K30 454 headers

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Cameron Covington

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1986
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K30
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454
Currently getting my K30 back on the road, bought a new intake, carb, distributor, plugs, plug wires etc etc. Was looking at my options for headers for the truck. Truck doesn’t have to be loud or have any “performance” gain. Just fit in-between the block and the frame rail. I’m deleting all the smog **** on the truck and throwing antique tags on it, so no need to worry about emissions. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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82sbshortbed

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Got longtubes on my 454. Don't know the brand but, po had to beat a dent in the pass side to clear a arm.
 

Vbb199

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Main thing with long tubes is clearing cyl #2 and #3's spark plugs...real PIA with some of them to get to the sparkplugs.
 

Big Chip

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https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hed-68198

I bought these for my C35 but I understand they work well on 4x4 because the flange doesn't interfere with something on the suspension. Maybe someone else has more insight on the 4x4 than me. These are for GM A-Body cars.
 

Cameron Covington

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K30
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Main thing with long tubes is clearing cyl #2 and #3's spark plugs...real PIA with some of them to get to the sparkplugs.
Didn’t mean to post a blank chat.


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Cameron Covington

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Cameron
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1986
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K30
Engine Size
454
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hed-68198

I bought these for my C35 but I understand they work well on 4x4 because the flange doesn't interfere with something on the suspension. Maybe someone else has more insight on the 4x4 than me. These are for GM A-Body cars.
Yeah I had been looking at getting a set of cast style headers for like a 70-73 big block chevelle and getting one of my buddy’s to make a new exhaust from there but, I don’t know what will fit. I’m more worried about clearance and stuff. This truck is going to be a work/beater truck around farms and hunting and stuff.


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Big Chip

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Yeah I had been looking at getting a set of cast style headers for like a 70-73 big block chevelle and getting one of my buddy’s to make a new exhaust from there but, I don’t know what will fit. I’m more worried about clearance and stuff. This truck is going to be a work/beater truck around farms and hunting and stuff.


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From what I gather about these is they don't drop as far down as truck headers so they stay up about the bottom of the frame. That's the reason I bought them because I'm going lower and my current headers are a little lower than I would like.
 

bucket

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Headers for '68-up Novas fit well too. I'm running two trucks with big blocks and headers from Novas, the fit is excellent and they don't hang low.
 

nvrenuf

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I run Sanderson shorties on the 454 in my Blazer, perfect fit with zero mods / issues.
 

Clint L

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Suburban c20
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I have summit ceramic long tubes on 85 c20 without clearance issues. Overall they’re fine. Collector flanges kind of suck and I had to take an ac bracket to the machine shop due to interference but that may just be an issue for my year range of truck.

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varmit86

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Have a set of brand new ceramic coated shorty's that were for a project rhat I bailed out of if your inyerested.
Located in So Cal.

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Dooley

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RW
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V30
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Currently getting my K30 back on the road, bought a new intake, carb, distributor, plugs, plug wires etc etc. Was looking at my options for headers for the truck. Truck doesn’t have to be loud or have any “performance” gain. Just fit in-between the block and the frame rail. I’m deleting all the smog **** on the truck and throwing antique tags on it, so no need to worry about emissions. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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What works in a 2WD often has fitment problems on a 4WD.
When I replaced a 6.2 with a BB in my D30 I had a couple options open to me.
There were some welded stainless steel headers on a donor motor from a Blue Bird bus and a near new stock set of headers I bought at a local salvage yard. They had been removed from a guy's motor home that they installed long tube headers on.
I went with the stock headers with a custom stainless dual system.
I was happy with my choice.

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84K30

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SWPA
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Eric
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1984
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K30
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454
A whole new exhaust, including long tube headers, is the next item on my agenda. Despite the fact that I do not drive my truck over the winter (roughly Thanksgiving to Easter) I still want to spring for some 304 stainless headers since PA is very liberal with their road salt application. It is also fairly humid here year round. I’d like to take bucket’s advice and try a set of long tubes intended for a 68-72 big block nova.

I eventually plan on stroking the 454 in my truck or swapping in a crate 502 if the engine is already bored to the max. My question is if I buy headers with 1.75” primaries are they going to be a bottleneck in the future? If so, I may buy cheap plain steel headers now and spring for stainless once the engine situation is addressed.

Also, should I be looking for round or square port headers on my “236” heads?

Thanks, Eric
 
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