Early CSX Headers

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by 1795

Dan,

Those look quite similar to mine, with the exception that at the end of the collector I have a flange and the originals have a welded tube that carries further down and then bends out and back. It also looks like there may be extensions for the header bolts, which is nice as there are a couple of tubes that the header bolt heads scrape a little as you are turning them until you get them further seated.
Thanks.
Jim

I have a set of old used road race headers less the slip on down and turn out pipes. I bought them in the 1970s years before I bought a Cobra. I was going to use them with the play engine but that didn't work out as exhaust port sizes are 1963-65 race legal rectangles. By 1966-67 even stock 289 heads were getting ported to larger sizes in race organizations that allowed larger (or different shape) sizes.

My ex-Shelby race team heads have much larger exhaust ports. Using 1963-65 headers with cylinder heads with high flow, later race or aftermarket, would ruin the benefit of free breathing heads.

We ended up using a set of Jim Cowles’ headers like Jeff shows. We had to enlarge a couple of ports and spend days making them fit out red car. I would not go through making them work again.

Any car any engine other than box stock, #1 determine what header ports and tube sizes you will require and #2 onward any other considerations. (It would be a waste to install 1963 specification / made headers on modern aftermarket super flow Brand X heads in my opinion.)