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By Woody - 12 Years Ago
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Hi guys,
I have a 58 Mainline Star Model with the original crossover exhaust. I would like headers but I'm not sure which ones will fit the car as its a right hand drive and the US made headers are designed for Left hand drive cars. Its a very tight fit down on the drivers side.
Can any Aussies (or anyone else) recommend me some good headers that will fit my 58 Mainline.
Cheers,
Woody
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By 312T85Bird - 12 Years Ago
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I would suggest looking for a pair of ram Horns off a Big Truck if they are available down under as you will need to have the pipes made up any how. that way if need be the right (Passenger) could loop forward if need be. Actually you could use almost any "Y" dual manifolds and by reversing the sides have the pipes looped to the rear after reversing the sides with the manifolds. I have seen some pretty clean installations done that way here in the upper Mid West.
312T85Bird
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By Woody - 12 Years Ago
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The Australian Mainline models are not really trucks. They are based on a convertible Customline body so like the US cars the ram horns don't fit. That's what I have read anyway. As you can see from the pic there is not much room to move in there!
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By The Master Cylinder - 12 Years Ago
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312T85Bird (11/5/2013)
I would suggest looking for a pair of ram Horns off a Big Truck
312T85Bird
Rams Horns won't fit cars, motor mount is in the way.
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By glrbird - 12 Years Ago
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How do you feel about fenderwell headers, or you might have to make your own or modify a set of sbc street rod headers.
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By Woody - 12 Years Ago
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I am considering short style manifold headers like Reds Headers 'Duel Tubes' or something similar that are similar size to the original exhaust manifolds. I will have a muffler shop fabricate down pipes to a duel exhaust. Would be keen to hear from anyone with a RHD 55 - 59 Mainline or Aussie Customline who has gone down this road.
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By aussiebill - 12 Years Ago
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Woody (11/6/2013)
I am considering short style manifold headers like Reds Headers 'Duel Tubes' or something similar that are similar size to the original exhaust manifolds. I will have a muffler shop fabricate down pipes to a duel exhaust. Would be keen to hear from anyone with a RHD 55 - 59 Mainline or Aussie Customline who has gone down this road.
Because of the column shift linkages, starter, clutch rod etc all on that side it is indeed hard to do. I used to make headers that fit perfectly but have not been interested in doing them any more. As mentioned forget rams horn headers in car! you could try reds pipe headers and modify outlet area. Cast tbird headers wont clear all of the above, if you cut rear flange area off the rh side and make longer down pipe with flange that passes everything, then that works.
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By Talkwrench - 12 Years Ago
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Rick [ Rick55] has a set on his mainline Im sure... Rick ??
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By Woody - 12 Years Ago
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Thank you all for the info. I have today received a return email from Chris at Reds Headers who has confirmed the regular passenger side header will not fit my 58 Mainline, HOWEVER.. he also advised that Reds Headers also make Duel Tube headers for Right Hand Drive cars!! Happy days!!
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By rick55 - 12 Years Ago
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I am using a set of Reds Style Headers on my Mainline. Had them made locally in stainless steel. The only problem as Bill said earlier is that it is abit tight on the right side of the engine. The way I got around it was to turn the mounting flange on the end of the pipe around 90 degrees that way it does not foul any of the linkages on that side. I originally had fenderwell extractors fitted, but they caused issues with the turning circle and burnt the inside edges of the tyres I had fitted. Was running 265 T/A's at the time. Bill's suggestion of lengthening the outlet on the right side manifold will also overcome any clearance issues.My headers are similar to these - http://reds-headers.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10&products_id=166&zenid=c353532da929617d457329d0538dd997
I particularly like the other variety that Reds offer but dont know how they would fit. http://reds-headers.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10&products_id=138
Any half reasonable exhaust shop should be able to make the first set work.
I still use the column shift and manual clutch setup.
if you want I can send you some photos of my setup.
Hope that gives you some ideas.
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By Woody - 12 Years Ago
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Thanks again for the ideas.
The second headers Rick has referred to in the link are the ones that caught my eye also.
Reds say they make them in RHD but if a little fabrication is still required then so be it. They should really free up the engine after the old cross over pipe and they'll look and sound so much better too!
Once it all happens I will report back.
Cheers, Woody
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By slick56 - 12 Years Ago
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P.o. fitted a set of aussie made original style headers on my '56, much thicker in the flange than original. Maybe AussieBills?
He purchased them about 15 years ago from Ballarat Swapmeet.
He has machined off the flange and extended the header with tubing to clear the lhd steering box. Neat job.
Perhaps you can do similar to the Reds..
.
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By Grizzly - 12 Years Ago
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Woody,
I can't really help with any further ideas with headers that fit. My approach is to wait untill I remove the linkages and other things that are in the way. http://www.rexhp.com/fuelblocks.html there are some nice headers comming onto the market. The PO of my ute used the original exhaust manifolds blanked off at the back with J pipes fitted to the front, doing away with the crossover for a dual system. This will get in the way of a power steering pump or an air conditioner compressor but will give you a dual exhast and free things up a bit
cheers
Warren
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By gyrogary - 12 Years Ago
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Woody
This is what I built 20 odd years ago for my 56 Mainline. Fitted around the clutch and gear linkages.
cheers
Gary
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By rick55 - 12 Years Ago
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Woody, as Bill mentioned early in this post the set of headers you want to use should be a snap to fit. You would just need to extend the outlet on RH manifold to extend it past the gear linkage. The left side will be free and clear. The headers that rexhp are producing look pretty interesting too but would be a bit tighter. The set you like seem to hug the heads closer. The only problem would be the clearance for the brake master cylinder and the resultant extra heat. I used the bracket from a VH Valiant V8 which offsets the brakes away from the manifold. It also allowed me to fit an XC falcon master cylinder.
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By snowcone - 12 Years Ago
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Cripes, now I really know why I left the cross over pipe on.
Mines an auto so the dipstick is also in the way on the R/H side and I have a boosted mastercylinder too.
It just didn't seem like I needed any more headaches in the pursuit of getting the Cusso on the road (which it still isn't)
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By rick55 - 12 Years Ago
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Come on , Gary. Where's your sense of adventure? What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. There is a significant power gain to be achieved by removing that crossover, plus it removes a source of burns.
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By Woody - 12 Years Ago
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rick55 (11/11/2013)
Come on , Gary. Where's your sense of adventure? What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. There is a significant power gain to be achieved by removing that crossover, plus it removes a source of burns.
Ha Ha! Agree Rick but I understand where Gary is coming from too, with all the potential dramas and all, but when all things are considered they are only really speed humps.
In Teds excellent "Exhaust Test To End all Tests?" thread http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/Topic55379.aspx the Reds Headers 'Twin Tube' header I am considering had a Peak HP of 278 on his 312 test mule, which was an increase of approximately 15% over the old Cross bar manifold setup. That's huge!! Even more impressive was that this particular header had one of the lowest HP increases of all that were tested with some headers achieving over 20% Peak HP increases! Unfortunately I am a bit restricted with header choice with my RHD, short of having some fabricated and going through all the dramas Gary is alluding to, but at the end of the day even this Twin Pipe header will make a great improvement for my weekend cruiser.
By the way this is my first engine mod on this car. Its runs a 292 with 2 barrel carb on a spacer.
Let the mods begin!!!
Cheers, Woody
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By snowcone - 12 Years Ago
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I'm still not convinced it is worth the pain.
I can remember my Dad towing 2 tonne caravans with his Mainline utes and F100s, all with stock 292's and cross over pipes.
Those old dogs just walked away with the load so my fresh 272 will move the Cusso along OK I think.
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By slick56 - 12 Years Ago
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Gary, spoke to the previous owner of my car today, he said he has seen the aussie made cast iron headers for sale in JustParts Magazine.
These are very well made and worth probably 20 or 30hp at least.
Also, the Bendigo Swap meet is on this coming week-end, good chance there for parts.
.
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By Woody - 12 Years Ago
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snowcone (11/12/2013)
I'm still not convinced it is worth the pain.
I can remember my Dad towing 2 tonne caravans with his Mainline utes and F100s, all with stock 292's and cross over pipes.
Those old dogs just walked away with the load so my fresh 272 will move the Cusso along OK I think.
I have read that the cross over exhaust is also a contributing factor in the Y blocks low down torque. My Mainline gets along well on the freeway with the cross over exhaust and a 2 barrel carb, stock standard. Its no slouch for an old girl! Its the chrome thing that's rapidly approaching in your mirrors!!
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By aussie-y - 12 Years Ago
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woody darryl o,reilly in geelong has been making dual exhaust manifolds since the early sixties in geelong he is still making them. give him a call at bellarine exhaust centre in moolap geelong ph 0352 482228. he,s been doing my cussy,s and mainlines for year,s .excellent workmanship.
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By Woody - 12 Years Ago
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aussie-y (11/14/2013)
woody darryl o,reilly in geelong has been making dual exhaust manifolds since the early sixties in geelong he is still making them. give him a call at bellarine exhaust centre in moolap geelong ph 0352 482228. he,s been doing my cussy,s and mainlines for year,s .excellent workmanship.
Thanks Ray, I'll give him a call.
Cheers, Woody
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By snowcone - 12 Years Ago
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Speaking of Mainlines, a tidy one just came up on fleabay.
Shame the Y has been changed out.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1959-Ford-Mainline-Customline-/121214279830?pt=AU_Cars&hash=item1c38ef2096
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By slick56 - 12 Years Ago
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I think this had a buy-it-now of 32k before bidding started.
.
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By Ted - 12 Years Ago
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Woody (11/12/2013)
I have read that the cross over exhaust is also a contributing factor in the Y blocks low down torque. My Mainline gets along well on the freeway with the cross over exhaust and a 2 barrel carb, stock standard. Its no slouch for an old girl! Its the chrome thing that's rapidly approaching in your mirrors!!
A dual exhaust system enhances the low-end torque values over those exhibited by the single exhaust crossover pipe system. Here’s a graph displaying the torque values where the single exhaust, the 1956 dual exhaust manifolds, and the 1957 dual exhaust manifolds were all ran on the same engine. These were all with mufflers or muffler in place. 
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By Woody - 12 Years Ago
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Thanks for clarifying that info Ted. Duals make a massive improvement alright!
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