I have a 68 400 4spd. I am setting up everything pretty much stock. I was wondering if I would benefit from a set of headers or would the factory exhaust manifolds work just as well.

LONG BRANCH!

(Did I say that loud enough?)

They're the best of both worlds.

PMI - where can one find long branches, and how much do they typically run? And is my assumption correct that they give the same flow benefit of headers but with better fitment/clearance?

I have seen many dyno tests with regular manifolds, stock manifolds and headers. The most you gain over regular manifolds is 15 to 20 HP. Regular and long branch manifolds seal and are trouble free. Headers are a pain to get the seal right and you have to keep tightening them to keep the seal. So, if you are trying to decide, you have to think of whether you want more or less noise compared to how much you like or dislike exhaust leaks. To decide between the two types of manifolds it's a simple question; Is 15-20 HP worth $400 to you, that's the difference in cost between the long and the short.
Jim

Jim's right for the most part. The 15-20 HP will depend on the motor's origin. There are some combinations of cam and heads that would suffer greatly from factory manifolds. These would ONLY perform well with headers, and the difference would be huge. However, Jim's reference is directed toward factory combinations, such as your stock set up.

R.A.R.E. (Ram Air Reproduction Enterprises) reproduction long-branch manifolds are an improvement over factory long-branch manifolds, which are an improvement over factory log-style manifolds.


R.A.R.E.

I vote for long branch also.I got mine from R.A.R.E.
I have stk block,heads,edelbrock intake and factory roch carb with a few mods,motor dynoed at
427 hp-509tq.

manifolds are better unless all you plan on doing is racing your bird.

Will the longbranch manifolds fit my 68 350? It started life as a 350 2barrel motor.

Yes. As long as you have the stock heads, you will want the "D port" long branch manifolds. If you have Edelbrock heads, the round port long branch.

Another vote for Long Branch here. I bought the D-port repros from Ames Performance. Nice parts.

I used to have Hooker Headers on it. They hung down too low, so they were easy to scrape, and man were they ever significantly louder than the Long Branch manifolds. A little too loud when combined with the dual FlowMasters.

The only reason I went with headers at the time was cost. The headers were relatively inexpensive and the exhaust system that was supposed to fit them was cheap as well.

If you have the money and aren't planning on racing much I vote stay go with long branch.

Does anyone make an exhaust that meets up with the long branch manifolds without cutting and bending? They terminate in a somewhat different spot than the logs. Are there any oil filter conflicts with the long branch manifolds?

For me - There is definitely a conflict but the oil filter adapter kit took care of that. Ames and many others have the kit.

There is no question that my 68 400 performance increased dramatically when I installed the Hedman headers from Q a few months back. I can wind out all four gears much longer(higher speeds for all shifts)and the M-20 no longer feels like it wants a fifth gear at 70 MPH+. Its amazing how the stock manifolds were holding the car back so much.

WOW what a good string. I have learned so much at this site - THANKS.

I have headers, which came with the car. They are old and rusty. I assume headers are better for higher RPMs?

I don't race. I rarely take the RPMs over 4K. How much would long branch manafolds cost? Can you get them with extenders that would meet the exhaust system where the headers currently go?

Has anyone had any issues (clearance etc) going from stock manifolds to the long branch manifolds in convertibles? I need to redo my exhaust soon and am thinking about going with the long branch manifolds from RARE too.

Scott
68 Convertible

You have to get the oil filter adapter is the only modification. Make sure you buy the right manifold for you application and the exhaust system is actually easier to make for long branch than short.
Jim

Scott, I have the long branch on my '68 vert. No problems. Good ground clearance. Nice fit. Great sound. No leaks.

Scott, since you have a vert, I would recommend the non-R.A.R.E. long branch manifolds from the usual places (Ames, CI, Year One, etc.) then get 2 1/4" header pipes from Year One (part #'s H01LH and H01RH, $76/ea.)that bolt right up, fit above the X-brace, and go back to where you can slap a couple of mufflers on under the back seats. That's what I did and it worked out fine.

Don't you need 2 1/2" pipes to bolt up to the R.A.R.E manifolds? That might take some fancy custom bending if you want to use the X-brace.

Thanks for the quick replys and the info guys!

I am absolutly keeping the x-brace so I do want pipes that'll fit under it. Since I'm keeping my engine mostly stock, I can't imagine that a 1/4 inch difference in the pipes would make much, if any difference in performance.

BTW Bob, except for the small differences from year to year, your car and mine could be twins!Ironically enough, my vert spent its first 20 years just outside of Buffalo, NY. Small world!

Thanks,
Scott

Yeah, Scott. Our cars do look pretty close. Usually cars migrate the other direction, from south to north.

Those Year One pipes do fit above the brace and look to be close to stock.

Do you need to specify that you have a 400,4 bbl as apposed to a 350, 2 bbl?


THANKS RON

Ron,
Same manifolds for either the 400 or 350.
Jim

You might want to talk to Brett. I think he put long branches on his 68 vert and was able to use the 2 1/2" pipe with his braces. Not sure exactly how. I bought the PY 2 1/2" downpipes and the only problem was the right side pipe had a little too much bend in it. Might be specific to my car because it's been lowered and has solid body bushings witch changes the body to engine fitment. Nice pipes tho.

Robert

I have installed RARE long branch on my '69 convertible with 2.5" exhaust custom bent at a local muffler shop with Magnaflow 2.5" mufflers. They ran both pipes above the X-brace with no spacers and installed an "H" pipe.

No clearance problems.

Tom

All good advice and I went with long branch on my 69 vert but have a recomendation I didn't see, that is a ceramic coating on the long branch to prevent rusting and I'm sure there are other benefits. The high heat paint didn't last very long, the chrome finish I picked looks awsome! Pete

that is a pain in the arse to get 2.5 inch pipe over the x brace trmj.you got lucky and found someone that knows how to bend pipe