Pontiac Owners Club UK

Hi everyone my name Is Mick and a new member,have a very nice red 79 TA but unfortunately haven't worked out how to post pictures yet so any heads up on that would be useful.......may well have met some of you at the last Billing meet..?? Quick question I am Interested In upgrading the car to headers and may as well go for a new exhaust system too...... can anyone recommend a good place to start looking..?

Cheers for now.

Hi Mick I have moved this topic into exhausts technical section where you will get a better response.

As for my input,

I fitted hedman headers or "hedders" as Hedman call them to my 400 and I was very pleased with the fit and quality. Some headers require bashing and bodging to get them to fit nicely around the frame and these didn't they went straight in first time with no problems. I went for standard mild steel "raw" headers but you can get ceramic coated for temperature control and a nicer look. You Can get them from numerous places in the UK. Autopontiac can supply and fit if required.

As for exhausts there are many to choose from most of which have to be imported from the states from the likes of summit racing, but personally I chose an autopontiac exhaust which came with everything I needed. It's a header back system and includes all pipes, boxes, clamps and hangers. I fitted both the headers and exhausts on the driveway but I would not recommend doing it to anyone else unless you have a pit or a lift!! I wouldn't do it again.

As for fitting costs at a garage expect to pay for at least a 10 hours labour. (Takes into account removing all the old stuff and getting out seized bolts and clamps etc, and then fitting the new and shoe horning it all into place.)

You could always go the custom stainless route from the likes of powerflow, longlife etc but they can become more expensive due to the custom nature of having to measure up, cut, bend and fabricate things from scratch.

A lot of people underestimate fitting headers and exhausts on these 2nd gens. It's not a 3 hour task. To get headers in you have to remove the oil filter housing and starter motor to begin with and this alone takes up an hour of time when you consider you then have to clean the mating surfaces of both the block and the housing - you can see where the time goes.

Realistically if your go down the route of importing a branded exhaust system like magnaflow or flowmaster, having Hedman headers and having it all fitted, expect to pay a total in the region of £1000-1300

many welcomes to the club and Forum dude

got Hedman's on mine and David's, can vouch for quality and fit
got them from Autopontiac

Thanks guys very useful Info and sort of cuts through the confusion...........
Laters.

Just as an example, if you went with magnaflows dual stainless kit it would cost you $1110.93 including delivery and taxes and the Hedman headers come to $430 including delivery and tax.

So that's $1540.93 just for parts - just shy of £965 quid bearing in mind that magnaflow is a "higher end" branded system.

Also had an afterthought - your car is Mikeys old car and I'm pretty sure it still has all of its original equipment emissions wise - correct me if I'm wrong?