Just a comment.  Besides agreeing with everyone who recommended rebuilding your Q-Jet....  When you add headers, it increases system airflow, which usually changes your air/fuel ratio.  You will probably need to richen your jets or metering rods a little to compensate.

Larry

Talked to a couple classic corvette shops here locally...they all seem to agree...keep the q-jet and just have it reworked.  Found a guy who is gonna take care of it for me, but i still want to know how to do the work myself.

Are there any products out there that you'd all recommend? manuals, specific tools that I'll need?

Check out Ken's carb article here...click on "Ken's Projects", then "Quadrajet". It gives excellent advice and methods of O/Hauling the venerable Quadrapuke, and has pics to show how.

That article is actually my carb from my C3.  The red mat it is sitting on is laying on a blue surface.  That's the hood of my old Celebrity.  The carb was done in the driveway.   Have faith, you can do it.  If you get stuck, ask me.

Awesome article...very helpful. I'll tackle the rebuild as soon as I finish my electrical problem.  I'll keep you posted.

Ken: I'll probably be emailed you with questions cuz I f*$&ed something up :)

Be glad to help.