Hmmmmm Diff. Exhaust Question...

[Sangerdude]

Ok...Here is my dilemma:
I have to pull the engine today and more than likely either rebuild or replace. I have an 80 Sanger Mini Day Cruiser with a BBC. My exhaust logs are the original Hardin Logs. They have been welded, cut between ports, are just plain ugly, and leak without double gaskets. I would love a new manifold or header thru transom. What brand/style would work best? A buddy of mine who regularly builds headers for cars and trucks said he could build me a set but he is new to the world of water and reversion and double walled water jacketing and what not. I dont want to put a new motor in and have the heads crack or freeze a valve....
Any help with this is HIGHLY appreciated!
Bill

[SmokinLowriderSS]

Save yourself a bunch of trouble, nightmares, and headaches and just drop 2-grand and buy a set of Lightning Thru-Transom headers like mine. Also add 4" outlets to replace your current ones.
I had a moderately modded 8.3:1 454, .565"lift/280* duration Isky cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM Air Gap intake, stock large ovel port heads (049's), and was making 350 solid HP thru my logs (4,800RPM). The change to Lightnings gave me 200 RPM, 50 HP, at 5,000RPM. The change was reasonably easy, and I worry neither about too much heat under my engine cover, nor burning myself on a hot header (or kids) and I pass noise tests all day long (exhausts are underwater at idle).
Or, go cheap and disregard all the above.

[pw_Tony]

Save yourself a bunch of trouble, nightmares, and headaches and just drop 2-grand and buy a set of Lightning Thru-Transom headers like mine. Also add 4" outlets to replace your current ones.
I had a moderately modded 8.3:1 454, .565"lift/280* duration Isky cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM Air Gap intake, stock large ovel port heads (049's), and was making 350 solid HP thru my logs (4,800RPM). The change to Lightnings gave me 200 RPM, 50 HP, at 5,000RPM. The change was reasonably easy, and I worry neither about too much heat under my engine cover, nor burning myself on a hot header (or kids) and I pass noise tests all day long (exhausts are underwater at idle).
Or, go cheap and disregard all the above.
:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: do they accept payments?:devil:

[Sangerdude]

Save yourself a bunch of trouble, nightmares, and headaches and just drop 2-grand and buy a set of Lightning Thru-Transom headers like mine. Also add 4" outlets to replace your current ones.
I had a moderately modded 8.3:1 454, .565"lift/280* duration Isky cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM Air Gap intake, stock large ovel port heads (049's), and was making 350 solid HP thru my logs (4,800RPM). The change to Lightnings gave me 200 RPM, 50 HP, at 5,000RPM. The change was reasonably easy, and I worry neither about too much heat under my engine cover, nor burning myself on a hot header (or kids) and I pass noise tests all day long (exhausts are underwater at idle).
Or, go cheap and disregard all the above.
No, I really appreciate the advice, that is why I posted here first...
Do you happen to know if they have a website...couldnt find it.
Thanks! I REALLY appreciate it
Bill

[SmokinLowriderSS]

And I made it sound trivial, which it isn't. :jawdrop:
Keep in mind, the $1900 ones are plain steel outer tubes. The double-stainless ones are $2700 a set. :(
I got very lucky. A friend had a set used available. $1200, and took 3 payments.
Same friend had a set of Comp Cams Hy-Tech Stainless Steel Roller Rockers ($450) used when I needed a set and was about to buy new Pro Magnums ($290). Overhauled to new condition, they set me back $280.
Lightnings for BBC @ CP Performance (http://www.cpperformance.com/detail.aspx?ID=2512)
Oh, and the stock oil filter does NOT have to be relocated. Mine still works fine on the bottom of the block.
My 4" slash-cut tips, with metal flappers inside (http://www.cpperformance.com/detail.aspx?ID=143)

[SmokinLowriderSS]

And, tho I love those tips, they are a bit on the dangerous side. We climb in and out over the back all the time (fibreglass swim step cover over the jet drive) and if you get careless (or way drunk) and whack a foot, shin, or knee into one of them, you WILL get cut. They are not sharp, but they are stiff, solid, and fairly thin unlike thick aluminum trumpet castings and soft skin over a hard bone will get cut, kind of like the edge of a butter knife.

[BrendellaJet]

If your friend knows what he is doing then Id have him make a set and see how it works. The real important thing to remember is that you dont want water in the engine. I bet if you called lightning they would tell you the pipe diameters-all you need after that are some fittings to weld in the tubes to plumb the water and the flanges. Oh yeah, and the know how, but it sounds like if your buddy is any good at making headers, he will figure it out.

[Sangerdude]

COOL! Thanks for ALL the input...I cant say that enough!
Did you have to move your swim platform at all? I know I have 3.5 inch exhaust with rubber flaps and they are right at the edge of the swim step, right under it....
Thanks!

[SmokinLowriderSS]

My swim-step is not much wider than the drive itself. Has a step only a few inches higher than the ride plate, on each side, then a flat area covering the nozzle, slightly lower than the flat area atop the bowl & cleanout. My tips are just outboard of your legs if you stand on the lower steps. I don't have pix posted on the web anywhere to show it. It was factory standard on Taylors. My tips fit over the orriginal holes (moving the holes slightly wider and downward, about 45 degrees), and this way, aligned perfectly.
I only measured about 19 times tho before getting the saw out to enlarge my holes. :D

[Sangerdude]

I am a little confused by the pics of the headers that I see online....the vdrive and jet headers are the same??? The existing holes in my transom are almost a dead line straight shot from just below the exhaust ports on the heads... and about 27 inches from center to center. I could probably do the same...cut the hole larger by moving it downward in relation to the existing hole
Hmmmmmmm........:idea:

[SmokinLowriderSS]

I don't know about v-drive vs. jet exhaust I went from log manifolds to Lightnings in my jet, and did as I said. The headers came with an angle metal corner to turn toward the outlets and all I had to do was make the down-pieces and rear-pieces match them up. They came to within 1/2" of directly lining up, and that was 1/2": fore/aft. Took a total of 4 different sections of 4" rubber exhaust hose, but my 454 loves them.
Now my heads are the choke-point, and they will be ported this winter. :D