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1967 chevy into 54 studebaker hdtp. drivers side exhaust manifold

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  • Exhaust: 1967 chevy into 54 studebaker hdtp. drivers side exhaust manifold

    I,m looking at doing this swap and reading other threads some say use center dump ram horns and some say the new tru-ram will work. the ram horns appear to come right over the steering box arm. do the tru-rams go the same? Or are hugger headers the best? I'm thinking of using side mounts . I tried some chevy truck rear dumps but they hit on the body support. Also using a chevy 4-speed with a novak slave cylinder assy. any advise is appreciated.

  • #2
    OEM ram horns work, Tru-Ram should work because they are clear of the steering box like the OEM's. Block headers are chancy as they need to clear the box like the OEM's. Most Block Huggers I looked at have an interference with the #7 pipe on them. Chose carefully.

    BTW, what's wrong with the Ram Horns, they flow as well as most other headers and the 2 1/2" 63 Vette ones fit well.

    Bob

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    • #3
      I have an angled oem and set it in there to how it looked imagining that it didn't angle and went straight, it still looks like it would be right above the arm. how far away from the firewall should the block be? for now I am using slick street mounts and original stude motor mount pads for height and placement. Also I should state that I'm looking at all this with the steering wheel turned all the way to the right. Steve
      Last edited by steviewonder; 02-25-2014, 12:50 PM.

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      • #4
        Rams horns are OK until you want to work on the car, then they interfere with lots of things, like changing plugs. On the left bank of my Avanti II, changing plugs is next to impossible, which I reminded myself of a couple months ago, when I did it again. I guess for engine swapping they are OK, for the reasons indicated, especially when there wouldn't be any pollution control equipment. I saw a Vega with an SBC in it at Carlisle last year where the steering column went through the headers, so I guess anything is possible.

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        • #5
          I should clarify that the headers on the Vega were custom, not rams horns

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          • #6
            Originally posted by steviewonder View Post
            I have an angled oem and set it in there to how it looked imagining that it didn't angle and went straight, it still looks like it would be right above the arm. how far away from the firewall should the block be? for now I am using slick street mounts and original stude motor mount pads for height and placement. Also I should state that I'm looking at all this with the steering wheel turned all the way to the right. Steve
            I'm not sure what you are asking, just me, but the drivers side requires a convoluted head pipe. Here are some shots from my Avanti of the drivers side pipe installed and as built. It is a 2 1/2" pipe coupled to the 2 1/2" Ram Horn.

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            While it's not your 53, the frames are much alike and the problem with SBC installation is the same. When Studebaker went to SBC's in 65 this was their solution to the exhaust install. As far as the firewall distance, I can measure the Avanti. The SBC in my 54K is an unusual setup so it doesn't apply.

            If I've misread your question, I'll be happy get more data.

            As far as the plugs in the Avanti, take off the driver's side wheel. You'll get much better access although one plug may need a hole drilled in the inner panel.

            Bob

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Ed Gray View Post
              Rams horns are OK until you want to work on the car, then they interfere with lots of things, like changing plugs. On the left bank of my Avanti II, changing plugs is next to impossible, which I reminded myself of a couple months ago, when I did it again. I guess for engine swapping they are OK, for the reasons indicated, especially when there wouldn't be any pollution control equipment. I saw a Vega with an SBC in it at Carlisle last year where the steering column went through the headers, so I guess anything is possible.
              I know what You're saying about the Avanti ll difficult left bank spark plug access. On My '83, working over the left tire with the car jacked up in front, cylinders one and three are accessible, I drilled a 1 1/4" hole in the fiberglass skirt to access cylinder five with a ratchet and long extension, and I go under the car with a 5/8" box wrench to reach cylinder seven spark plug!

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              • #8
                On my 54 with a Chevy, I had to move the steering box down and back and lengthen the reach rod in order to use block huggers. I don't believe there is an easy solution to the left side exhaust situation when putting a SBC into a 53/54 coupe or hardtop. It is really a 3D puzzle of engine location (front to back, side to side, up and down) relative to making everything fit and still have a decent pinion angle.

                I had a T10 in mine. I Siamesed another master cylinder right next to the stock brake one then used a mid 80's Chevy pickup bellhousing with the built in mount for a slave cylinder.

                Dick Steinkamp
                Bellingham, WA

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                • #9
                  On my 56 Flight Hawk I had to make brackets for the 327/300 hp that was crudely installed. I used the stock frame brackets, and made a steel plate that bolted to the block and had an arm that came forward, and used the stock Stude insulator. I pie cut the frame mounts and re welded them so they were about an inch lower. The engine sat low and all the way back to the firewall. With this configuration the rams horn exhaust cleared all steering linkage well. Using Stude Lark frame mounts puts the engine too far forward.
                  Bez Auto Alchemy
                  573-318-8948
                  http://bezautoalchemy.com


                  "Don't believe every internet quote" Abe Lincoln

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                  • #10
                    Dick ,that looks like a awesome job of fitting the SBC in your ride ! Really clean !
                    Randy Wilkin
                    1946 M5 Streetrod
                    Hillsboro,Ohio 45133

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                    • #11
                      I wish when I was looking at my stude I could close my eyes then open them and it would look just like Dick's. That would take all the fun out of it, right? Dick, did you ever think of going with the ram horns when you were building yours? Steve

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by steviewonder View Post
                        I wish when I was looking at my stude I could close my eyes then open them and it would look just like Dick's. That would take all the fun out of it, right? Dick, did you ever think of going with the ram horns when you were building yours? Steve
                        They were my first choice to keep with the theme of a 65 Corvette 365 hp 327 dropped in one weekend. Not a chance.

                        I did get to use them on the 63 Lark I put a SBC in...



                        Much easier in a Lark. Still the convoluted left side Avanti down pipe that Bob spoke of needs to be used.
                        Dick Steinkamp
                        Bellingham, WA

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                        • #13
                          54 coupe (champion), sbc, stock ramshorns, stock Saginaw steering box, stock steering box location. Note the absence of side engine mount as my engine is mounted with old school Hurst cradle mount. There still appears to be a ton of room for a 'normal' side mount to be attached. This is the first exhaust system run with this engine and lasted from about 1975 to about 2010. The new system probably would not clear a side mount, but still uses stock rams horn. There is hope.... cheers, Junior
                          Attached Files
                          sigpic
                          1954 C5 Hamilton car.

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                          • #14
                            I think it all has to do with what is important to you with the swap. My priorities were to be able to use the stock fan shroud in order for the install to look "factory", side SBC mounts since I wanted to mount the trans off the wing shaped crossmember, enough room to the firewall to be able to remove the dizzy, no alteration to the firewall. This dictated where the engine would be in the compartment and a tough left exhaust was the result.

                            If the priority is an easier left side exhaust, I'm sure it can be done...in fact, Junior has proved that.

                            Swaps are all about compromises. You just have to decide where.
                            Dick Steinkamp
                            Bellingham, WA

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                            • #15
                              My 62 semi custom GT has the 300-327 and a 4 speed , I did not install them I got it that way but the exhaust is tube headers, work for me.
                              Candbstudebakers
                              Castro Valley,
                              California


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