Headers for the L77

[elc32955]

I was at the PRI show in Orlando a few months back and I was going with an agenda. I had been shopping around for exhaust for the Caprice pretty much to no avail via EMAIL and phone. None of the major companies was making anything or was willing to modify their G8 kits.

I spoke with the folks from Borla (their Tennessee customer service staff had previously blew me off over the phone) and they basically told me not enough demand, get lost (in a somewhat nice way of course since I nailed them in person on the trade show floor). They were not interested in anything Caprice. Period. After that I told myself I was going to personally hunt down Alex Borla and have a few words with him in the future, one of these days I WILL have that conversation. Heh heh.

I then wandered over to the SLP booth and the result was basically the same, not enough demand. When I started talking about their Caprice show car (which just happened to be up for sale at the same time the show was running) they sort of mumbled and changed the subject rather quickly.

However, I took some time and went over to the Kooks booth and started talking to them about exhaust/headers. I found some interest and response out of their folks. In particular I spoke at length to a gentleman named "Koolaid" in their customer service group, nice guy. Yes, Kooks is willing to make headers for the L77's in the Caprices. It will take a minimum order of twelve units, and someone letting them borrow a car for a minimum time period (pretty sure it was two weeks but I'm not 100% now). Price wasn't discussed, although I would expect that the pricing would be comparable with current market headers for other platforms. Naturally they'd have to do the full R&D before a product was released so there would be some turn-up time involved, but they are willing to play it sounds like.

Just one story they told me, they had tried previously to fit a set of G8 headers to a Caprice and had to take the product in return due to fitment issues. So... based on that it sounds like headers from L76 cars will NOT fit our cars. Anyone have first-hand experience with this or know what the specific fitment issue is on interchange?

Refreshing. Definitely refreshing. People ARE willing to play in the after-market arena with us.

Eric

[leadfart]

Your Kooks source is a little off. The G8 1"7/8 headers will fit, provided you remove the oil cooler. I thought it was a good trade-off, for 600+, at the crank!

[Navy Lifer]

Bob, did you get a dyno run with headers before the Maggy install?

Just curious to know what is gained in the change from stock manifolds to headers, and how much is gained by using headers instead of manifolds with boost.

Interesting that you're able to push that much power through OE mufflers.

[elc32955]

Very interesting. This guy was a senior CS rep, I'm glad the 1 7/8" G8 headers actually do fit. Maybe the customer they had that did the return didn't want to lose the oil cooler.

Once I hit 36K I know which direction I'm going then. Do anyone else's headers fit to anyone's knowledge?

[novadeuce]

I have also spoke with Kooks. I will be willing to donate my car for a couple of weeks if we could get an order up for I am not willing to give up the oil cooler

[storm9c1]

Ha, I heard the same thing from Borla and others back in 1994 when the Impala SS came out. The smaller shops were willing to jump in and fill the void. This is how Clear Image (still in business) came to be with their wonderful Tri-Y headers and ATR (now defunct) came to be with a full 2.5" cat-back that was a work of heavy stainless-steel art. They were some of the first to fill this void. Shortly after, everyone jumped on board (Borla, SLP, etc). Though the Caprice PPV numbers are much lower than LT1-era cars, it still doesn't hurt to keep pushing.

[The Tech]

Today I was at AutoFair at Charlotte Motor Speedway and had a nice conversation with the guys from Kooks. They are located just north of where I live in NC so I am going to take my car up there week after next and let them check it out for headers and the oil cooler clearance issue. If we can work a deal I will let them keep my car to make prototype headers for the PPV.

[elc32955]

Very good! Now all we need to do is come up with a 12-unit order (if they still hold us to that) to get a first shipment done. I hope they take some promotional pics AND that hopefully you get a free set of headers for volunteering your car as the inspection/test mule.

Thanks for stepping up for the good of all

Eric

[elc32955]

Tom,

It's good to see Dan (Clear Image) is still in business, I had a set of his Tri-Y's on my 95 Caprice in Ceramachrome. He was always excellent to deal with and was a good supporter of the B-body community.

[novadeuce]

I'm in. 10 more