Olds 455 headers for G-Body Cutlass

Does anyone know if anyone makes Olds 455 headers that fit a G-Body Cutlass? I was looking on Ebay and someone was selling headers for 78-88 Cutlass with an Olds engine and they listed the 455 as one of the engines. They are Hedman headers part# 58070.

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There is a guy on ROP that says the Heddman SBO G-body headers fit his 425 without any modification. That is in an '83 H/O I believe.
I might try them next. Although I have already started on a set of custom 2" headers into 3.5" collectors so I may just keep with that and see what happens.
I tried a set of Heddman A-body headers and gave up on them after a days work. I had two of the tubes hacked off and they were trying to go right through the lower rear A-arm bushing.
Like Kevin said, the only real bolt in headers for a BBO in a G-body are the Hooker engine swap headers. Unfortunately they have a tube that goes outside the frame on each side and will limit your steering clearance unless you use some fairly skinny tires.

I don't want those Hooker headers because of the steering clearance. Seen them on Summits' web site. I may try what your doing Kevin and mod some small block G-Body headers. What kind of mods are you having to do Kevin? I was looking to get some ceramic headers but if I have to mod them then it won't be worth it.

I just got done putting some of those in my 83 Cutlass.

I wouldn't recommend even trying it!!!

The passenger side header fits great. I have an AC PF24 filter on the 455 oil filter adapter. I have the header bolted on, but that filter aint coming off with out pulling either the adaptor or the header. Im gonna have to go to the junkyard and find a 307 adapter and see if it gives me enough room for the spin on filter. Or I could try a smaller filter (might work, but not what I wanna do) Or I could use a remote setup I allready have.

It's the drivers side that is the problem. I had to put a small dent in the #3 header tube to clear the steering shaft. Also the #3 tube hit the back of the control arm. I had to trim the control arm a little with my trusty Sawzall, I also had to take out 1/8" of shims from the back side of the control arm and it still hits.
There is a small dent their also. Both dents are on the #3 tube.

I installed the big 455 starter, I had to wire the starter and install the header and starter at the same time!!! NOT FUN!!!

The starter is all wrapped up in the tubes really bad, could cause problems.

Im building this car entirely with spare parts from my garage. I eventually plan to get those Hooker headers with the one tube over the frame, Im a little short on $$$ right now. I allready had the Hedmans so I figured why not try em?

I should have it running today, I will post some pics.

Well it's all finally in there
Never mind the fact that I no longer have any fingerprints, and every muscle I have is screaming in pain!!!



This is a pic of the main source of the pain. This header just aint supposed to fit here!!!





The one on the passenger side was a lot more friendly!!!


The mods I did to the AC box really show up nice in this pic. Look at all of that beautiful room



These are the MOPAR electric fans Im running from a minivan. I got em for free. They are the same setup I run on my 72 Cutlass. The difference is I have a 3 core radiator in the 83, and a 4 core in the 72



This exact same fan setup works well in the 72, that 3 core might not be enough in the 83 though.

I guess I wont know until tomorrow when I can get some plates and insurance on it.

Also there isnt any exhaust on it yet, just open headers.
The most I've driven it was a wicked burnout in front of the house!!!

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So did those Heddmans go in without having to raise the engine?

That is awesome, just what I want to hear. I don't want headers that wrap around the frame and this is a perfect solution. Oil filter relocation would take care of that problem.

Spaceboy

Spaceboy, Id buy a big bottle of aspirin to go with those headers

I had to raise and lower the engine several times to get the drivers side header in there.

I had to dent the #3 tube for clearance for the steering shaft and control arm.

They are in there with stock smallblock motor mounts.

Next up; exhaust!!!

I think Im gonna weld on some collector extensions about 10 inches long.

Then Im thinking of making my own 3 inch X pipe. I will be using 3 inch cutouts. Im not sure if I wanna put em before or after the X pipe.

The mufflers will be 2 1/2" Flowmaster 2 chamber's

Im tired of messing with it for now, I think Im just gonna go race my 72 and try to crack the 11's!!!

My goal for the 83 is to get it in the low 11's as cheaply as possible.

My 72 has a lot of high dollar shiny new parts on it, Id like to go faster with my dull ugly old 83 Cutlass

the 3203's are nice headers and are made with very high quality. For me, you cannot beat them. Yeah, its 450 $, but now you have the best in the market part for that particular part. i have a set in 2 different cars.


Dont be cheap when it comes to your olds!

Thanks for sharing your pics Olds72468. That's allot more work than I want to do for headers though. Guess I'll just stick with my W/Z manifolds. By the way, what color did you paint your 455? It looks great.

[Vern]

Steve,

Thanks for the pics. I just had a set of 1 7/8 headers with O2 bung & plug made for my 88 Cutty to fit my Cadillac 509. I also had to cut a hole in the AC box and fiberglass it in to fit the valve cover. I could not due without my AC. I used a mini starter and a built 2004R and have yet to make the linkage work for the kickdown. I bought the Dr. Gas X-pipe kit for the G-body. It should take it from header to muffler. I bought the 3" pipe from collector to X then 2 1/2 from X to muff. I used the 2 1/2" welded Magnaflow center inlet side outlet because I wanted better flow and less noise. I also bought the 2 1/2" mandrel bent tail pipes made by Torque Tech through Dr Gas because it was cheaper than buying them throught TT. I hope to get the car picked up tomorrow and get the headers off so I can get them droped off to be coated before we leave on vacation for 2 weeks.

BTW it cost me $600 for the headers. Had I know the headaches and expenses I was in for I might of just had Greg Gessler from the v8Buick board port and extrude hone the exhaust manifolds. Then coat them and use a 3" pipe from the exhaust manifold to the x-pipe. It would have saved money time and it would be alot more stealth without costing much HP.

say big body, you said that you had a set of the 3203's in a couple of cars how much clearance do you get with the tires, that is the only thing that is holding me back from getting them. otherwise i am going to go with small block manifolds or a set of w/z.

Justin

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Hey Vern, I'm near Dayton Ohio. Where did you have your headers made? Was it local? I started a 2"into3.5" header project but just can't find the time to complete them (nor the space).
Thanks,

Originally posted by Vern
Steve,

Thanks for the pics. I just had a set of 1 7/8 headers with O2 bung & plug made for my 88 Cutty to fit my Cadillac 509.
BTW it cost me $600 for the headers. Had I know the headaches and expenses I was in for I might of just had Greg Gessler from the v8Buick board port and extrude hone em. Then coat them and use a 3" pipe from the exhaust manifold to the x-pipe. It would have saved money time and it would be alot more stealth without costing much HP.

I do plan on getting those Hooker 3203's somewhere down the line.

The paint I used is Rustoleum metallic Cobalt blue, I have used the regular Rustoleum on engines before and it works fine.

Bigbody, at this time I have no choice but to be cheap with this particullar Olds. I spent all of the dough on my 72 Cutlass!!!

Like I said Im just trying to use up all of my spare parts on this poor 83 Cutlass I bought from my brother. Id just like to see it back on the road and running again. It started out as a V6 car. It was stolen a couple of times, and wrecked once. The guy my brother bought it off of left it sitting for 5 years in his driveway!!!
my brother put a Vortec Chevy headed 350 in there and blew the engine up after 1000 miles. Then I put a 350 Olds in it and it blew out the crappy TH350 not long after that. Then it sat for 2 years next to my garage before I finally convinced my brother to sell it to me!!!

The exhaust will likely be homemade from old used pipes that have been taking up space behind the garage.

It has to run so I can fix just about everything else on the car and make it roadworthy.

Once all of that is done I will start putting $$$ in it

[Vern]

Kammer & Kammer. It was not cheap but I don't feel like they were way over priced for the time work and quality of workmanship on this one off project. If you have the flanges I don't see where they would charge you anymore especially if you have a mini starter or a tranny other than the 2004R that would be easier to fit. Did you tell me once before, are you in the Troy area? Email me if you want.

other than the deck height difference between the sbo and the bbo, are the headers basically the same, or are the exhaust ports on the sbo smaller than the bbo ports?

Good question.

The exhaust ports on the SBO heads are shorter, but they are the same width. The top of the port is just about as high as the BBO port, the bottom is raised about 3/16"

1 3/4" headers fit a SBO exhaust port just about perfectly.

On the BBO there is a obviously a mismatch with the bottom of the port being bigger than the header flange.

At least a 1 7/8" header is needed to come close to matching the port exit.

The very bottom of the BBO exhaust port from the exit to about 3/4 of an inch in is commonly reffered to as a dead spot by head porters.

Dick Miller sells a bolt on plate with tabs that can be bent into the port to straighten out the floor. He claims they are worth 15 CFM of addition flow.

When I ported my heads I filled in that area and raised it up to match my 1 3/4 Hooker headers.

I just built it up with my MIG welder, then ground it smooth and blended it in. I did the welding before any machine work was done.

The exaust ports now line up perfectly with a 1 3/4" header. With a bigger header they are now slightly smaller with a small step that MIGHT (Im not an expert!!!) help scavenge the cyllinder by preventing reversion.

I must have done something right though because these heads were good for a best of 12.40@110 on street tires in my 72 Cutlass

Im hoping to hit the 11's in the lighter 83 Cutlass I just put it in.

sounds like a lot of work, but it is interesting that the heads flow more with smaller ports, not what i would expect

did you have to have the heads planed and all after you did that, i have a set of c heads, but would rather not hack them up

I cant tell you if the heads flowed more than they otherwise would would have before modifing them.

I did have em milled on the exhaust side, not much, just enough to straighten everything out.

The car is still sitting in my garage with the rear end out, I have a 8 1/2" open 3:08 geared 10 bolt from a 71 Lemans with the bolt in axles waiting to be installed.

Im gonna try some control arms from BMR fabrication, http://www.bmrfabrication.com/G-Body.htm

Im thinking of going with the adjustable uppers and the tubullar lowers.

Im also thinking of pulling that drivers side header out and reworking the two center tubes. I would reroute the #3 tube to the #6 port and vice versa.

I have a pair of Chevy headers I can cut up to get the bends I would need. I just need to refill the Argon tank for my MIG welder and get up the gumption to get started on it.

Well I figured out a way to modify those Hedman headers for a 350 in a G body to fit the 468 in my 83 Cutlass





I just switched the two center tubes around

Here you can see how crushed the #3 tube was, it was crushed around the back of the upper controll arm. I also had to dent it really good to make it clear the steering shaft


After the mods it clears the control arm no problem, it's not visible in the pic but there is plenty of clearance around the steering shaft too. The #3 tube goes straight down now and it has a ton of room too.

I cant understand why they didn't just make em like this in the first place? Even on the 350 it is tight right there.


These are the crappy old Chevy headers I butchered for the tubes.
They are 1 5/8" and the Hedmans are 1 3/4", it's still gotta be better than before though. Those two tubes will be like step headers I guess.

Im sure this could have been done just the same with 1 3/4" tube, I just didn't have any.

Just have to weld every thing up now, I will post more pics after I get em done and back in the car.

[MiseryQ]

That was quick... Please post pics after you get it welded and in...

Heading out to the garage to start welding now.

[Cutlass84]

Looks like you got a real talent! Like they say.. if there's a will, there's a way.

Well I guess you could say that.

It's really just a matter of being a cheap SOB