Topic: Q for guys w/ Hooker sidepipes
in Forum: C3 Fuel, Emission Control, and Exhaust Systems
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I'm still undecided on the exhaust option I'll chose for my car. I'm now leaning back to installing the Hooker sidepipes, with the Jet-Hot "Sterling" coating. Anyway, a couple of questions for you guys:
1) How do they connect to the side rail of the frame? Will I just have to drill a hole in the bottom of the frame rail?
2) I have vortec heads. The specs for them say that the exhaust port is 0.2" higher than factory heads. Since the header would be sitting .2" higher on the car, I am wondering if it will have enough clearance to go under the frame rail as it comes out from under the car to connect to the sidepipe. Can you guys respond with how much clearance you have between the pipes and the frame rail, as they go under the rail?
THANKS!
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John - my 71 came with Hooker side pipes. In fact, I shoulod have a new set shipping this week from Jet-Hot to go with the new engine. There is clearence under the frame rail (obviously), but it's not a lot (I think it's at most an inch or two, but I'm going from memory since mine are out. The connector tubes on the side of the car use factory holes. You have to take off the chrome trim piece to mount them. It really is easy. The only realy pain is the driver side header on a manual transmission car. The Z-bar goes between 2 of the tubes, so it must be removed to install the header. Both will require some wiggling to get in. I'll snap a couple pictures this evening so you can get an idea.
Here's a couple pictures.
This one shows how the side tubes mount to the frame. There are two brackets.
This picture shows one of the two bolts that the brackets bolt to. The holes are already there, and the bolts come with the header/sidetube package.
Hope this helps.
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Thanks for those pics, John!! 
The holes are there, you are correct, but...the bolts that you have are way different from what the factory used in '69. The original bolts used the same holes, but were "T" shaped where they fit into the frame. You would turn the bolt head to slip into the hole, and then turn it 90deg. That's what held them in. The aftermarket (Hooker, etc) pipes almost always use the factory provided holes, and some even included the factory style bolts.
Not to say that what you have will not work, they will. Just pointing out the differences in "original style" and not.
I'm not sure if the '80s cars have these holes in the frame, tho...can anyone confirm/deny this rumor? Since '69 was the only year Shark that had sidepipes from the factory, would they have continued the holes after the '78 body/frame update? I'm curious now...Anybody?
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Thanks John and Joel. I'll have to check tonight to see if I have the bolt holes under my rocker covers. Anyone else out there have any advise for me on this idea of using the Hooker headers & side pipes with Vortec heads. Those heads have the D-shaped exhaust port, which I believe is only 1-1/2". Since the hookers headers are 1-7/8", I figured it would "cover" all portions of the D-shape fine, so there wouldn't be a big ridge that the exhaust gases would have to go around. (Of course, there wouldstill be a ridge, but it would be a step UP in size, from the head port.)
Thoughts on any of this?
When we installed the pipes on DNV's 80 we had to drill. I think the the frame update in 78 deleted them. Someone else confirm? Drillling is easy. Getting a bolt in there to drop down is a little harder.
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Rather than drill holes in the frame why not tack weld bolts to the frame? 
[QUOTE=jgoglick]John - my 71 came with Hooker side pipes. In fact, I shoulod have a new set shipping this week from Jet-Hot to go with the new engine. There is clearence under the frame rail (obviously), but it's not a lot (I think it's at most an inch or two, but I'm going from memory since mine are out. The connector tubes on the side of the car use factory holes. You have to take off the chrome trim piece to mount them. It really is easy. The only realy pain is the driver side header on a manual transmission car. The Z-bar goes between 2 of the tubes, so it must be removed to install the header. Both will require some wiggling to get in. I'll snap a couple pictures this evening so you can get an idea.[/QUOTE]
Hey John do you have a link to Jet-Hot, I can't find them anywhere?
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Dave's '82 
in Forum: C3 Fuel, Emission Control, and Exhaust Systems
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