Thread: Ram Horns vs Shorty Headers

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I keep hearing that old school ram horms are better than shorty headers for trucks.
I have a 77 pickup with a sbc 355 that currently has stock manifolds.
I know the driver's side clearnce to the steering box is too tight for standart long tube headers. So I have a choice of going to shorty headers, ram horns or just keeping the stock manifold.
Can someone pont me in the right direct to find actual tests that show that ram horn manifolds are better than shorty headers?

Maybe the old Vette exhaust manifolds were, I seem to recall that they were larger then the stock type rams horn manifolds on the rest of the cars. Maybe somebody here remembers what years or a more specific application?????? As far as which would perform better, depends a lot on what all is done to your engine. If your looking for any kind of significant gain over the stock manifolds then it would seem modifying the front tube on a set of long headers would be the way to go. I've seen the horsepower claims on shorty headers somewhere, maybe on one of the header companies sites?????

If you were to go the Ram style route, go with the mid 80's rams from a small block C-50/C-60. Whether or not anybody has spent flow bench on them to compare them with the 60's manifold, I do know their ports and Inside Diameter is larger thru the piping.

Rams horns exhaust manifolds are not a damn bit better than headers. They are cheaper, if you can get them at a wreckers, but that is about the only benefit. The interior of the cast rams horn headers is an "as cast" surface, and will not flow as well as even a cheap set of tubular headers.

Originally Posted by brianrupnow

Rams horns exhaust manifolds are not a damn bit better than headers. They are cheaper, if you can get them at a wreckers, but that is about the only benefit. The interior of the cast rams horn headers is an "as cast" surface, and will not flow as well as even a cheap set of tubular headers.

In some limited class circle burner racing years back we were stuck with stock exhaust manifolds.... Sent a set of rams horn manifolds off to have them "cleaned" internally by the extrude hone method..... they worked pretty good, but even then weren't even close to a good set of headers.....

Supposedly, the rams horn manifolds Speedway is selling flow pretty well.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/3823...Manifolds.html

Don

Long tube headers will fit a 77 with small block.

I had a 76 and an 85 and my son has an 84. All these share the same basic frame as the 77 and all had long tube headers.

I prefer the Hedman Elite's that don't use collector gaskets. They use a ball and socket for collector seal.

Mike

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

Long tube headers will fit a 77 with small block.

I had a 76 and an 85 and my son has an 84. All these share the same basic frame as the 77 and all had long tube headers.

I prefer the Hedman Elite's that don't use collector gaskets. They use a ball and socket for collector seal.

Mike

Yeah, but he's running a sbc in his......

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Supposedly, the rams horn manifolds Speedway is selling flow pretty well.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/3823...Manifolds.html

Don

If looks mean anything (always does in my case) these are also from speedway and are Polished Stainless Steel...can't tell ya how they perform, but dang they are nice!

Yes they are nice. Should last a lifetime too.


Don

Originally Posted by 25T_Bucket

If looks mean anything (always does in my case) these are also from speedway and are Polished Stainless Steel...can't tell ya how they perform, but dang they are nice!

Those are dang fine, but I bet the price is the same as headers or more!

About as close as Damn is to swearing!!! Thats what you get with stock rams horns on a small block in a model A with Vega cross steering and a stock model A frame (boxed). ---That curvy thing on the left side of the photo is the hook on top of my trouble light. Everything clears, and it steers fine, but Man, it is tight.---Brian----( Don---the inside edge of my fenders and splash aprons set flush with the inside of the frame rail.)

according to my dad, the small block chevy and big block chevy motors exhaust flows better going upward directly from the port. might be the reason alot of rdagster headers on chevy motors designed come out then point upward.

Originally Posted by brianrupnow

About as close as Damn is to swearing!!! Thats what you get with stock rams horns on a small block in a model A with Vega cross steering and a stock model A frame (boxed). ---That curvy thing on the left side of the photo is the hook on top of my trouble light. Everything clears, and it steers fine, but Man, it is tight.---Brian----( Don---the inside edge of my fenders and splash aprons set flush with the inside of the frame rail.)

Okay you got me beat for a tight fit.

I was raised to beleive tube headers were the only way to go, but maybe ram horns are just as good!

Brian, Thanks for the repeat picture. I remembered that you have the extra universal joint in your steering but I did not know if that old thread was still on the Forum. That shows the straight down part of the stock rams horn. It looks like I will have to get the Speedway type.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder