II Owner from Belleville Il.???

My memory is not the best but i'm gonna take a stab anyway. I "thought" a few years ago a member of this forum had a II with Hedman headers that he modified the #1 tube. Thought he was from Belleville Il, which is reletively close to me. Anyone??? Thanks Jon

I saw a black cobra 2 at a StL show a few years ago, may want to check with Fords Unlimited, they may know someone.

I had a 77 cobra in HI. when I was in the military. The set of hedmen headers I had kept getting damaged. I took the #1 tube and had a muffler shop modify it. They took the 90 degree bend out and welded in 2 45 degree bends. That put the tube closer to the crossmember and therfore prevented any more accident with those nasty speed bumps.

My buddy and myself had this done to both of our mustang II's. I had a 77 and he had a 76. I now own a 76 cobra II. I still have a set of hedman headers, but I haven't looked at them in a while so I can't remember if they are modified or not.
They should be. If I can dig them out of the garage attic, I snap a couple of pics to show you.

And I live in Chicago, on the Indiana border.

Thanks

Thanks for the reply, i knew someone had to have done something to improve the design. Jon

You would really have to modify it quite a bit. That recieved stub into the collector is aimed below the crossmember from the factory. The way I had it done with the 2 45's put it well within the diameter of a 13" tire. Whatever my car hit with the 13's would never hit the header. And the ones I modded were hedmens. I believe Blackjacks were above the crossmember but more difficult to install because of that fact.

The hedmans were cake to install due to the multiple pieces. They are a lot easier to install compared to the starter.

I'm off on Wed and thur. and will check my stock in the garage to see if these are modded or not.

Hmmmm.... how'd I miss this thread..

Anyways, that was me. I modified the #1 tube in the same fashion as the Dynomax headers were built, to all run above the X-member. Really very simple, and like above, i had an exhaust shop bend me up the pieces. Only drawback, if I remember right, was that you would have to omit or had to modify that crossmember that supports between the strut rods. I never got that far. I ended up hacking at the headers even further trying to get them to clear an AOD trans... that just didn't end too well. Ended up abandoning that project as I was getting ready to PCS (move).

And you know.... i believe I still have these headers. The collectors are whacked off, but i believe i saw them the other day while weeding through the shop for swap meet fodder.

You were making babies?

Eh.. that could have been... although I like to refer to it a "gettin' a piece"

OK! Here's some eye-candy for ya. I found these suckers burried out in my shed. The one on the Left is the modded one. They are both Headman headers. I cut the collectors off the modded ones as I was trying to figure out a way to get them to work with an AOD trans. The driver header was basically exactly the same as the Dynomax and probably the Hooker too.





The welding was done with a flux core welder, so these are not really as nice as they appear in the photos. I do NOT recommend a flux core welder for this or anything less that 1/8" steel. I was in NM at the time and only had the crudest of tools to fabricate with. I mainly wanted to see if it 'could' be done, which it can. However I'd probably re-arrange the tube order in the collector to make for better clearance with that support brace that unbolts from the strut rod brackets.

thanks for the picture that could help a lot of hedman header owner out.i hate that #1 tube looks like you got the fix for it

Thanks

Dano78 thanks for the reply and pictures. I knew someone must have come up with an answer to Hedmans design. Jon

hey you wouldnt want to sell me that one would you?....i was going to cut off my collectors anyway and weld on flanges.....if you want ill send you my none modified one (its got 6k miles on it) and some money

i want to do that then get the ceramic coated, then have my friend make thicker flanges

Trust me, the pics do them justice. They are pretty beat up from being carted around 1/2 the united states. I'd just mod the Headman's you have. Install the Passenger side header without the #1 tube and you'll be able to see where it can be re-routed to. I just don't understand why Headman just didn't do it like that to begin with.

What I may do after our new baby girl comes, and is less of a handful, I may buy a few sets of these Headmans and modify them to rid of that stupid #1 tube.

i know i think its a stupid design, i have a buddy who build roll cages for jeeps and all he does it fab stuff up, ill talk to him about it, and also see if he can make some better flanges

that would be a good idea tho, make a little company like stumpy`s