What are the best brands for headers? Make? Price? and what gains you have seen? Thanks

American Racing, Kooks are good names.

What are the best brands for headers? Make? Price? and what gains you have seen? Thanks

LG, American Racing, Kooks make good headers. Prices will range depending on size with or without cats, etc. Power gains range I have heard gains as high as 35HP... not to shabby. Headers sound really cool also. :D

I'm in the process of installing and documenting a set of prototype Headers with X Pipe that will be inexspensive even though they are 321 Stainless Steel...

More to follow...

I believe LG Pros make the most HP but the runners are 1 7/8" and wouldn't do for a mostly stock Vette, Dynatech Supermaxx is a great system and price when you consider all that comes with it. Texas Speed has some nice and inexpensive stuff too. Melrose is good... There are ALOT of Headers out there that flow pretty good, the fit is the big thing.

Keep in mind that the cost of the Headers will increase if you can't do the install yourself and if you need a Tune to delete the rear O2 sensors... Sims work, but are 50 on 50 longevity... I don't know about you but I don't like crawling under my car! lol

It's a good idea asking though and not believing the manufacuterers hype. If you want a proven complete system I'd recommend the Dynatech Supermaxx... it's all there, even the gaskets.

There are a lot of different choices for sure, I've heard about 3-5 different ones mentioned above, I would find out from people who have each one that you are considering and see what the comments are. Oh I guess that is what you are doing...lol I have a set of long tube and x-pipe and dual Borla Stingers on the rear, but they were on the Z when I bought it in November and I really don't know what brand they are, I need to check. I know it all sounds AWESOME though, lol :D The power is great too.

We are running Kooks 17/8" Long tube w/ Kooks 3" X-Pipe with B&B Bullet axle back system. Excellent system... admirable intense sound!

Don't have headers yet but I've heard LG and Kooks are the best.

Do you recommend going with or without cats? I have spoken know to a couple of these companies and a couple of them have mentioned that without cats you get more power?

I recommend going ahead and running High Flow Cats for several reasons:


They have no real impact on Horsepower, I can’t remember the magazine now but it was a large ad well respected, they ran Dyno tests on exhaust systems both with and without Cats and found no significant differences. I have 3” Thunderbolt, metallic core Cats from Performance Curve that cost me $110 for two, the ceramic cores are $37 a piece.
It makes your exhaust sound more manageable. I can’t tell yo the umber of guys that change their exhaust after putting headers with no cats on because it’s too loud.
It keeps the exhaust smell downIf you do put Highflows on, put them right on the end of the Headers so that they burn better. Some highflows flow so efficient the car will throw codes. But I recommend deleting the rear O2 sensors anyway… That's my opinion anyway...