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  #1  
Old 03-06-2010, 02:51 PM
DeletedUsername DeletedUsername is offline
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Default Which Hooker should I go with?

I have a 72 Satellite, 440, AT 727 floor shift, Pwr Steering and Pwr brakes, mild performance build, but now need to swap out the stock HP exhaust manifolds for some headers. I was told by a smart friend to go with 1.75 tubes. Personally, I've always like Hookers but want to make sure they fit without too many issues. I looked at both the Hooker Competition and Super Comps and can't figure out the differences between the two as far as fit and performance. Someone else mentioned block huggers, but I don't see any models that are described like that. I guess I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with headers and the 72 body style.
Thanks in advance for your help!!!
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  #2  
Old 03-06-2010, 07:17 PM
peg leg peg leg is offline
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Default My suggestion

TTI's fit like crazy, don't leak and are easier to install. I went with stepped headers, and ceramic coating. You might want to look at Schumacher's, too.
engine-swaps.com
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  #3  
Old 03-06-2010, 09:55 PM
John Van John Van is offline
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Hooker supercomps are great headers but thin, 18 guage and light weight for racing, Hooker comps are 16 guage. TTI's are great too but lotsa money. I got tired of changing headers every few years,so [I] got a set of Hedman Elite Hedders which are 14 guage and ceramic coated,fit perfect and I can pull my mini-starter without dropping the header.
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  #4  
Old 03-11-2010, 06:59 PM
Tarrbabe Tarrbabe is offline
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Confused Headman?????????????

I just went to Headman's site and all they had listed was for Dodge Trucks. Is there some site I'm missing?

The Super Comp's are thinner and thus won't last as long but they are equal length. The street header isn't equal length I believe to allow for better fit. Anyone know if I'm right?
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  #5  
Old 03-11-2010, 07:46 PM
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pishta pishta is offline
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sounds correct to me. I didnt know the SC's were thinner or lighter but making them equal length probably adds to the weight more so than the 16g takes from them. Hooker has lousy flange sealing IMO. Give me a 3/8 flat flange any day over the phony "O-ring" sealing.
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  #6  
Old 04-04-2010, 11:17 AM
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So now I have bought some of the new Darkside ceramic 1.75" Hooker Headers for my 72 Roadrunner/440 and we can't get the Drivers side on. My exhaust mechanic said they won't clear the Pitman arm and the steering box or something... Since the box came already opened from Summitt were thinking they may have just sent us the wrong one, although thier stamped correctly from what we can tell. Techs at Hooker said it might be a bad engine mount, although mine are new, and they said thier will only be 1/8 inch of clearance which seems a little tight.
Thoughts on getting these on? I have another set of the same coming just to make sure thier the correct ones. If it doesn't just end up being the wrong one, any suggestions on something else?
Anybody have any personal experience with installing whatever brand of headers on a 72 B Body???
Thanks in advance...
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  #7  
Old 04-04-2010, 02:25 PM
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toad490 toad490 is offline
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I put a set of Hookers on my 72 back in the day, I had to undo the motor mounts and jack the motor up as high as it would go then remove the starter and kinda fit the starter and header together then put them in place at the same time. It was a real bitch but I did get them in.
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  #8  
Old 04-04-2010, 09:04 PM
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pishta pishta is offline
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Their claiming a 1/8 inch tolerance by the steering box or pitman arm? There is more than 1/8 difference from a B to a RB! Do these headers come as 2 part numbers for B/RB because that sounds too close. 1/8", That would make a 383 install impossible.
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  #9  
Old 04-07-2010, 06:54 PM
crashing513 crashing513 is offline
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was not happy with my comp headers for my a-body dart. imo
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  #10  
Old 04-15-2010, 09:05 PM
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Ok, so now the latest in my quest to get the Hooker Headers onto my RR. So we ordered another new set from Hooker because the exhaust mechanic said he thought the first ones were the wrong ones. Well the second set doesn't fit either. LOL...kinda... So he thinks the pitman arm might be the issue. The alignment has been way off on it, but I hadn't gotten around to getting that fixed yet so I thought he might be onto something. He's guessing that the owner before me might have put the wrong pitman arm on, maybe from a 73 to 74. So we ordered a new pitman arm from Advance Auto Parts and that ones the same as the one on the car. But he said he has a book that tells him compatibility of parts from cars to cars from his junkyard days and it says that the pitman arm from a 72 should not be the same as one from a 73/74 Roadrunner. But at Advance Auto, they listed the one they sold me as working for 72-74 which makes me wonder if thier system has the wrong years tied into it. Also he said the steering arms or something aren't flat like thier supposed to be (meaning level??) and that there is a 30% angle to them. I think he said uphill grade, if that means anything. Does anyone think I'm barking up the wrong tree and/or should I take it to a frame shop now to see if my frame might be off??
Oh my god, please someone help!
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  #11  
Old 04-15-2010, 09:28 PM
aarracer aarracer is offline
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Are the engine mounts and "k" frame insulators in good shape or squashed?
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  #12  
Old 04-15-2010, 10:56 PM
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no, they're good.
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  #13  
Old 04-15-2010, 11:52 PM
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I believe him when he says the Advance auto parts book is wrong, all of 'em are!
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  #14  
Old 04-20-2010, 07:01 PM
fat 360 fat 360 is offline
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Geez I had some explaining to do to my wife when she was reading the title of this thread over my shoulder......
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  #15  
Old 04-20-2010, 09:34 PM
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Oops me bad! I figured that way people might be interested in reading it. LOL. Now the latest on my exhaust drama. So the exhaust mechanic and I called "FirmFeelInc.com" and spoke to a man named Dick who seemed to know Mopar Suspensions. After describing to him the issue and the Pitman arm in question, he thought we had the correct Pitman Arm. but he said that alot of old Mopars come from factory with Shims (washers) in weird places because the tolerances were occasionally off. He asked if we had any shims on the top bolts of the Steering box. When we said no, thier weren't he said that they might have been mistakenly taken off when the engine swap was done. So he suggested we place washers only on the top bolts that hold the steering box on. That way it will push the steering unit "down" and flatten out the bad angle in the steering arm. He said that will fix the issue of the Torsion Arm hitting the Tie rod end. And it will move the pitman arm so we can then get the Headers on.
But then we got in touch with a gentleman who owns a 71 RR and he said thats crazy talk and he volunteered to find us the right Pitman Arm. So he took it and is going to compare it to his and help us figure it out. So I'm in wait and see mode... The only saving grace are all the helpful people that love Mother Mopar out there and their willingness to help.
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  #16  
Old 04-21-2010, 11:26 PM
Zach H Zach H is offline
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I must have misunderstood the post. I dont know bout headers.
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  #17  
Old 05-30-2010, 08:46 PM
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So just to put this drama to rest. Here's the end to the story. Hooker Darkside "Competition" headers suck major arse for 72 Roadrunners, with a Big Block and power steering. Most of the issue was from the Pitman arm being in the way. We heated up the Pitman arm and bent it so we could get the steering geometry straight. And that allowed the headers to go on, but it was just barely. We had to do some dimpling to make them work. Plus I put in a MSD Mini Hi-Torque starter in the hopes that I could swap the starter out sometime in the future (just in case) without pulling the headers. But that was a pipe dream too. There won't be room even with the Mini Starter. I'd still have to pull the headers, cause there's just so little room.
Anways, its done and it sounds great, although its a little on the quiet side. I might have to swap the mufflers out later on for something with a little more boom. I also put these oval shaped exhaust tips on and they look really good with the body style of the car.
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  #18  
Old 05-30-2010, 11:09 PM
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I feel your pain, Brother. My friend has been fighting his Hedman RB headers in a his 69 Cuda for over a month now and has had major fitment issues. Just getting them in was a joke, dinged tubes, original starter fitment, mini starter fitment (as in you cant get either in with the headers installed and you cant get the headers in with the starter in) He even tried to drop the motor in with everything installed and it still wouldnt fit. He's about to go back to my 403 smallblock (Id gladly trade him back for his 451) with generic headers. Clearances are millimeters and that is with a B, I wonder if an RB would make things easier, although it doesnt look like it. Steering box clearance would be a tad better as the 440 ports are higher but it looks like it would hit in other locations. Hes got a 67 Mustang and the 351C headers in that car are 1 piece, cheap and fit just about every Ford platform out there including my old 57 Fairlane! He's is about to throw in the Mopar towel.....
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  #19  
Old 06-01-2010, 08:27 PM
crashing513 crashing513 is offline
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on my dart u must drop the entire left side off drag link and run the link "threw the headers.with car like three feet in trhe air with motor tilted over
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