Anyone put a set of these on a non chassis street/strip car? Bought a set and the driver side hits everything from the steering shaft, motor mount,perportioning valve to the lower control arm perch :rant: . Mike at t/a said they where designed to fit in a 70 GS non racecar with no clearance issues. He then went on to tell me that I might have to notch the bolt holes to the motor mount frame pads so I can move the motor around to get the clearance I need. Sound like a lot of B.S to get a set of direct fitting headers (so they are claimed to be) to fit. Has anyone else ran into this problem or am I missing something o No: ! Thanks Mike
Mike, maybe do a search on these headers. I thought I read somewhere on this forum that you had to be a "massage therapist" to get them to fit. Brian Earick told my brother that the 2 1/8" headers were some work to install but I don't remember if they were the stg 1 or stg 2 variety.
Isnt it funny what they tell you different before and after they get our money? i distinctly remember being tol that these headers fit great with no mods, before i decided to buy them, now its oh u need to notch this and massage that, oh well Mike gets yours massaged and well make mine look like yours when your done, thats whats best about havin you do your car before mine :beer Shawn
Expectations Mike, I have never dealt directly with T/A, but my car is covered in their parts, including the big tube headers on a stock chassis. I cannot think of a stock car that allows you to install 2 1/8 primary tube headers without any massaging at all. You had to know that this was going to be a bitch, every header job is, but a gargantuan pair like yours and mine is the kind of install that can make you want to give up wrenchin for good. Take a few deep breaths and get to it, don't get pissed at all, just smile and keep on pushing forward. If you front was ever tweaked, it may be more difficult but you should get there. T/A has a pretty good reputation for their stuff, but nobody should tell someone a 2 1/8 header will go "right in". It won't and I have never seen any on any application that do, because if they did they would offer it in 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 or whatever it took to just barely be able to get it in the car. JMO I could be wrong. Laugh it off and get to it. :TU: Bill
Hey Bill will you come help me when its time to install my headers LOL??? sounds like u have the necessary patience to do the job right. i may be cussing and fussing. :rant: LOL Shawn
Mike and Shawn, Uh, Er, UH, ER, Uh can I get back to you on that one. My dog is sick with the flu, uh my car only runs in reverse, I am allergic to Cleveland. Must be somthing in the air. Damn, I hate it when people call my bluff. I mean come on you can do it, Right? I think this is one of those do as I say and not as I do situations, I swear like drunken sailor on any header job. Cooler heads will prevail, good luck with your dremel and resist the heat and beat temptation. I am pulling mine out next week for powder coat, lets see what song I am singing then, because it is a big primary tube I EXPECT it will be a real SOB, but I will remain calm and get through it while testing my vast vocabulary of four letter words. Good Luck! :TU: Just curious, if I did show up, you don't by chance have a large supply of Jack Daniels on hand do you?
By the time you see my work, you would'nt offer me yesterdays backwash! I do however like the "Crown", "Jack", and "Chivas". I suggest one single before you start and the rest of the bottle when finished. :beer
Sounds like a plan. I'll be getting started on that tomorrow :beer I got to worn ya you'll probably hear alot of :spank: :af: :ball: :blast: and a kiss my :moonu: from me even at your house. So don't be alarmed it's just me toying with the headers!
Mike, When are you planning on running this beast? As soon as you get the headers on? If so where, and when? Maybe we could put a group together sometime for a day of fun. :Brow:
Mike, The 2-1/8" race headers were built on my fathers factory 1970 GS big block car. On this car they went on and off better than other headers we have. You need to understand that there is no one, and I mean no one, who has spent as much time and effort as I have in trying to make headers fit our cars. I have had our headers reworked more times than not, to make them fit primary application as well as possible, and to make them fit as many different cars as possible. My words here have no anger in them, just frustration. You happen to be the first one that I personally know of that has had this much trouble with this part number. I will tell you that are cars are not created equal. We had a situation years ago that a Stage 2 engine and trans was pulled from a one factory '70 big block car and put into another '70 big bock car. The one it was pulled from the headers fit great, hit nothing. Installed that engine and trans into the other car they hit everything, just like your talking about. My suggestions to you, relayed through Jan last week, were suggestions of help. If I remember listening to Jan speak with you, I thought I heard him say that your car was a 350 car to start with. That's why I suggested that you go back to the motor mount pads and try some re-aligning. The proportioning valve needs to be relocated on almost every set of headers, just unbolt it, move it, and bolt it back to the frame. You know one thing I don't like much, is coming on to this board (which is not very often) and having to leave with a chunk of my rear missing for something I really shouldn't of built in the first place. Just because financially, it made no sense to do it. It's doubtful TA will ever recoup the costs of development on that particular header. You need to remember, I do this so I have the parts to use also. I had a hot rod Buick way before I had TA. I'm on all of your sides, especially in the "I want" department.
Mike, It's nothing against you or your product. It's just been the same song and dance for the past 4yrs restoring this car with no enjoyment just aggravation. I understand that no two cars are alike, I work on them every day. I was just under the impression that they where a bolt in deal, and was hoping that someone else might have ran into this problem and could give me a little insight before ripping the engine back out. Having to deal with the general public is very tough job in its' own because, for every 1 person you make happy there's at least 4 that hate your guts! I do commend you with all your hard work you have done for the Buick industry and us that own them. I just want to get this damn car done and on the road to enjoyment :3gears: Thanks for taking the time to write to me and I keep on messaging
My first set of headers didn't fit so well. But Mike at TA served me well and the next attempt I made I took a little more time trimming the upper a-arms and a little ding in the header and they now fit great. My car is an original 350 car so doing as Mike suggested helped a ton. Now I just wish I would have jet hot coated them or something. I love the response I get from people when I'm at a car show next to some Mustang and a bystander will walk by and say "Dammmm Look at the size of those headers!!! You could fit that little mustangs whole motor in those pipes!" Thanks Mike T. for making these Buick parts for us! :TU:
I was wondering what difference would it make if the car started life as a 350 car instead of a 455 car. When I did my 455 swap, I had to change the frame mounts of course and obviously the motor has 455 motor mounts. So isn't this the same as what an original 455 car would have? What am I missing here. I don't have the TA headers but am just curious in case I have to step up when I do my new motor. Allen allioop108@aol.com
i have to admit, changing my v6 regal to a 455 and using the headers have been quite fun, little trim here, little grind there, waiting for my new xmember to show up, but im thinking it will all be worth it in the end, and bye the way if any of you clevelandites like me want to come over and swear at my car with me ill grab the bottles. :beer
