In a perfect world, headers would always fit, and a lot of times they do. But building a hot rod means by definition that you’re changing or modifying the stock parts with stuff that doesn’t always occupy the same space as the original equipment. Header manufacturers try their best to anticipate typical hot rod moves—like big oil pans, cylinder heads with elevated exhaust ports, better steering boxes, high-torque starters, or custom steering shafts—but there are just too many possibilities that must be covered. We found ourselves in a similar situation with our 1968 Chevy Nova project car, and decided to deal with the problem head-on.
The outermost primary on the...
The outermost primary on the driver side of our Hooker Super Comp headers (PN 2207-1HKR, 17/8-inch diameter primaries) was cut out using a 14-inch chop saw. This allowed us to get the header mounted on the ’68 Nova so Automotive Excellence could finish the Flowmaster exhaust.
After ordering a set of Hooker Super Comp long-tube headers, we discovered that one of the primary tubes interfered with our new CPP steering box. In previous situations, we’ve gotten out the dead-blow hammer and fired up the acetylene torch and dimpled the pipe to affect the necessary clearance. This time, however, the tube made a head-on collision. (Note: had we read the fine print in the Hooker catalog, we could’ve avoided the problem altogether, but we decided to forge ahead rather than return the headers and try re-ordering a different set.)
Since our Nova was already at Automotive Excellence, one of Southern California’s best exhaust shops (Huntington Beach, California), we had the confidence in them to cut out the offending header primary tube, build out the rest of the exhaust system (see “Piping Up,” Oct. ’11), fabricate a different primary tube around the steering box, then have the driver-side header ceramic coated. Shop owner Alex Mayea and AE technician Tony Andrade made it look easy, thanks to some really cool pieces from Hooker, and that’s what we’re here to tell you about.
We kind of went overboard...
We kind of went overboard ordering mandrel-bent 17/8-inch diameter J-bends. In the end, we only needed one of each—a 2½-inch and a 6-inch radius. And we still had pipe leftover from both of those.
Hooker’s alignment weld sleeves are designed to hold sections of header tubing together while you figure out your geometry. Two (or many more) sections of pipe—either straight or radiused—can be butted together and rotated, thanks to the alignment sleeves, which hold them together with tension. This is not one of those deals you’ve seen where you mock-up a tinker-toy apparatus, then have to duplicate your creation. The Hooker alignment sleeves allow you to easily play with the actual sections of pipe you’ll use, without going through the frustration of holding, tacking, breaking, holding (again!), then re-tacking welds in tricky, hard-to-reach places. The sleeves are really easy to use, and allow the DIY guy to create the trickiest, tightest compound curves in his own garage.
The Hooker alignment weld...
The Hooker alignment weld sleeves not only keep the pipes centered, they’re spring loaded to help keep them together while you snake your assembly through the engine bay.
The alignment sleeves are made of mild steel, and feature an exposed pinch in the middle. The pinch is your filler when it’s time to tack, then completely weld your finished work. The sleeve section on the inside of the pipe also eliminates pinhole leaks and reduces the potential for blow-through while welding. Hooker’s alignment weld sleeves are made in five sizes (1½ to 15/8 inches, 1¾ inches, 17/8 inches, 2 inches, and 21/8 inches) and come in packs of 20 for around $25.
Of course, you can reuse your original primary tube for the reroute job, but we found it easier to start out with fresh mandrel-bent radiused tubing, which Hooker also sells by the pipe. We ended up using two different J-pipes of 17/8-inch diameter (about $18 each)—one in a 2½-inch radius, and the other in a 6-inch radius. When cut up into a variety of section lengths and wedges, we found these to be more than adequate to do our single header pipe.
Once back on the car, the...
Once back on the car, the AE crew could see how dramatic the header pipe interference was with our new steering box and raised-port cylinder heads. At this point, it looked nearly impossible to do the work-around.
While working with Hooker’s weld alignment sleeves, we began to appreciate the fact that it would be possible to build a completely custom set of headers using these. A more likely scenario would be to buy a set of headers that closely resembles what you want, then fab the rest using mandrel-bent tubing and alignment sleeves for the tube (or tubes) that need rerouting. This would give you something close to a custom header for near the price of an off-the-shelf item. We’re glad we tried them—they will remain a go-to option for us in the future!
" The Hooker alignment sleeves allow you to easily play with the actual sections of pipe you’ll use, without going through the frustration…
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Because of the severity of...
Because of the severity of the bend we needed to build, we ended up chopping the J-bends into lots of little wedges, all in a variety of shapes. Next time we’ll probably use fewer, but it got the job done.
Incredibly, we were able to...
Incredibly, we were able to wrap the pipe around the steering box with plenty of room to spare. As we added segments, we kept changing the shape by rotating and swapping out sections. Normally, we’d be making tack welds and breaking them—dozens of times—and with no promise of the pipes being centered.
Hooker’s alignment weld sleeves...
Hooker’s alignment weld sleeves to the rescue! Our interference problem is a lot more common than you might think, and Hooker has the cure.
Here’s the idea: Once you...
Here’s the idea: Once you place the alignment sleeves between the wedges, you can rotate them into any configuration you want, and they won’t fall apart.
Once we got the right “stack”...
Once we got the right “stack” to all our pipe wedges, Tony Andrade of AE tacked the sections together with a Millermatic 35 MIG welder. While Andrade was working the top end of the primary, he took special care to leave plenty of room for spark plug wrench access.
This view does a great job...
This view does a great job showing off the final solution to our “impossible” problem. When compared to the starting picture, it gives you an appreciation for AE’s work, and Hooker’s alignment weld sleeves.
Another view, this time from...
Another view, this time from below. Note how nicely the Hooker Super Comp headers tuck between the framerails.
It looks kind of weird here,...
It looks kind of weird here, but this turned out to be the perfect shape for our ’68 Nova. Our cylinder heads, headers, and steering box are fairly common, but how many ’68 Novas are likely to have this exact combo? The point: any time a set of headers fits, consider yourself lucky.
With the shape of the primary...
With the shape of the primary tube safely established, Andrade welded up the sections, using the pinches in the Hooker alignment weld sleeves as filler.
Since we wanted a nice flat...
Since we wanted a nice flat surface for the ceramic coating to adhere to, the AE crew ground the welds flat with 3-inch abrasive pads from 3M. Note how the pipe is still in two sections; this made it easier for final assembly.
These before-and-after shots...
These before-and-after shots show how drastically we rerouted the third header primary tube. The resulting exhaust path isn’t ideal for flow, but sometimes you’ve got to compromise.
| Description: |
Source: |
PN: |
Cost: |
| Weld alignment sleeves, 1 7/8-inch dia. |
Hooker/Summit |
12103HKR |
$24.95 (package 20) |
| J-bend, 1 7/8-inch dia., 6-inch radius |
Hooker/Summit |
12560HKR |
$17.95 (each) |
| J-bend, 1 7/8 -inch dia., 2½-inch radius |
Hooker/Summit |
12558HKR |
$17.95 (each) |