Am I Forced to Cut?

[Dandee]

I'm installing fenderwell headers and sidepipes on my '79 CJ7 this weekend (please don't talk me out of it) and I'm getting a nagging feeling that I'll have to cut some of the wheel wells out to fit them. Is this true? I ask because I see it has been done on every CJ7 photo out there with this arrangement. I put headers and side pipes on my 1979 CJ5 20 years ago and they fit perfect without having to cut. What's the deal?

 

[BusaDave9]

You did it before and didn't have to cut and now it looks like you have to cut the inner fenders. The differance is the headers. What brand of headers do you have? What does the manufacturer say?
You are talking about an exhaust that has the pipes run outboard of the frame rails. I can't imagine how you would be able to install them without cutting. There is a little room behind the front fenders but I can't say if your exhaust will exit there. It depends on the manufacturer and how those were made.

 

[BrockGrimes]

i`ve only seen hedman hedders and cuts had to be made. have a AMC 304 , what you other v8 guys running?

 

[Dandee]

Thanks guys, that makes better sense. I had it in my mind that all header manufacturers steered away from wheel well interference and that CJ7 dimensions were the reason for having to be cut. The ones I just bought are in fact Hedman, but I must confess that I haven't actually done a "pre-fitment" yet. They arrived at home yesterday and since I travel during the week I'm relying on posts and pictures to make my "assumption". (Bad, Bad) As to why I didn't have to cut my CJ5 twenty years ago...duh!

 

[BajaEdition]

both my jeeps have the cuts
it gets easier after a while

 

[Dandee]

OK, I got home this evening and when I opened the Hedman box I found that the collectors had a ball/socket arrangement. That won't work with the sidepipes that also came in. When I called Summit to return them they mentioned that they had Hooker headers for another few bucks (who knew?). After looking at them on the website a light went off and I remembered that I used Hooker twenty years ago. Hooker has tubes drop straight down from the cylinder heads and then turns almost 90 degrees towards the rear. Hedman has, for the sake of explanation, closer to a 45 degree turn towards the rear thereby interfering with the wheel well. Boy am I glad they sent the wrong ones. I ordered the Hooker brand from Summit and will now have to wait until next weekend, but I'm OK with that, because I'm "not forced to cut" after all.
Thanks again fellas for the replies.

Dandee

 

[Dandee]

It's a week later and it's done. The Hooker headers came in Thursday and I finished it today. A little trimming was needed after all, but not much. The Hedman's would have needed a lot more. They sound great with those side pipes and I had a crowd hanging around it at the gas station.

 

[CJKrawler]

glad you were able to get it all completed, now where's the pics?? You know we like to see pics on here.

 

[Dandee]

I didn't take any pictures of the finished product yesterday and it's raining today. I'm really happy with the way everything turned out so when I get a chance next weekend I'll post 'em.

 

[Dandee]

"Forced to Cut", Jeep Pic's

As a follow up from installing the headers/sidepipes and sort of forced to cut the wheel wells, I was asked to post some pic's. I'm probably doing this all wrong, but whatever. Here's my latest toy. The exhaust sounds even better than I could have imagined.

 

[CJKrawler]

Re: "Forced to Cut", Jeep Pic's

That is a sharp looking CJ.