Today I installed headers on my Grabber. Did not have to dimple any tubes but did have to raise the engine a couple of inches and slide them up from the bottom. The drivers side were the worst. A few tips that will help others thinking of doing this: Before installing the headers check the bolt holes on the flange. Mine were buggered up a little but enough to not get all the bolts in. Had to pull the headers back out and reem them out with a carbite bit. It was a real pain in the butt. I have an automatic on the floor and my shift linkage had to be modified by heating it up with a torch and rebending it around the headers. This might have to be repeated several times in order to get the bends to work. My drivers side motor mount had to be ground down in one spot. My starter wire had to be relocated (no big deal). The trans coolant lines had to be bent away from the headers (no big deal). I do have power disc brakes and there was no clearance problems like the manufacturer said there would be. A lift would be a great tool for the job. I was able to use one and could not imagine how much longer it would have took without one. The main advise is to take your time and check everything as you go and before you start to put things back on the car. You don't want to do the job twice or more.
My factory floor shift linkage was not in the way at all. Tranny lines I made new and rerouted a bit to keep them away from the heat of the headers. My driver's side was a little tougher than the passenger side. But I did change the motor mount on the passenger side without removing the header. I just jacked the motor up slightly. The starter is what is a pain to remove-had to pull the header. I did also relocated the starter wire as you stated. And yes, the drop bracket was required. Seth
Good Tip Nick ... There were several holes I had to elongate in my 6901's as well to have them properly line up with the bolt holes in the cylinder head ... I ended up elongating all of them so I could easily start all the bolts by hand ....
wow. that's strange. I didn't have to modify the flanges at all on mine. I do have a problem with the pitman arm contacting the header on the drivers side when I turn too far left.
Mine fit with no grinding or reaming at all. Could be that Jet Hot coating is a little thicker than the standard Hooker coating.
I just bolted them to the end of the manifolds.:evilsmile I did have power steering and put the drop bracket on with no problems. The shift linkage I had to modify was the rod that goes from the transmission to the steering column, not the actual linkage that shifts the transmission. I believe it activates the ignition switch to only start in park and neutral. Don't have the rest of the exhaust on yet so it is very loud. I drove it home from my brother in law's garage (6 miles). I will drive it to the exhaust shop and hope there aren't any cops along the way.
make sure you have the drop bracket welded to the frame ....if not it will rip all 3 bolts out of the frame ...
I removed that rod that moves the bell on the steering column back in the mid 80's. I have/had the tach mounted to it and it stays in place so that I can start and shift the car into gear. I don't think that it is necessary. Seth
I got it from an auto parts store. I got the headers from Jet Hot. Seth, I was gonna do without the linkage but I figured I would keep it since it came with the car and it wasn't that hard to modify. I will definetly get rid of it on my 73 I am restoring.
