a shout out. Thanks
About the headers you are in search of, I built a 64 Wildcat convert last winter with the original 401. While doing so, I checked with about every company I could think of to get a set of headers for my car. The closest I got was the option of having a custom set made. I have a 2.5" exhaust system on the car and I believe this has given me a bit of performance boost however, they are bolted to the original exhaust manifolds. All the reading I have done tells me that a minimal gain in HP will come with headers over stock manifolds but, with you'r car and mine, the expense and effort may not be worth the small gain. You'r car like mine, is very heavy and make for great cruisers but are lacking in the drag arena. My cars sounds great and has a bit of a rod look but, unfortunatley, it would be hard pressed to stick with a much lighter car that was originally built for speed. So, if you'r goal is sound, I suggest sticking with the original manifolds, get them jet-coated and ported if you like, it may be much easier. If you do go with the headers you found, I'd like to hear how the install worked out. Good luck.
Well, the nailheads had a restrictive exhaust from the get go, so as far as performance gains go, I'd think that headers and dual pipes straight back should be good for another 30 ft/lbs and 20-30 horsepower, mine is the Wildcat 445 and the only difference between that and the Wildcat 475 was dual exhaust (no headers)(the 445 and 475 being the respective torque). But the main reason is efficiency. With a freer flowing exhaust you can gain a couple of miles to the gallon. And if your Buick's a daily driver with gas going up the way it is, you're looking for every advantage you can get.
The old Hooker Headers were worth .4 seconds in the quarter mile on the 65-66 GS Skylark. That was with no other changes. I dont know how exactly that would relate to headers on larger cars, but it is testimony to restrictive exhaust manifolds. Cheryl
my 66 electra uses headers from sanderson. awsom headers no gaskets to leak or any thing i did have to hack up the frame a little to make them fit but they work good :Brow: :beer
Sweet, that was just the answer I was looking for. Now, I was thinking of going 2.5 and getting the original dual exhaust muffler from www.buickfarm.com. That way I know it will fit, plus it should keep the noise down. I really want to avoid having a loud ride seeing as my car is a cruiser not a muscle car. What do you think?
i went forall out noise!!!!!!!!! flowmasters and everything i dont know if you will like the noise!!!!!!!!!!!! ., craig
nailhead headers I do not know anything about nailheads....but GSCA is doing a run of the 1966 hooker headers for nailheads. Contact GSCA for details! - Bill
Hey Dave. I went to the TA website and was looking at the different exhaust kits and saw the one for the 63-65 Riviera kit. I think it was the 2005 B kit. Do you or anyone else know if that had the same exhaust routing and dimensions as the Electra in 63 and if 63 was the same as 62? I'm almost afraid to ask how much it would cost to have the tubes custom bent for my car.
Check out this other thread "Pictures of Nailhead "has pix of the headers installed on an engine. They fit great and have instructions how to install-fun with the engine in the bay I bet. The car is no where near ready to put the engine in, so no performance data yet. I will have some fun gathering performance data at the race track.
I had custom headers made for TOPCAT and they made one heck of a difference!Or maybe it was the Crane solid lifter cam.No, I'll bet it was the Factory aluminum X-code dual quad manifoldp NAILHEADS RULE!!!!! Peace WildBill
Mufflers Ok. I was thinking of getting the factory dual exhaust muffler when I change over to dual exhaust. But after hearing my buddies cars and some of the classics cruising around town I really want to get better mufflers. Does anyone know of some good mufflers that wouldn't be overly loud during regular driving, still throaty though. And when I stepped on it then, you would really hear it. I know I didn't explain it too well. But I'd appreciate any suggestions.
I had Dyno Max turbo's on a 66 'Cat with 2 1/2" duals and a 425 with stock manifolds and it had the sound you are looking for! You could weld two together and make them fit where your OEM muffler went, I've done it before on a 62 'Cat. Peace WildBill
Thanks Topcat. By the way. What config. were the muffler ports set up? As you probably know on the 62 there was one long muffler mounted horizontally and the pipes came in and out on the sides. Thanks for all your help.
Nick, we welded the outlet ends of the mufflers so they butted to each other so one muffler outlet exited across the top of the other muffler and it exited under the oppisite side muffler. Kind of a YING-YANG set-up if you know what i mean.It will work just like stock and sound GREAT. Peace WildBill
