pparaska Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 I'm looking for the port size. Better yet would be an impression of the header port with the bolt holes around it. Any port will do. You know, lay a piece of paper over the port opening of the header and get an impression of the opening and the bolt holes. The reason is I'm wondering how bad the mismatch will be with AFR 190 or 195 heads. Thanks for any assistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timh Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 I'm waiting for an excuse to get mine coated. I've been meaning to for 2 years. If no one else bites, let me know and I'll have my excuse. They are Hooker Block Hugger's for SBC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted March 6, 2003 Author Share Posted March 6, 2003 Glad I could be of assistance, Tim yep, I have the 1-5/8" Hooker block huggers for the SB Chevy. As I find out, both the AFR 190 and 195 heads are supposed to use the Fel-Pro 1404 exhaust gasket, 1.50 x 1.50. So my headers will either be o.k. with both heads or not. The AFR 195 has a port more in line with a Vic JR intake, although the guy at AFR I talked to said they like the Dart single plane better. Oh well, I have the Vic JR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Pete, I have a set of block huggers I bought. Unknown manf. I'll shoot a pic and you can tell me if they are the Hookers, and if so I can measure the port for you. I mocked them up on my LT1 and they do not obstruct the exhaust port of my CNC Heads ported heads using a FelPro small race header gasket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted March 6, 2003 Author Share Posted March 6, 2003 Thanks, Mike! Hookers would have an oval sheetmetal "tag" spot welded to one of the pipes, that says something like "Competition Header", etc. I called to AFR and the tech guy said he thought 1-5/8" headers should match fine. BTW, the 1404 Fel-Pro gasket AFR calles out for the exhaust is referred to a "small race gasket": http://www.nwracing.com/catalog/category/Gaskets It's listed as having a 1.50" x 1.50" opening. I'm guessing that the block huggers are going to cover that a bit, maybe an 1/8" all the way around, seeing as the 1-5/8" is an outer pipe diameter. I don't know how they are reshaped and how much the weld intrudes. I might have to clean up the opening a bit. I'm thinking that I'm going to be o.k. with the Hooker block hugger headers, except that they will not let the engine breathe optimally at max rpms with 1-5/8" primaries and 2.5" collectors, but that's a known compromise I'm making. Either way, if anyone has a set of these headers that can make an imprint of the port and and bolt holes in relation to the port, that'd be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timh Posted March 7, 2003 Share Posted March 7, 2003 I made an imprint, if you want to give me your address I can mail it to you. Or I could reduce it on the copier and fax you the drawing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted March 7, 2003 Author Share Posted March 7, 2003 Thanks Tim! You have mail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timh Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 I put it in the mail at work, it should have gone out this morning. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted March 8, 2003 Author Share Posted March 8, 2003 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted March 12, 2003 Author Share Posted March 12, 2003 Tim, I got the imprint yesterday. Thanks! Nice job! How can I repay you? Looks like a nasty mismatch with any round or d-shaped port. The Hooker opening is 1.4" wide by 1.7" tall. That works o.k. on a regular square Chevy head port (1.38"x1.38"), but on a 1.5x1.5" stock or "small race" port (fel-pro 1404) or a 1.55x1.55" "large race" port (fel-pro 1405) or a 1.53x1.63" "D-shaped" port (fel-pro 1406), I can see problems with sealing, especially on the sides (not top or bottom) of the ports. And I haven't even looked at the vertical port offset of the D-shaped port, relative to the bolt holes. Anyone else dealt with this? How bad was the mis-match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 Looks like new headers in your future... Check these out, you can get D port and angle plug along with a cone connection at the collector that eliminates another gasket. http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=102154&prmenbr=361 Ceramic coated yet for only $229. Uncoated for $129. Then you can sell your Hookers to somebody with conventional straight plug heads. I don't know anybody who has used them, but eventually I plan on getting a set. EDIT: I saw your post concerning John Scotts 1 3/4 primary shorties with 2 1/2" collectors. Do you think there is any merit to the increased primary size with such a small collector? I don't but have been wrong before... Dynatech makes high dollar headers, and has one with a waisted collector. It seems if you could duplicate this by immediately going from the 2 1/2" collector into a 3" pipe that you might simulate a long tube/large collector header. In his "Building SBC on a budget" book, Vizard has some interesting exhuast thoughts. One that equal length isn't of any real merit, and if you use an expanision chamber early on in the exhaust, that any muffler just appears as tailpip extension to the engine. This doesn't hurt power, but helps eliminate noise. I know you like Vizard, and this is a good book, full of powermaking tips that you should take advantage of as well as 10 different dyno tested combos from 350-406ci. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 "Anyone else dealt with this? How bad was the mis-match." Yup, I've noticed that very few headers match aftermarket heads in my limited matching experience. On my setup, I have my match ported aluminum wedges for one side (oval on hedman shorty side, square on rpm head side) and may even make thin match ported 'washers' for the other side as well or may just leave it as is as long as it will seal, my primary concern (as I've had enough power with even horrible mismatches so I'm not concerned with perfect match etc). I ran the 1404's for a long time/matched my heads but not my headers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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