Header Collector Flange at an Odd Angle

[WayneB]

Working thru the initial fitment stage of my 55 Chevy build. While checking the fit on a new set of Hooker headers I find the collector flange on the passenger side is angled towards the middle of the car, while the driver's side is straight relative to the car. Looking close you can see the flange isn't square with the collector tube. It appears to be welded on crooked. Driver's side is square with the tube. I spoke to a tech at Holley and was told, unconvincingly, that this was correct, designed to clear the crossmember. As you can see, this makes no sense. Before I cut this off and re weld it, or weld my mating flange on crooked to compensate, I thought I'd ask for opinions. How would you proceed?
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[chevynut]

First of all I think some of Hookers' designs suck these days. I had a pair for my 502 where one collector was 6" longer than the other. Sure, it's functional but looks like crap. It looks like yours are unequal length too but not as much. Maybe it has to do with making all the tubes the same length, but there are more professional-looking ways to do that and make the collectors even.

From your picture it looks to me like that flange was put on crooked, not that it was intentionally designed that way. I think that's a manufacturing defect.

Finally, if it was me I would use a different model of headers. Those go under the bellhousing mounts, and hang below the frame. I would rather have them up above the bottom of the frame. They make some where you remove those mounts are above the frame. It just gives a lot cleaner look under the car imo. Some guys might like them hanging down, but I don't, especially if the car is lowered.

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[Rick_L]

That flange is welded crooked, wasn't intended that way by design. Holley rep is FOS. I would send them back, especially since they are coated.

[TrifiveRichard]

Is it possible the Holley rep was referencing the stock crossmember?

[55 Rescue Dog]

I would be inclined to just make a correction in the exhaust pipe, since nobody will ever notice it except for you and the handful of people here.

[Rick_L]

Is it possible the Holley rep was referencing the stock crossmember?

There is no stock crossmember under tha transmission.

[WagonCrazy]

Send them back. Get another set.

[TrifiveRichard]

There is no stock crossmember under tha transmission.

Oops, forgot about that, bell housing rear mount. Memory isn’t what it used to be. LOL

[WagonCrazy]

[QUOTE]Is it possible the Holley rep was referencing the stock crossmember?/QUOTE]

Maybe they were referring to the stock bellhousing mounts that are still on his frame.
WayneB...why are those still there? They are not needed with that nice transmission crossmember you have.
Take a sawzall and whack those things off, and massage the frame to clean it up like they were never there.


Also, regarding the issue of the crooked flange. As long as there is nothing protruding out from the face of the flange, then you will get a tight gasket once the other side of the flange is bolted to it. If Holley gives you any grief about returning them for a replacement, then you could just leave that passenger side as is, and when fabricating the rest of the exhaust that goes beyond it...put a very slight bend in the tube (behind the new flange) to align the rest of the exhaust with the frame.
I suggest this because the headers are already coated, and you really don't want to have to destroy that trying to fix (realign) the flange.

[chevynut]

As long as there is nothing protruding out from the face of the flange, then you will get a tight gasket once the other side of the flange is bolted to it. If Holley gives you any grief about returning them for a replacement, then you could just leave that passenger side as is, and when fabricating the rest of the exhaust that goes beyond it...put a very slight bend in the tube (behind the new flange) to align the rest of the exhaust with the frame.

Accepting them is why we get poor quality like this because they get away with it. I personally would make Holley address it, but I'm picky like that . And like I said, if it was me I'd cut off the bellhousing mounts and use different headers to tuck them up above the bottom of the frame.

[markm]

My luck the next set would not fit the chassis. Hate to say it but I would probably make a correction on collector.

[Custer55]

I agree that you should cut off the original rear engine mounts. Then return those headers for a set that tuck in above the bottom of the frame. Even when my car sat much higher I had headers that went under the rear engine mounts and they would scrape the ground all the time going in and out of driveways and such.
You would most likely need to re-design the trans crossmember for exhaust clearance but you will be much happier in the long run with the exhaust all above the bottom of the frame.
Brian