Cast Iron manifolds on Super Stock cars

[SS BRP]

I saw a 1964 Ford Galaxie FE 390 Super Stocker at my local classic car dealership and noticed it had factory cast-iron exhaust manifolds leading down to about a 2.25/2.5 inch full exhaust system. Were there no long tube headers around in 1964? Was it a Factory class rule back then? Also curious about the small exhaust diameter on a big block engine…

[Dave Noll]

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[427FE]

Originally Posted by SS BRP

I saw a 1964 Ford Galaxie FE 390 Super Stocker at my local classic car dealership and noticed it had factory cast-iron exhaust manifolds leading down to about a 2.25/2.5 inch full exhaust system. Were there no long tube headers around in 1964? Was it a Factory class rule back then? Also curious about the small exhaust diameter on a big block engine…

The only cast header that came on a 390/330 hp was the short style. The long style was exclusive to the 427, including the high riser, which also required a different z bar. There were tube headers available by companies like Belanger. I have a set that has #3 and #7 cross over to the other side, and #4 and #8 wrap around the frame.

[427FE]

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[SS BRP]

Originally Posted by 427FE

The only cast header that came on a 390/330 hp was the short style. The long style was exclusive to the 427, including the high riser, which also required a different z bar. There were tube headers available by companies like Belanger. I have a set that has #3 and #7 cross over to the other side, and #4 and #8 wrap around the frame.

Thats what this 390 had, shorty style cast iron manifolds with a straight 2.25 inch pipe going all the way up through the fire wall to bolt up to it. I thought it was really strange, did they race with that setup or would that system later be swapped out for long tubes? Like a set of Doug Thorley’s or something?

[Travis Miller]

Originally Posted by SS BRP

Thats what this 390 had, shorty style cast iron manifolds with a straight 2.25 inch pipe going all the way up through the fire wall to bolt up to it. I thought it was really strange, did they race with that setup or would that system later be swapped out for long tubes? Like a set of Doug Thorley’s or something?

A few thoughts come to mind. First, maybe the old headers were too rusty to be re-used if the car was restored. Second, if the car was raced that long ago it could have used the shorty cast headers even though tube headers were available. Or...third, the car could be a clone that replaced the original racecar.

[Rory McNeil]

Or fourth, it may have never been raced as a Super Stocker at all. I see so many "race cars" at shows, that have never seen a dragstrip. But I have seen plenty of poser cars , belonging to guys that think a few stickers are all it takes to have a "race car". Seen way too many 64 Fairlanes with a bubble hood, and "Thunderbolt" and "427" stickers on the sides, with a small block under the hood. Kinda like the hundreds of 67-69 Camaro "Z/28s" with automatic transmissions, and a 10 bolt sitting on mono leaf springs.

[Adger Smith]

Those factory cast iron header/manifolds are not to shabby. A few years ago when I was doing Tech at Engine Masters Challenge one of the participants made some respectable pulls with a 406. He changed from his tube headers to a set of the shorty 427 Ford cast iron manifolds/headers. His power didn't fall off that much (6500 RPM limit) and the Tq actually went up at a lower RPM. Pretty good design for back in the day...

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Seems to me that cast iron header type manifolds were around back then. I remember seeing some 390 Ford Galaxies,around '62-64 thaathad a good looking set of manifolds on them. The regular rectangular exhausts like a 352 or a standard 390 had weren't too much to talk about, but the cast iron headers were pretty interesting. '63-64 400 horse and 425 horse 409's had a good exhaust manifold, so did 421 Pontiacs. There were others as well, but none of the cast headers could compete with a good set of four tube headers.

[427FE]

Some those early Pontiac manifolds were aluminum as well