Header selection always has to be defined based on the title of this thread. Neither street headers on a race car or race headers on a street car is the way to go, in most circumstances. When somone calls us about ordering headers, almost the first question I ask them is how they use their car. Our typical customer says (or thinks) that they have what is called a "street/strip" Mustang, but even that description needs to be expanded. For instance, do they have a race car that they occasionaly drive on the street, or do they have a street car that they occsionally take to the track? Obviously, there is a difference. Customers (or prospective customers) need to know what they need, which is not always what they want. When a Mustang enthusiast tells me that he has a "street/strip" car, my first question is how many miles (on the average0 does he put on his car during the year? He may respond with "about 6,000 miles a year". My next question is how many times does he take the car to the track? A typical response may be, "four or five times a year, mostly to test and tune or maybe to run in the bracket class." From that answer, I then ask how many passes does he make on the average, and he may respond with "four to six runs, give or take". Even if he makes ten runs every time he goes to the drag strip, that is only about two and a half miles (on a 1/4 mile track) or half that on an 1/8th mile track. Two and a half miles times six trips to the drag strip is about 15 miles on the drag strip, versus 6,000 miles on the street. Is that a "street/strip" car? Far from it, it's a street car, and your header selection should be based on that reality.
Okay, enough of that.
The most popular header we sell these days have been the Mid Length Headers, and the funny thing is that about 50% of them are being purchased by all out racers, that NEVER use their cars on the street. We offer the Mid Length Headers in 1 3/4", 1 7/8" and 2" primaires. The 1 3/4" and 1 7/8" use 3" collectors and the 2" uses 3 1/2" collectors. The race guys order the 1 7/8" and 2" Mid Length Headers, and most of the time, they run the headers open, with no exhaust system (as in H or X-pipes and mufflers). Why have so many racers switched from Long Tubes to Mid Length Headers? (1) they cost less and (2) they are lighter weight and (3) they never need to remove the headers to change the clutch or converter and (4) they are much easier to install and (5), the difference in horsepower is minimal. That last one may surprise you. With open headers, everything else being equal, the HP difference is under 10 HP at the top end. And if you run a full exhaust system (including mufflers), the difference on the dyno is almost unmeasurable.
Mid Length Headers go back a long way in all out drag cars. The photo below is a Big Block Chevy 427" Z-11 engine mounted in an A/FX Chevy II Nova, in the early 1960's.
![Image]()
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Like the Mustangs, there is not a lot of room in the engine compartment. The FX rules at the time did require a "full exhaust system" which is why this set has the extensions welded to the ends of the collectors, but they raced with the headers open. Because of width restraints on the Chevy II, the primaires had to be routed over the factory sub frames, which is something NOT required on the Mustangs.
![Image]()
Clean and neat, eh what? We use the same collectors that are used on the Long Tube Headers. The end of the collectors are pretty much where the firewall and floorboards meet. The driver's side is pretty much the same, and fits between the steering shaft and the engine (the headers can easily be installed from the top)...
Okay, enough of that.
The most popular header we sell these days have been the Mid Length Headers, and the funny thing is that about 50% of them are being purchased by all out racers, that NEVER use their cars on the street. We offer the Mid Length Headers in 1 3/4", 1 7/8" and 2" primaires. The 1 3/4" and 1 7/8" use 3" collectors and the 2" uses 3 1/2" collectors. The race guys order the 1 7/8" and 2" Mid Length Headers, and most of the time, they run the headers open, with no exhaust system (as in H or X-pipes and mufflers). Why have so many racers switched from Long Tubes to Mid Length Headers? (1) they cost less and (2) they are lighter weight and (3) they never need to remove the headers to change the clutch or converter and (4) they are much easier to install and (5), the difference in horsepower is minimal. That last one may surprise you. With open headers, everything else being equal, the HP difference is under 10 HP at the top end. And if you run a full exhaust system (including mufflers), the difference on the dyno is almost unmeasurable.
Mid Length Headers go back a long way in all out drag cars. The photo below is a Big Block Chevy 427" Z-11 engine mounted in an A/FX Chevy II Nova, in the early 1960's.
Like the Mustangs, there is not a lot of room in the engine compartment. The FX rules at the time did require a "full exhaust system" which is why this set has the extensions welded to the ends of the collectors, but they raced with the headers open. Because of width restraints on the Chevy II, the primaires had to be routed over the factory sub frames, which is something NOT required on the Mustangs.
Clean and neat, eh what? We use the same collectors that are used on the Long Tube Headers. The end of the collectors are pretty much where the firewall and floorboards meet. The driver's side is pretty much the same, and fits between the steering shaft and the engine (the headers can easily be installed from the top)...
