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180 degree headers


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Will 180 degree headers for a sbc (on a sbc swap) fit in the s180? or is there some kind of extensive mods to make them work etc? does anyone know any info on using these headers?

 

I honestly think they just sound very amazing and would like to use them in my swap if i can.

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Good thing about 180 degree headers is that you wont need an x pipe or h pipe/ cross over pipe for back pressure. One might get a 5% gain but really isnt worth the extensive mods to get them to work. Your basic sanderson/ shcoenfield headers were designed for dirt track racing. Most of them exited through the driverside door. Heat was always a problem, I had a set on my sportsman racecar for years. They would glow cherry red after a few laps, they were so hot, you couldnt work on the car. And for god sakes do not mess with the hei when hot lol. If you could get them to fit and be practical that would be awesome. I would love to fit a set in a v8 swapped s30. If you get this acomplished please send some pics I would love to see some details. godd luck with your build.

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Search back issues of Grassroots Motorsports. A guy built a $2000 challenge S30 with a V8 and 180 degree headers. I think he attributed a 40hp increase just to the header install that he built himself. It was a 10 second S30 for $2000.

 

180 degree headers on a Chevy V8 are well worth the effort if packaging isn't a big issue. In Trans Am racing all the Camaro teams were running 180 headers and most of the current SCCA GT1 cars also run 180s.

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I am just curious of the ones that I posted links to which look like they may be the best fit - or the ones with the least mods to make fit. a couple of them look as if they go above the engine. which is something I do not want, if they do it would be fairly difficult to plum the rest of the piping. I think I have been drinking to much because I just had an inappropriate comment for the pluming of the piping that I had to delete...

Edited by vega
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Just Flip them up side down and run it straight throught the hood, :lol: Without cutting them off at the collector re bending new pipes and running them straight to the back and not out the passenger door. Not sure how to do it without a complete custom setup plus you may need to cut the lower part of your firwall for clearance.

The key is to keep the pipes the same length to not change the exhaust sound/ pitch. If you figure out a way please take pics and post, I would love to see a actual pair fitted. I took measurment from my old pair, and guestomated the fitment would exit out the passenger door on a s30 datsun, It would exit between the door jam and front fender. Everyone one of those 180 degree headers wrap around the back of the HEI and and down off to the passenger side. Good luck on your build

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  • 11 months later...

Digging up this thread because I'm rethinking headers, myself.

 

The issue I see with the 180 degree header are ground clearance to start with and then ofcourse clearance. I'm just not picturing this on an S30 chassis.

 

Mike

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John, any ideas for jtr figment of anything besides a block hugger for road race application?

 

 

The one setup I saw in person ran the corssover pipes between the engine and firewall. Its was a drag racing application and the V8 was installed in the Scarab position.

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It was pretty tight with the Scarab positioned engine. My guess is you'll need at least 2.5" between the back of the engine (cylinder head) and the fire wall. Then you have the whole heat management thing to worry about.

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I've seen them in C5's and C4's (with the 32v heads) and would imagine there is more room in the s30 than in those cars. It would take a complete redesign of everything I'm sure, but lets not just say it can't be done, this is Hybridz after all. Custom mounts and maybe even a drysump would be in order, and yes that is alot of work. But the sound would much better suit the s30 than the traditional chevy rumble... I know that is a whole other topic in its self. Not to mention the power gains. IMO it would be the only way to build one of those GTO replicas... that or a tuned up 355 Berlinetta power plant.

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Well you knock yourself out... After 10 years building and dumping thousands into mine, I prefer to drive it... I suspect I'll be dropping my block-huggers, and welding the down pipes to the flanges and then putting a flex coupler somewhere else downstream. I just want the leak issues resolved so I can drive the car on track again ASAP.

 

Mike

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Pending no other modifications besides going to the 180° headers (no cam changes or anything tricksy..) do they really sound that much different? I don't have room on my car to do it (4.6 Ford) but would like to hear/see a before and after test regardless.

 

These guys have some good pictures with some history of their use here:

 

http://www.burnsstainless.com/bundleofsnakes-2.aspx

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Well you knock yourself out... After 10 years building and dumping thousands into mine, I prefer to drive it... I suspect I'll be dropping my block-huggers, and welding the down pipes to the flanges and then putting a flex coupler somewhere else downstream. I just want the leak issues resolved so I can drive the car on track again ASAP.

 

Mike

 

No way, v8 Z is just not my thing. I was just saying lets not say it can't be done. Your track car is sweet, and I'm sure it is plenty fast with out 180 headers. There is plenty of scavenging to be had with long tubes and fancy collectors, over the block hugger IMHO. But if you are not after the sound then the extensive development and further complications (packaging and heat) likely are not worth it. But in a class with tight rules you need every edge you can get, and that is what led to the C5 and C4's I mentioned before. When every one you race has the same car, same engine, simialr weight it is hard to break out of thepack... then someone finds power in a 180* header and suddenly they are inching away down the straight. I'm totally with you, keep it running FIRST.

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