With all of the headers available on the market today what's the right setup for you? Exhaust system components should be chosen with care as they can make or break your track times. Read on for the skinny on the various brands of headers and what's best for you. As these cars continue to find their place in a large aftermarket world more and more options begin to open up. While three years ago there were generally only two brands of headers considered acceptable we now have more selection: more brands, more sizes, more confusion.

There are several variables to consider when buying a header kit. Some are obvious such as name brand, quality, warranty and others not so obvious. What primary size is right for my setup? What collector size is right for my setup? Is one "kit" more complete than another? We hope to take the confusion out of your header purchase with this article. Grab a bag of popcorn and sit in your favorite E-Z chair while we educate you on the various header setups available for your 3800 powered vehicle.

Primary Size

What primary size is right for me? What is a "primary"? A primary, or primary pipe, is the exhaust pipe coming off one cylinder. The primaries all connect at the "collector" of the header. Primary size is often approached with a "bigger is better" attitude. Logically this makes sense but when considering the logistics of an engine we must quickly throw this theory out the window.

For instance, two identical vehicles running the same headers with different primary sizes can run very different times. Let's say our vehicle is lightly modified. Vehicle A runs a 13.5 with a set of TOGs headers while vehicle B runs a 13.9 with a set of Pace Setter headers. Why did vehicle A run a faster time when Vehicle B had the larger primary headers? Quite simply, vehicle B lacked the amount of modifications to overcome the low end torque loss of the larger primary header.

A rule of thumb is that the larger the primaries the higher the peak horsepower and the more the low end torque loss. Smaller primaries offer a lower peak horsepower number while retaining more of that low end torque. So what's right for you? We're glad you asked.

Collector size

Much like primary size, a smaller collector (where the headers combine and connect to the remainder of the exhaust) helps retain low end torque at the cost of high end horsepower. A larger collector will have the opposite affect allowing for a higher peak horsepower number with the sacrifice being low end grunt.

Coatings

There are various coatings you can obtain on the various brands of headers. TOGs come standard with a nickel plating while the SLPs come standard with ceramic coating. The S&S and Pace Setter headers come uncoated and can be ceramic coated for $150 and $100 respectively. Ceramic coating provides a long lasting finish as well as a thermal barrier which allows the headers to better retain the heat both keeping your engine compartment cooler while increasing exhaust gas velocity.

Kit Contents

This is where it get's really confusing and where that really expensive set of headers starts to get more expensive. Choosing a kit based on it's contents as well as it's fit for your specific application is key. Some kits include a shorty weld-in downpipe while others bolt up with no welding while still others don't include a downpipe at all. Our "True Price" and "Kit Contents" columns give you a better idea of what you'll be paying from purchase through installation.

Ok, you've gotten here and you know a little more about headers but you still don't know what to buy? Keep reading for a list of each brand of headers as well as their specs and a break-down of what their kit entails.