Shell Valley Sidepipe Install Problem

blykins · #1 (**permalink**) 06-12-2004, 04:20 PM

Hi guys....thought I would post this here before I aggravate Dana....

I'm installing my sidepipes...I got the passenger side all lined up along the frame, made some mounting plates, and mounted them.

When I got to the driver's side, I realized that I couldn't make it match the passenger side. Why? Because it looks like the header is shorter on that side...by about 3-4 inches. If I look down at the engine compartment front the front of the car, the passenger side header goes out a further distance from the head before it angles down to meet the sidepipes. It's such a big difference that it puts the driver's sidepipe down away from cutout in the body. This is so hard to explain. I'll try to post some pics to help.

Do all Shell headers come like this? It seems to me that if the driver's header was as long as the passenger, it would work perfectly. I know the engine sits centered between the frames.....I don't know how else to justify this.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm puzzled.

Anyway, here's some pictures.

blykins · #2 (**permalink**) 06-12-2004, 04:23 PM

OK....here's how close the pipe is to the cutout on the passenger side. (This is the ideal position.)

blykins · #3 (**permalink**) 06-12-2004, 04:24 PM

Look how far the difference is between the cutout and the pipe....

blykins · #4 (**permalink**) 06-12-2004, 04:26 PM

Looking down from the engine bay....this gives a good view of what I'm seeing.

blykins · #5 (**permalink**) 06-12-2004, 04:28 PM

Here you can really see what I'm talking about. The header just looks like it doesn't extend out from the head far enough before angling down. This has to be the problem. I can tell by looking from the front of the car that it's a different distance....

AlphaCobra · #6 (**permalink**) 06-12-2004, 05:03 PM

blykins,
I had the same problem. Passenger is centered perfectly and driver side was not centered. From the pics, it seems that your headers are not ceramic coated so you can reposition the pipes without ruining the paint/ceramic coating. I had a template built for the pipes that kept all four pipes together. While adjusting, it maintained the distance between each pipe. It is not the pefect solution because the driver's side is still off center a little but it is not bad.

blykins · #7 (**permalink**) 06-12-2004, 05:39 PM

Alpha.....thanks for the input, but maybe I'm not being clear enough......Maybe this other pic will clear it up. Compare this dimension to the one on the passenger side and see the difference.

blykins · #8 (**permalink**) 06-12-2004, 06:04 PM

Look at this picture courtesy of Outlaw. His headers look pretty close to the same length....my driver's header is shorter in the straight part that comes right off the head. If it's shorter, then the angled part is gonna be closer to the engine....thus putting the sidepipe further away from the opening.

gman · #9 (**permalink**) 06-12-2004, 07:55 PM

This may be a long shot, but 302 windsor headers wood be longer than 351 windsor headers and still bolt on,( block is wider at heads) Maybe you were shipped one of each by mistake. On the other hand mine were so far off I just rebent the one side then sent to be coated. Gman

blykins · #10 (**permalink**) 06-13-2004, 05:41 AM

That's a pretty good idea.....I'll have to call Dana tomorrow. So none of you other guys noticed this before? There's like 4-5" difference between mine I think. If I had a driver's side header that matched the passenger side in length, it would be perfect.

Sydney · #11 (**permalink**) 06-13-2004, 01:26 PM

Hey blykins,

Mine look a lot like yours but not quite as bad. Looking at gmans pic above, on mine there is approx. 1 in. difference in the lenth from the drivers side to the passenger side on your purple drawings. The end of my header pipes hang 1 1/2 in. lower to the ground on the driver side. There is also a 3/8" difference in the depth of the fiberglass cutout from one side to the other. Looks like I have some bending to do as well.

Sydney

blykins · #12 (**permalink**) 06-13-2004, 01:51 PM

I wonder why they're not made the same? There's nothing that should keep them from being twins of each other. Mine's a lot worse than 1"....it's more like around 4 or so.

I'll call Dana tomorrow and see what he wants to do. Hopefully he can swap me headers or something.

gman · #13 (**permalink**) 06-16-2004, 04:56 PM

What did you find out?

blykins · #14 (**permalink**) 06-16-2004, 06:21 PM

One header is definitely shorter than the other....Typical Shell Valley service.....Dana shipped me a matching header out as soon as he read this....He even talked to me on the phone and measured a set so I could get the right match. I think there's like 1/2" difference between mine and what he's sending. That should definitely be close enough.

I should have it Friday....I'll keep you posted.