Header & Exhaust Recommendations

[Odin]

I picked up a 71 challenger. It was an original 318 car but sometime in the past a 440 was installed. The car has power steering, automatic transmission, and used to have AC. I will probably put AC back in it, at least vintage air. With that said, what headers and exhaust recommendations do you experts have for me?

 

[rbbruno3]

Can't go wrong with TTI it's all they do Mopar exhaust. A little more expensive but ....it fits.

 

[Adam]

TTI,s are the best, but if on a tight budget, the Hedman headers with 3/8 flange have worked well for me; they fit without modifications, but just touch the mini-starter. Pony up for the Remflex gaskets. Avoid the Hookers, in my opinion.

 

[Odin]

So I was looking at the website and called TTI. I don't know how much HP my engine is producing because neither the previous owner nor I built it. It supposedly has TRW pistons on clean cylinders, but I do not know if it has been bored out. It has a cam bigger than stock, but I don't know the specs, it has a Weiand intake and I believe the stock heads were slightly ported or at least polished when they were rebuilt. TTI recommended either of two headers for my setup; TTI383440-134 (1-3/4" primary) or TTI440-178 (1-7/8" primary). The primary tube size is the only real difference. If I get either of these, I still have to decide which collector connection to get, 3"x2.5" or 3"x3".
Do you guys have any comments regarding one TTI header over the other? The prices are exactly the same.
How about exhaust tube size; 2.5" or 3"? What are the pros and cons for performance here?
What mufflers do you like and where should they be located in the system?
X tube, H tube, or two separate pipes?
Thanks again!!

 

[rbbruno3]

I just went back and went through your welcome post and pictures and intentions for the car. Is the exhaust system on the car bad? What's your plan of attack? Just thinking exhaust may be further down the road. Although when I ordered mine (TTI)I had to wait over a month for headers.

 

[Odin]

Yeah the mufflers are rusted badly to the point of almost opening up. If I’m going to replace exhaust parts I might as well go from the heads back. I’m looking at Doug’s or TTI but I don’t know the pros and cons of a 2.5” vs 3” exhaust system or the mufflers

 

[DrEamer]

.... but I don’t know the pros and cons of a 2.5” vs 3” exhaust system or the mufflers

Here is a video that might help a little.

 

[Odin]

Here is a video that might help a little.

I knew backpressure had a factor in the power making, but I didn't know if the difference in exhaust system size was much of a factor. Thank you very much for the video. It was very well put together and relayed exactly what I needed to know

 

[Odin]

So I’ve narrowed it down to Doig’s D452 or TTI 440-178 and a 3” exhaust system with X crossover, straight-through mufflers, and dual quad square tips out the valance.

Pre-fab exhaust or custom made?
Mufflers? Im leaning away from bullets. I’m thinking MagnaFlow ovals?

 

[rebelcuda73]

I picked up a 71 challenger. It was an original 318 car but sometime in the past a 440 was installed. The car has power steering, automatic transmission, and used to have AC. I will probably put AC back in it, at least vintage air. With that said, what headers and exhaust recommendations do you experts have for me?

I have a 74 cuda that had a 318 which I installed a 68 440 six pack plus a 4 speed in it. I installed headmen headers and had a fitment issue with the passenger side. Called them up and the guy there knew exactly what to do and sent me a different passenger side which fit perfect. No issues what so ever and did not have to notch my mini starter. They have great customer service. Good luck.

 

[dfrazz]

So I’ve narrowed it down to Doig’s D452 or TTI 440-178 and a 3” exhaust system with X crossover, straight-through mufflers, and dual quad square tips out the valance.

Pre-fab exhaust or custom made?
Mufflers? Im leaning away from bullets. I’m thinking MagnaFlow ovals?

TTI fit perfect, Doug's are questionable. 3" is overkill unless you have (or are planning) a high horsepower/tq 440, more like a stroker. Plenty of videos our there comparing mufflers, its a personal liking.

 

[mud man]

I have had great service from Schumacher. They specialize in small block to big block swaps.

 

[DrEamer]

Pre-fab exhaust or custom made?
Mufflers? Im leaning away from bullets. I’m thinking MagnaFlow ovals?

TTI also does pre-fab exhaust. They have both H and X pipe options. The nice thing is that if you run their header, the rest of the exhaust system it designed to work with them.

 

[aussiemark]

A lot of the cheap ones won't fit with power steering and some (even good ones) won't fit with column shift.

 

[rogue]

I talked with TTI before getting my system and they basically said the switch over from 2.5 to 3 inch is at about 500 HP. I have TTI headers on my Cuda 340 and hedman headers on my challenger 360 (original 318 car), bot are 1971 models. I have TTI x-pipe on both cars, 3" on the cuda, 2.5" on the challenger. I wouldn't say either exhaust system was perfect but they went together without much trouble... i assume any difficulties were probably due to variances on the cars since they're in their 40s as far as age. As for out of the box pre-fab systems I do recommend the TTI ones, they're very nice.

On the challenger i have a borgeson power steering box and hedman 78056 headers. I found that the stud (dunno the technical term for it) that connects the pitman arm to the center link hits the left header. I basically beat a dent into the header to get clearance (yeah, i know).

On the cuda i have the newer style TTI headers that do NOT go under the steering center link. I had to make new trans cooler lines as the stock ones wouldn't fit right. I also had to wrap the starter in heat shield.

I have flowmaster super 10s on the cuda and flowmaster 40 delta flows on the challenger... (yeah i like flowmaster, i even have flowmaster exhaust on my Ram 1500). I like the sound and the performance.

All in all, despite the mild quirks, i'd definitely recommend TTI. If i had it to do over again, i'd have done it all the same except getting TTI headers for the challenger instead of hedmans. Nothing wrong with hedmans, i've used them for years, but i find the TTI looks better and the fact you don't have to drop the centerlink to install/remove is a big plus.

Just wanted to share my experience and hopefully it's somewhat useful

 

[Odin]

I talked with TTI before getting my system and they basically said the switch over from 2.5 to 3 inch is at about 500 HP. I have TTI headers on my Cuda 340 and hedman headers on my challenger 360 (original 318 car), bot are 1971 models. I have TTI x-pipe on both cars, 3" on the cuda, 2.5" on the challenger. I wouldn't say either exhaust system was perfect but they went together without much trouble... i assume any difficulties were probably due to variances on the cars since they're in their 40s as far as age. As for out of the box pre-fab systems I do recommend the TTI ones, they're very nice.

On the challenger i have a borgeson power steering box and hedman 78056 headers. I found that the stud (dunno the technical term for it) that connects the pitman arm to the center link hits the left header. I basically beat a dent into the header to get clearance (yeah, i know).

On the cuda i have the newer style TTI headers that do NOT go under the steering center link. I had to make new trans cooler lines as the stock ones wouldn't fit right. I also had to wrap the starter in heat shield.

I have flowmaster super 10s on the cuda and flowmaster 40 delta flows on the challenger... (yeah i like flowmaster, i even have flowmaster exhaust on my Ram 1500). I like the sound and the performance.

All in all, despite the mild quirks, i'd definitely recommend TTI. If i had it to do over again, i'd have done it all the same except getting TTI headers for the challenger instead of hedmans. Nothing wrong with hedmans, i've used them for years, but i find the TTI looks better and the fact you don't have to drop the centerlink to install/remove is a big plus.

Just wanted to share my experience and hopefully it's somewhat useful

Very useful and thank you for the response

 

[Cudafor36]

Stick with tti. Though the new set for my 392 install has one bolt that won't fit with the tube placement. My 340 headers had no issue. And my motto is go big or go home.

 

[Odin]

I ended up finding a new old set of Hedmans for the Challenger and new old set of Mopar Performance ones for my Dart. I’ll have someone try installing them when I get back to town in a few weeks.

 

[Mad Cuda]

Hey guys, I want to replace my original exhaust on my 1973 Plymouth Barracuda. I want an exhaust system that has a nice growling sound. Any recommendations? Thanks

 

[Mad Cuda]

The car was originally a 318 with a 3 speed. Now it has a 383 with a 4 speed. It does have aftermarket headers. Would just like to improve the sound. I keep hearing about Magnaflow mufflers. Any suggestions?