^ +1

Tresvatos, don't be afraid to get creative with the header/ bolts...it took me a long time (days) to successfully get mine all tightened down.

After they are on and the truck is running, tighten down the header bolts/studs/nuts after a few heat cycles to avoid any leaks.

FWIW I used studs with self locking stainless nuts. I threaded the studs into the block, then mounted the header to the studs, then installed the lock nuts.

There was no clearance between the flange and the tube coming from #9 to fit a bolt...

 

Makes sense about loosening the bolts, also makes since about the studs with locking nuts. I will try to do this as soon as my other half gives me a spare couple of hours..

Thanks for the ideas! I will get back with the outcome

 

My gpa gave me a wrench that he had bent and ground down to put headers on a Monte Carlo and it worked great. Just a tedious 1/8" turn at a time.

 

Good idea on the wrench ..may try to configure something similar.

 

He bowed it in an arc and ground the boxed end side about as thin as possible.

 

Got the Header off now again and going to try to replace the two hard to get to holes with very short 5/16 coarse/fine studs.

Kind of switching gears here, but on the flange, could I go up to at least a 2.25" flange couple adapter with the ball coupling end of the header collector? The opening is ONLY 2", but I would like for the exhaust to exit into 2.25" piping, to the 2.5" to 3.0" Y adapter. That will take some pipe expanding, but muffler shop can do that...

 

I would be tempted to trim that a bit, and open it up some more. Then use the 2.5 inch collectors.

 

I removed that whole piece from mine.

They were pressed in.

 

My muffler shop guy just flared some pipe out and built new pipes into a y and cut out the cat for 50 bucks. I couldn't get the stock flanges to seal up to the collectors on mine. The flanges were to small.

 

CLIPPER77: If I remove the ball flange as you did. . What type flange did you use to make the connection from Header collector to the new downpipes you fabricated.? I searched your post, but could not find any pics. or anything saying exactly how you made the connection. If I get rid of the ball couple joint/adapter, seems it would leave just a flat flange, and would need to use anothe flat flange with a gasket on the top of my downpipe that will go to the Y collector. Is that would you did..?