Cammer headers for 64 Galaxie.

[Rory428]

Local guy has a 64 Galaxie 500 XL, and recently bought an all aluminum 427 SOHC from Ernie Elliot. He will be putting the Cammer in the 64, along with a C6, does anybody make headers for this combo, or is he looking at having a custom set made up?

[jayb]

Rory, as far as I know no one makes a set of ready-to-go headers for the SOHC.  You can get the flanges from a few different sources, but you are pretty much stuck building the headers themselves from mandrel bent tubing.

[Rory428]

Thanks Jay, I figured as much. I have not seen the engine yet, but supposedly it came with a set of header flanges that Elliot provided. I`m guessing with the very different exhaust port locations, the Cammer headers would likely be easier to build, especially on a smaller platform, since the exhaust ports point downward, rather than more out to the side, like a wedge head.

[jayb]

If it's factory 64 Galaxie frame and suspension, they are still a bit of a tight fit, but the first tubes at the flange are a lot easier than a wedge FE in a shock tower car, that's for sure...

[nhsohc]

The headers in my '67 started life as a factory set (maker unknown) for a '64 that I got from Jim Barillaro when he was still in CT.  Front tubes on both sides go straight down and back under the cross member and the back cylinder tubes are very distorted and cramped to fit through and around everything.  Spent about two weeks on my back gas welding these things.  Surely not very beautiful, but they did work.  Covered them with heat tape and the noise was much better.  Think the pipes are 2.25" or 2.125" not sure/can't remember.  Had to buy the collector which was for a 4" tube which got necked to 3.5" before hooking to the 3" exhaust.  Dumps in front of the rear end (not legal in NH).

[Autoholic]

When looking into making your own headers, buy conduit and cut equal lengths. Then bend everything to create the design. As long as it is roughly the right diameter and you can bend it to stay that shape, it will help eliminate the guessing game. Just an idea worth sharing.

[bsprowl]

I build headers using thin wall conduit because it bends easier than anything else.  I cover it with the foam insulation used on water pipes to get the size close to that of the header pipe.

I usually test build the whole header to discover where the worst constriction is located and then build the out to the front from this constriction followed by the back part. 

JMO

Bob