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Expert
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Location: Florida | Before I go through all the steps I'm planning, does anyone have tubular steel exhaust headers to fit a 1957 Chrysler 354 poly head engine? Have these every been manufactured by any company? I'm planning these for my '57 Windsor, and don't want to change to Hemi heads for more power. (I have a 4-BBL carb & intake manifold from a '57 Saratoga I'll also be using.)
If not, here's my current plan: from 3/8" steel, I will have a set (or a few sets, if there is interest) of 354 Poly flanges water-jet-cut locally - then take a set of 392 tubular steel headers I have, cut off the manifold flange and weld on the new flanges. The exhaust port spacing is nearly identical, port size is similar (also Hemis have round ports, Polys have rectangular ports). However, the 392 flange is entirely wrong for the Poly heads. Nothing else comes close to lining up.
Edited by Chopper John 2009-12-11 4:30 PM
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Expert
Posts: 3575
 
Location: Netherlands | As it just happens I have a set of 354 poly headerflanges heading my way from California.
I also would like to have headers on my '57 Windsor in favor of the cast manifolds and decided to fab a set of my own in time.
I also have a pair of 392 shorty headers already, but I've planned these on the actual Hemi I have.
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Location: Slidell La. | Are the 354 Poly exaust ports the same as 318 poly found in the Plymouths ? |
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Veteran
Posts: 166
Location: Massillon, Ohio USA | Sanderson Headers? I know they make them for the early Poly & Hemi 241-270cid. Check their website, worth a shot. |
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Location: Florida | Herman, I would love to see pictures of your finished product. I picked up a set of unused 392 block-hugger headers for $70, so I don't have much of a problem cutting them up for my 354 Poly project.
Greg - I checked Sanderson's site. http://www.sandersonheaders.com/index.php?cPath=21_25 Nothing listed except the Hemi headers, unfortunately, but they do offer custom headers.
Charlie - To my knowledge, the 318 Poly and the 354 Poly do not share any parts or dimensions. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9681
Location: So. Cal | What about just drilling the hemi flange for the poly bolt pattern? Those cheap Chinese block hugger headers don't try to save metal by cutting the flanges very tight around the ports. This could be to your advantage to re-drill them for the poly. As long as it will still seal around the port, it should work. |
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Expert
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Location: Florida | Nathan, thanks, I strongly considered drilling the flange for the poly bolt pattern.
With this particular header, in spite of an oversized flange you mention, the center of a couple of the bolt holes would fall right on the edge of the flange.
While it could be built up by welding on ears to accommodate the new holes, there is also significant trimming-back of the flange to allow spark plug access on the Poly heads - of course, spark plug access isn't a consideration on the headers made for the Hemi heads. I'd also have a little better port-matching, given that the Hemi ports are round versus the rectangular Poly ports.
I figured the end result of new flanges, given a good welding job, would appear less monkeyed-around-with and more stable than the reworking of the existing flange. |
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: Cushing, Wisconsin | Over 5 years ago now....Has anyone made their own yet? Found aftermarket headers with flange cut off and poly flange welded on? Any pics? If not is anyone interested in selling a set of known good stock 354 poly exhaust manifolds? Thanks for your input |
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Posts: 3035
Location: N.W. Fla. | Might try contacting "Wayfarer", He's Quality Engineered Components & I have a vauge memory of him saying something about flanges |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 468
Location: Cushing, Wisconsin | Hells gate hotrods sells the flanges for $45/pair. What I was quoted to have custom headers made for it is ridiculous. I don't have a welder otherwise I would attempt to make them myself. Honestly some good stock manifolds would be ideal. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9681
Location: So. Cal | The price for custom headers sounds ridiculous until you try to make them yourself. It is a big job. I have done it twice and would gladly pay someone else to get it done in the future.
I believe that Hot heads makes the poly flanges and they sell hemi shorty headers. I bet if you ask them, they may make you up a set with the poly flanges installed instead. It is worth a try. But... I don't know if those shorty headers will actually fit your car without modifying them first.
Getting poly manifolds is tough because most people throw them out when converting to hemi. You might try contacting GregCon on this site as I know he did the poly to hemi conversion on his car.
Edited by Powerflite 2015-02-17 10:41 AM
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Location: Netherlands | The flanges I've bought years ago came from our forummember Wayfarer; http://www.qualityengineeredcomponents.com
They are nice and beefy. But I've never come around to making an actual header set.
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Headers for Chrysler 354 Poly?
