I'm trying to decide whether buying the cheaper set of headman headers will increase the sellability/value of my 77 Mach 1 (T-top) and if it's worth the trouble.
How hard are these to fit in? Will I need to loosen any mounts or crazy stuff, or just pull the log and install the tubes? Is this an evening job or weekend with three friends and a 30 pack job?
I don't know what I'm going to do about the rest of the exhaust yet either. Knowing that I don't have the best tools available, should I go single (and what diam?) or dual, out the back, out the sides, cherry bombs or flomaster?
Would I be best off to pay a shop to put the rest in and what would that cost?
I know so much is up to the owners preferences but I'm really looking to get a higher dollar out of the car. (home owners Assc doesn't like my car)
Headmans are still available but are garbage and adding them and a dual exhaust will do nothing to raise your resale value, and may even hurt it. Unless you were going to keep the car and were looking for more power, I say leave it as is. If your HOA does not like your car, I am sure they will like it less when its loud.
The Heddman's aren't the best design out there, but they do work.
One side is easy to install and the other side is a pain (the side that has a tube that goes around the front crossmember). But other than Hooker's $400+ selections, finding headers for these cars is tough.
Your best bet is to find a good used set of the old Dynomax Blackjack headers (I have a set, love them) or Pace Setter headers (haven't seen a set show up for sale since about 2002, and they weren't even for a V8, they were for the 2.8L V6.)
As far as the homeowner's association not liking the car... I find it doesn't matter WHAT you do to it once the neighbors find a reason not to like it, they'll continue not to like it anyway. I'm lucky, no HOA here, but my neighbors hate my '76 Mustang because it smokes a little when I start it (32 year old valve stem seals and piston rings that I'm not tearing the engine apart to change because I'm building the new one right now in the garage!), and it has virtually no interior (I have the dash pad and console in the workshop mostly ready to be reinstalled, just trying to find the right shade of carpet!) and they ROYALLY hate my 1975 Chevy because it's in black primer, has no grille, and has glasspacks... after a couple of complaints, I put resonators on the pipes and quieted it down (it was quieter than my Dodge with it's stock muffler) but then they started griping about the space it took up when I parked it in front of the house, or how dirty it was when I'd come home with it from a day down at the lake or out in a pasture... when I realized I couldn't please them anyway, I pulled the resonators and haven't worried about their opinions once since! (gas prices like they are, I don't even drive the Chevy unless I need it's torque or 8-foot bed for something, but I still fire it up, let it warm up, and then run it at 2,000-2,500 RPM for 10 minutes once a week to keep wasps from building nests in the tailpipes, burn any spider webs away from the headers, and keep the battery charged... oh, and to piss the neighbors off.)
As for dealing with them, either park it in a garage or keep it under a car cover when it's not being driven... if it's not visible, and has current tags, insurance and inspection, then they have no right to ***** about it.
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1976 Ford Mustang II Ghia: 302 with a 600cfm Edelbrock carb, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, Dynomax Blackjack headers, 2.5" exhaust with Flowmaster Super 44s. RJS 11-gallon fuel cell, C4 tranny, chrome 16" pony wheels, fuzzy dice, brown vinyl half-top, and painted in the tackiest color ever (harvest gold, that's why I call it "The Goldenrod").
Also have a 2003 Dodge Ram (lightly modded daily driver/tow rig/office/dining room/home away from home/workshop... I call it "The Big Blue Dawg".)
Thanks for the info. I'm not sure I'm ready to part with the car, that's one reason I consider toying with it. The car is running, insured, tagged and plated, it's just in the street. That's what the HOA is getting me for right now. Since it's parked at a friends place 20 miles away, I don't get a chance to move it frequently to keep the hounds at bay.
Question: What makes the headmans not as good as the hookers? Is the difference just a few HP's? I'm not looking to race it, I just want her to sound meaner. In a previous post I read about a muffler that has a built in x-pipe. Should that muffler be installed near the front to get the best out of it?
Also, dare I say it. I've heard that running glass paks back to back makes a pretty mean sound with out drowning out your ears after a few minutes. Is it a myth?
Thanks for all the help! I wish everybody here could live on the same block... kinda... maybe just the same city.
1977 302/5.0L header install 
