best headers on 03/04 cobras

xslobcorex · May 12th, 2011, 06:17 PM

I bouight my car with stock manifolds and the stock cat pipe. I'm looking to get rid of both. Header wise, I'm looking at MAC longtubes. I'm not so much concerned with power gains as I am with sound and price. I've heard good things about them, and the price was right at about 350 bucks. Am I going to run into any problems come emissions time?

As for the midpipe, I was going to go with a catted x so I don't have to screw around worrying if it'll pass PA emissions with the rear o2's turned off. Any insight is appreciated.

Mach Boy · May 12th, 2011, 07:19 PM

Headers on Terminators, from what I remember reading, don't typically add much power so it's good you don't care about that. You will need to get O2 extenders. I'm also not aware of anyone that makes a catted "shorty" midpipe. FYI you have to get a shorty pipe to fit the LT headers. As long as the car has cats and a tune to pass emissions you should be set for the emissions test. If they don't do a visual inspection for cats you can get by with an "emission" tune.

DickH · May 12th, 2011, 09:21 PM

SLP has a catted midpipe for their longtubes, but thats probably a bit too much for someone looking at 350 for a set of mac longtubes. If you are wanting a different sound just change your midpipe and mufflers, longtubes is a lot of work for not a lot of gain.

mfj · May 12th, 2011, 09:58 PM

The title of this thread is best headers for an 03/04 Cobra. So i am going to answer that. Long tube Kooks!

xslobcorex · May 13th, 2011, 05:01 AM

I've heard that a lot of people leave stock manifolds on 4v's, but I kinda feel like I'm half-assing the exhaust if I don't put headers in there. I know of a shop that builds hotrods and they're gonna hook me up with labor, so I figure, why not?

And PA doesn't do visual on cats, but I've heard that some machines will fail a car because the rear o2 sensors are turned off. If I can get concrete evidence to disprove that, then I won't worry about cats.

Aceswild 02 · May 13th, 2011, 08:18 AM

Ive got JBA shortie headers...they were on the car when I got it.

Car sounds amazing though with the bassani x and flows

xslobcorex · May 13th, 2011, 05:58 PM

Does anyone know if the MAC headers are one of the brands where you have to remove the passenger side header to drop the trans? I'd like to avoid that if I can, but I'm not looking to break the bank on a set of longtubes that I'm only adding for completeness and sound.

Mach Boy · May 13th, 2011, 06:42 PM

I believe it is one of those brands. Although now that I think about it I'm pretty sure you can remove the trans from the bellhousing on a T56 so it wouldn't be as bad as say a 5 speed 4V where you have to remove the whole transmission.

02Sandstorm · May 13th, 2011, 10:49 PM

heard macs were good for cobras and mach 1s

majorownage · May 14th, 2011, 03:13 AM

AMH or Kooks

everything else is compromise

Smoothgrandmama · May 14th, 2011, 03:27 AM

For what's it's going to do (Get the heat away from the engine and lower the boost about a 1-2#'s) Mac has the best bang for buck. The only way I'd be getting Hooker's or kooks would be used. Also Ceramic Coating is a must.

Jobra · May 15th, 2011, 02:42 AM

Personally, you don't need to bother with them. If you must, Bassani middies or Kooks LT's. Shorties will give you 0-5 hp (says my tuner, and it only makes sense) and the middies or long tubes with a bigger blower can award no more than 20. A lot of money and work for not much gain IMHO.

If I did them, it would be for bragging rights that I did the install (it's not easy), the looks, and the sound. lol

EvilBlack · May 16th, 2011, 12:21 AM

Most Terminator model Cobra owners leave them stock. There are WAY better mods to spend your $ on and get a lot of impact. I have only seen a VERY small # of owners change them and that is usually with a really built motor beyond the stock bottom end. My $00.02

na svt · May 16th, 2011, 12:30 PM

The best (meaning longest lasting) and most expensive are Stainless Works, ARH, Kooks and SLP (I prefer Stainless Works). BBK, MAC, Hooker, Flowtech and JBA mids will all make the same power but won't last forever like the first three wwhich are made of stainless steel.

If it were my car I would leave the manifolds on and change the mufflers.

xslobcorex · May 17th, 2011, 07:21 AM

My train of thought was that I want to change the mid pipe, and I'm gonna get it tuned either way. I have a shop that's gonna hook me up on labor (1/3 of normal labor costs), so if I'm in there changin the midpipe, why not complete the exhaust with a set of headers. Maybe its me, but I'd always have a feeling of incompleteness knowing I screwed with the exhaust and left stock manifolds on. Guess I'm weird like that lol

mfj · May 17th, 2011, 01:27 PM

^I'm the same way lol!

Smoothgrandmama · May 17th, 2011, 01:39 PM

If I were keeping my car headers would be my next mod......once you make up for the drop in psi they provide I would expect 35ish hp from them....

WickedSnake00 · May 17th, 2011, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by Smoothgrandmama

If I were keeping my car headers would be my next mod......once you make up for the drop in psi they provide I would expect 35ish hp from them....

Yeah, when you're running a KB. Most people never see gains from them because they're not pushing enough power. As power goes up, so does gas flow, so you see more gains from them the higher power goes. Just putting that out there.

...also I'm probably going to go with a MAC LT setup for mine.

xslobcorex · May 17th, 2011, 05:15 PM

The car already has a smaller pulley on the stock Eaton, hopefully I don't loose too much boost. I figure if I'm gonna do anything to the exhaust, I'm gonna do the whole thing at once and check it off my mod list.

forcefedcobra · May 18th, 2011, 02:30 AM

dont go cheap. you'll just kick yourself later. Kooks, american racing headers or stainless works is the only way to go!

You dont need headers anyway! My buddy made 700 rwhp on e85 with 21 psi on his 2.3 whipple car with stock manifolds.

May 12th, 2011, 06:17 PM	#1
xslobcorex Regular 2004 Cobra Join Date: May 2010 Location: suburban philly Posts: 196 iTrader: 0 reviews	best headers on 03/04 cobras I bouight my car with stock manifolds and the stock cat pipe. I'm looking to get rid of both. Header wise, I'm looking at MAC longtubes. I'm not so much concerned with power gains as I am with sound and price. I've heard good things about them, and the price was right at about 350 bucks. Am I going to run into any problems come emissions time? As for the midpipe, I was going to go with a catted x so I don't have to screw around worrying if it'll pass PA emissions with the rear o2's turned off. Any insight is appreciated.

May 12th, 2011, 07:19 PM	#2
Mach Boy MM's Orangest 2004 Mach 1 Mustang Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Indy Posts: 2,846 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 1 reviews	Headers on Terminators, from what I remember reading, don't typically add much power so it's good you don't care about that. You will need to get O2 extenders. I'm also not aware of anyone that makes a catted "shorty" midpipe. FYI you have to get a shorty pipe to fit the LT headers. As long as the car has cats and a tune to pass emissions you should be set for the emissions test. If they don't do a visual inspection for cats you can get by with an "emission" tune. __________________ Looking for 03/04 4V ABS Wiring Harness Connector/Incomplete Wiring Harness (with ABS connector)

May 12th, 2011, 09:21 PM	#3
DickH MM Fanatic 2003 gt 5.4 32v on the way Join Date: May 2007 Location: Omaha Posts: 4,188 iTrader: 2 reviews	SLP has a catted midpipe for their longtubes, but thats probably a bit too much for someone looking at 350 for a set of mac longtubes. If you are wanting a different sound just change your midpipe and mufflers, longtubes is a lot of work for not a lot of gain. __________________ 2003 Mustang gt - usual mods - slowly working on 5.4 swap 2004 srt4 - Stock DD/winter beater Click here for your tuning needs Before asking a gearing related question click THIS link and enjoy all your saved time.

May 12th, 2011, 09:58 PM	#4
mfj Banned 2001 Cobra Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hot Town, AZ Posts: 416 iTrader: 0 reviews	The title of this thread is best headers for an 03/04 Cobra. So i am going to answer that. Long tube Kooks! __________________ 2001 Cobra- Stroked/Poked/Cammed/Blown 1996 Cobra- CF Clutch/STS/Lowered/CAI- otherwise stock... The daily driver... [SIZE="5"][B][COLOR="Blue"]MM Cobra Club #3.4[/COLOR][/B][/SIZE] [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

May 13th, 2011, 08:18 AM	#6
Aceswild 02 Hardcore Enthusiast 2003 Cobra (vert) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Augusta & Atlanta, GA Posts: 2,983 iTrader: 1 reviews	Ive got JBA shortie headers...they were on the car when I got it. Car sounds amazing though with the bassani x and flows __________________ MM Cobra Club #2.6

May 13th, 2011, 05:01 AM	#5
xslobcorex Regular 2004 Cobra Join Date: May 2010 Location: suburban philly Posts: 196 iTrader: 0 reviews	I've heard that a lot of people leave stock manifolds on 4v's, but I kinda feel like I'm half-assing the exhaust if I don't put headers in there. I know of a shop that builds hotrods and they're gonna hook me up with labor, so I figure, why not? And PA doesn't do visual on cats, but I've heard that some machines will fail a car because the rear o2 sensors are turned off. If I can get concrete evidence to disprove that, then I won't worry about cats.

May 13th, 2011, 05:58 PM	#7
xslobcorex Regular 2004 Cobra Join Date: May 2010 Location: suburban philly Posts: 196 iTrader: 0 reviews	Does anyone know if the MAC headers are one of the brands where you have to remove the passenger side header to drop the trans? I'd like to avoid that if I can, but I'm not looking to break the bank on a set of longtubes that I'm only adding for completeness and sound.

May 13th, 2011, 06:42 PM	#8
Mach Boy MM's Orangest 2004 Mach 1 Mustang Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Indy Posts: 2,846 Blog Entries: 1 iTrader: 1 reviews	I believe it is one of those brands. Although now that I think about it I'm pretty sure you can remove the trans from the bellhousing on a T56 so it wouldn't be as bad as say a 5 speed 4V where you have to remove the whole transmission. __________________ Looking for 03/04 4V ABS Wiring Harness Connector/Incomplete Wiring Harness (with ABS connector)

May 13th, 2011, 10:49 PM	#9
02Sandstorm Regular 03 Mach 1 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Concord, North Carolina Posts: 143 iTrader: 0 reviews	heard macs were good for cobras and mach 1s

May 14th, 2011, 03:13 AM	#10
majorownage Regular Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 424 iTrader: 0 reviews	AMH or Kooks everything else is compromise __________________ 1998 Gt full pi swap -Dead and gone 1998 Mark VIII 4.30s, 125 shot, 93 d/s-Daily Driver 1998 BAB Cobra-Project

May 14th, 2011, 03:27 AM	#11
Smoothgrandmama Assistant to the Manager 12 GT 8.46@88 1/8 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Willis,Texas Posts: 7,136 iTrader: 6 reviews	For what's it's going to do (Get the heat away from the engine and lower the boost about a 1-2#'s) Mac has the best bang for buck. The only way I'd be getting Hooker's or kooks would be used. Also Ceramic Coating is a must. __________________ Join The MM Facebook: Modded Mustangs Facebook Vote For Modded Mustangs Ride of the Month Eskimo Brothers To Smooth: Safi, Blitz34, Graystang01, WillTheThrill, Bwal, 101Fng

May 15th, 2011, 02:42 AM	#12
Jobra Hardcore Enthusiast 2004 Cobra 7.4@97 Eaton Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,124 iTrader: 1 reviews	Personally, you don't need to bother with them. If you must, Bassani middies or Kooks LT's. Shorties will give you 0-5 hp (says my tuner, and it only makes sense) and the middies or long tubes with a bigger blower can award no more than 20. A lot of money and work for not much gain IMHO. If I did them, it would be for bragging rights that I did the install (it's not easy), the looks, and the sound. lol __________________ NEW NUMBERS: 609/543

May 16th, 2011, 12:21 AM	#13
EvilBlack Newbie Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Erie, CO Posts: 46 iTrader: 0 reviews	Most Terminator model Cobra owners leave them stock. There are WAY better mods to spend your $ on and get a lot of impact. I have only seen a VERY small # of owners change them and that is usually with a really built motor beyond the stock bottom end. My $00.02 __________________ Born 03/26/04 #3682 of 3,768. Only 85 coupes built after mine. 3/31/04 THE LAST COBRA WAS BUILT. 2.6L KB, 63#, Griggs GR-40, Koni, lots of crap MM Cobra Club #666

May 16th, 2011, 12:30 PM	#14
na svt 4v Know-it-all Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 488 iTrader: 0 reviews	The best (meaning longest lasting) and most expensive are Stainless Works, ARH, Kooks and SLP (I prefer Stainless Works). BBK, MAC, Hooker, Flowtech and JBA mids will all make the same power but won't last forever like the first three wwhich are made of stainless steel. If it were my car I would leave the manifolds on and change the mufflers.

May 17th, 2011, 07:21 AM	#15
xslobcorex Regular 2004 Cobra Join Date: May 2010 Location: suburban philly Posts: 196 iTrader: 0 reviews	My train of thought was that I want to change the mid pipe, and I'm gonna get it tuned either way. I have a shop that's gonna hook me up on labor (1/3 of normal labor costs), so if I'm in there changin the midpipe, why not complete the exhaust with a set of headers. Maybe its me, but I'd always have a feeling of incompleteness knowing I screwed with the exhaust and left stock manifolds on. Guess I'm weird like that lol

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May 17th, 2011, 01:27 PM	#16
mfj Banned 2001 Cobra Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hot Town, AZ Posts: 416 iTrader: 0 reviews	^I'm the same way lol! __________________ 2001 Cobra- Stroked/Poked/Cammed/Blown 1996 Cobra- CF Clutch/STS/Lowered/CAI- otherwise stock... The daily driver... [SIZE="5"][B][COLOR="Blue"]MM Cobra Club #3.4[/COLOR][/B][/SIZE] [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

May 17th, 2011, 01:39 PM	#17
Smoothgrandmama Assistant to the Manager 12 GT 8.46@88 1/8 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Willis,Texas Posts: 7,136 iTrader: 6 reviews	If I were keeping my car headers would be my next mod......once you make up for the drop in psi they provide I would expect 35ish hp from them.... __________________ Join The MM Facebook: Modded Mustangs Facebook Vote For Modded Mustangs Ride of the Month Eskimo Brothers To Smooth: Safi, Blitz34, Graystang01, WillTheThrill, Bwal, 101Fng

May 17th, 2011, 05:15 PM	#19
xslobcorex Regular 2004 Cobra Join Date: May 2010 Location: suburban philly Posts: 196 iTrader: 0 reviews	The car already has a smaller pulley on the stock Eaton, hopefully I don't loose too much boost. I figure if I'm gonna do anything to the exhaust, I'm gonna do the whole thing at once and check it off my mod list.

May 18th, 2011, 02:30 AM	#20
forcefedcobra Enthusiast 2003 SVT Cobra Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: oklahoma Posts: 535 iTrader: 0 reviews	dont go cheap. you'll just kick yourself later. Kooks, american racing headers or stainless works is the only way to go! You dont need headers anyway! My buddy made 700 rwhp on e85 with 21 psi on his 2.3 whipple car with stock manifolds. __________________ I buy car mods for the stickers, and I have ALOT of stickers! Travis Billings May 6, 1982 - July 5, 2011 Rest In Peace brother, you will be missed.

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