Header question

[CommanderToasty]

Stock R-1, with the quiet mufflers.

Seems many people believe there is no improvement to be gained by moving to tube headers - is this the consensus?

And if so is there anything to be gained by opening up the back pressure a bit by removing the quiet muffs and going with a large diameter custom exhaust? Yes it will make more noise, but I am looking for better performance.

Thanks!

[Gunslinger]

You can realize a performance improvement with tube headers...depending on whether it's long-tube, block hugger or Tri-Y headers. Each moves the torque band to different rpm ranges depending on what you're trying to achieve. The problem...nobody makes tube headers for a Stude powered Avanti. I have found one custom header company that would make them, but they would need a car to use for design and prototyping. And even then, they would need a minimum number of orders to make a run of headers. The owner of the company even owns an Avanti and hasn't felt the need to spend the time and money to design Avanti headers.

There were cast iron headers supplied by Studebaker for the R3 and R4 engines and every now and then a set becomes available. There were even some reproductions of them made that are floating around. They have a reputation of requiring some serious machine work to make them usable.

What it comes down to is that to really improve your R1 is to get some serious head and intake work as well as the exhaust manifolds. Without that you won't see a lot more performance from an R1. You can go to a larger diameter exhaust system and hi-flow mufflers to reduce back pressure...always a help. Essentially though, you're just doing little things around the edges to improve performance. To really improve it would take some money and machine time. If that's what you want...go for it. If you simply want a nice cruiser with good performance, you can enjoy it as-is or make the minor changes you're talking about.

Decide what you really want from the car and make a plan. A well thought induction/ignition/exhaust system will give you all you can reasonably expect.

[PackardV8]

Seems many people believe there is no improvement to be gained by moving to tube headers - is this the consensus?

There have never been any catalog headers for the Avanti, so how would we get enough votes for a consensus?

A few years back, I had a set of four-tube headers custom made and through the mufflers on a stock R1, there was no difference in performance. When opened up at the strip and with the carburetor rejetted, air cleaner removed, distributor custom curved, IIRC, they were worth two-tenths and three MPH.

jack vines

[MARK]

Stock R-1, with the quiet mufflers.

Seems many people believe there is no improvement to be gained by moving to tube headers - is this the consensus?

And if so is there anything to be gained by opening up the back pressure a bit by removing the quiet muffs and going with a large diameter custom exhaust? Yes it will make more noise, but I am looking for better performance.

Thanks!

During the rebuilding of my 64R2, I spoke with Dave Thibeault: 978-897-3158, he has or had a set of headers which I bought & installed with the S.S. set of quiet tone muffles and pipes I ordered from Dan & Betty Booth from Nostalgic 800-282-6849. The car sounds as good as the 64 R2 looks. In fact, last week at a Concours d'Elegance in NJ I took a 1st in Class. Both vendors are especially reliable & informative.

Mark

[okc63avanti]

You might be able to find a set of R3 headers for your avanti. Here's a photo of the R3 headers on my engine that was build by Michael Myer. I'm not sure if the various Studebaker vendors have some of in stock or not and they may be hard to find. They enhance performance over the standard R1 headers.

[PackardV8]

I'm not sure if the various Studebaker vendors have some of in stock or not and they may be hard to find.

Unless the situation has changed in the past couple of weeks, they're currently out of stock.

They enhance performance over the standard R1 headers.

Just asking, by what method have you quantified this? Dyno? Drag strip? G-Tech GPS? How much did the R3 manifolds enhance the performance over the R1 manifolds?

jack vines

[Project Avanti]

I think it would be fair to say Jack doesn't think "Exhaust Headers" will improve the performance of a

stock or R1 - R3 Studebaker V8. I bought R3 headers for my Avanti, but probably wouldn't now because

of the current prices. I think, and I know Jack would agree, that head work would be a much better use

of money if you are investing in more performance from your Stude. BTW, there may be an improved

aluminum intake manifold available in the not to distant future. I'm waiting on mine now and will

report on any improvement I obtain.

[okc63avanti]

I think it would be fair to say Jack doesn't think "Exhaust Headers" will improve the performance of a

stock or R1 - R3 Studebaker V8. I bought R3 headers for my Avanti, but probably wouldn't now because

of the current prices. I think, and I know Jack would agree, that head work would be a much better use

of money if you are investing in more performance from your Stude. BTW, there may be an improved

aluminum intake manifold available in the not to distant future. I'm waiting on mine now and will

report on any improvement I obtain.

I'm expecting a total improvement of about 100 hp over my previous factory R1 specs. The R3 exhaust headers will not do much on a stock R1 engine but combined with other improvements significant improvement is possible. My R1 engine was bored 0.060" over (299 cu in), has hypereutectic pistons, R3 SS valves with ported heads, ported and polished aluminum R3 intake, polished R3 exhaust header, 276 deg cam and will be fitted with an edelbrock AFB, Paxton Supercharge with High output impeller, and a Mopar HEI ignition. Basically an R2+ configuration.