PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Shiny is Good! => Your Project => Topic started by: FlyerPinto on January 19, 2013, 03:50:58 PM
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Hey all,
I'm thinking about adding a set of headers to the Cruising Wagon, a 78 2.3L 4-speed that is about to become an automatic. I don't want this to be a race car by any means, but want to boost the horsepower a bit and this seems like a decent way to go. A few questions though, as I don't have any experience with these. First, how much of a horsepower gain can I hope to achieve by going this route? Will it be noticeable enough to me, even if not to everyone else? Are there any made that I can essentially bolt on to the car and have them fit, in other words, something made for the Pinto? I've been looking at a brand called Hedman Street Hedders. Their part # HED 48030 is supposed to bolt right on, but before I cough up the money ($175.95) which I don't have anyway, I'd like to know I'm getting the right equipment for my car that won't cost me five times what I paid for it to have someone else modify it to fit. This product was found on the Summit Racing Equipment website, recommended by the local Ford dealer. Would someone please fill me in on how they or someone they knew went about this same kind of project? I'd appreciate any help at all.
Thanks!
FlyerPinto
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Just talking in gereral terms, a header upgrade gains the most value if you are upgrading other components like the intake, carb, cam, muffler, etc. You will lose your heat riser so you will need an electric choke. You will also have more underhood heat unless you wrap the header that can affect other things under the hood. You may feel a LITTLE more off the line but your gas milage won't change much unless you go with free flowing exhaust all the way back. I heard a Ranger header is one way to go but have not used one myself. I just bought a header for my 2.0L street car but I am upgrading to twin Webers, a healthy cam along with a free flowing exhaust. I am looking for about 30+ HP more.
71HANTO
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Look for a used late model Ranger exhaust manifold and upgrade the muffler. Increase the exhaust tubing diameter by .250 and call it good.
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I'd like to go to a 4-speed in my '78 Cruisin' Wagon V-6.
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I have a set of headers in the wife's 76 V6, no noticeable difference in power, the car is much louder though. I am keeping them, but would not recommend anyone else go the expense. The motor is not a torque monster and you could do very good things with a 2.3 or 2.0. We decided to keep the original power plant. So I ported the heads and intake manifold. We got 103 horsepower at the wheels. (Dyno'd) Like I said, not a torque monster. But a huge difference from the 70 horses we started with. (Dyno'd) She can chirp the tires, But I know clutch would make a huge difference in power, so I purchased a complete 4 speed transmission set up out of a Mustang II, I plan on doing the conversion in the next couple of years. Got too many things going on right now to do it. but that should push it up to around 115-120 horses at the wheels and also the ability to rev the rpm's for a nicer take off and almost double what we started with.