Hello all, I've done some searching around and was unable to find an answer, so here I am. First off, I have a 1983 F-350 4x4 460 that I just recently did the rear main on. While I was out of the shop (shop at my school) one of the kids thought it would be funny to hammer one of my exhaust pipes closed while it was off the truck. So after running it home with open manifolds, I decided it was time for a new exhaust/ headers. Now I've called around to a few exhaust shops, and the lowest quote was $550 without headers or a muffler. I figured I could do the welding and fab myself, if I were able to find an exhaust kit. I found a kit from Hooker (Includes all hardware except hangers) that is for 1983-87 f150's and 250's 4x4, but now 350's. Anyone know why this is? Also, I was looking at running a single muffler with dual inlets and outlets, or should I run dual mufflers? I'm looking to do all this, headers, mufflers and tubing+ hardware for around $600. Anyone done this before that could give me some advice? Thanks!
Jake

 

Look at the Walker catalog, starting in mid-84 Ford switched the 460 to dual pipes to the muffler and a single tail pipe over the axle. Look at the pictures in my "major rework on 1986 F-350" thread. It is a nice free flowing system.

According to Archion, someone is now selling a system like I had on my 1977 F-150 i put a 390 in. It is duals down the right side to clear the mid-frame gas tank then over the axle and out with dual tailpipes.

Where are you located? I have the old front pipes off mine from when I converted it to EFI.

 

Okay, thanks! I'll take a look when I get home. What's Archion? And I'm in Arvada Colorado, just off of I-70.

 

I'm Archion.... The set I was looking at was by hooker but as far as I recall the kit I looked at was just for small blocks

 

My bad! I thought he meant some sort of browser. And yeah I saw the same thing, was for 302-351s. What would the difference be? Just the length of the driver side pipe right off the header/ manifold?

 

When you try to mix different pipes with different engines, you find out you need a little crook here or a little angle there that is different to clear stuff, because the different engines are wider, taller, etc. Been there, done that. Also the pipes can be different diameters.

If you run headers, the exhaust will have to be custom, and part of it will be below the frame. If you keep running it all the way back below the frame, it looks terrible from a side view of the truck and it hangs up on everything.

 

Alright, I think I'd like to rephrase my opening post. The stock pipes are shot, when I got the truck it only had the pipes from manifolds to glass packs where the mufflers used to be. It's open manifolds now, and too loud to drive. I'd like to replace the pipe,but not stock. I was looking for 2.5" pipe and to get a good rumble, true duals, except for possibly a shared muffler, all the way. Like stated earlier, I found an exhaust kit for my year but only for 302-351. But I figure this will be an easier modification to do than messing with a universal kit. Plus, for the lowest quote I received from an exhaust shop (manifold back no mufflers), I could get this kit,made by hooker,and a set of headers from hooker aswell.

Franklin, why would headers go below the frame? Would it not just curve to the passenger side and follow it all the way back until the very back?

Thanks for the posts too guys, always glad to be part of such a helpful community.!

 

That's a good question you should ask the header manufacturers. The ones I used for a 351w fit pretty good in the engine compartment, but had to be bent at the bottom so they would clear the tranny pan, and then I had to make up custom pipes to hook them up. They come out low, right at the tranny pan on each side. If you look at your exhaust now, they sneak the driver's side pipe across between the pan and the tranny cover. Headers have no room for this.

There was a guy on here who ran shorties and said they worked out better. But they were also for a 302 or 351w, I can't remember which.

You are not going to find lots of pre-made options for these trucks. Why? Because they are not legal to sell. If you look at the hooker system for the 302 you have been talking about, it's for off-road use only.

Well you say, "they don't have inspections in my area and don't check anything, so it's legal". You may be able to get away with running duals and modified pipes, but technically it's not legal it's breaking Federal emissions laws and the manufacturers are not getting into that. In my area there is not a shop anywhere that will run duals on one of these trucks and get rid of the catalytic convertor. It's illegal for them to do it, and they won't do it. They will run a stock y-pipe back to a cat, and then after the cat anything goes, you can do anything you want.

All that was just to explain why you have no options on buying a exhaust. I did do an exhaust, it was headers with duals, and I got caught. But the guy let me off easy, and let me keep it that way, but I had to put a cat in each side. I used universal pieces of pipe that the parts stores carry. I had to go to 3 or 4 stores to get enough to do it, but in the end it cost me about $130 without the cats.

 

Ah okay. And its non catalyst, over 8500lbs. No cats stock. So you're saying it'd be best to just have it redone by a shop as stock? Kits not worth it?

 

I am saying you are not going to find a kit, there is just no demand for them. A lot of the 460's in certain years with a certain GVWR are like yours and have no cats from the factory. But apparently there are not that many out there, not enough to warrant making a exhaust kit for them.

If I were you, I would keep the stock exhaust manifolds if they are in good shape. I know the 460's do seem to have problems with their manifolds cracking and blowing out gaskets. But if yours are good, I would get a shop to run custom pipes down the pass side, keeping them up high and out of the way.

Headers have lots of other baggage that goes along with them, like heating the starter, clearance to get the starter out, sparkplug wires touching pipes, etc. I am biased though, I don't like headers too much.

If you don't have the money, then you can't beat the price of a good Walker exhaust system from the local parts stores like Autozone. I know it's boring, but their pipes are usually aluminized, and though they won't last forever, they seem to give good service at a good price. I believe some of the 460 trucks had large pipes up front, and then they go into a muffler with a single in and dual out pipes. I think Autozone and others carry all these pipes, they just have to order them and they are there the next day.

 

Okay cool, thanks for the advice! The manifolds are in good shape, no cracks or leaks. I'll take a look another look at walker exhausts and weigh all my options before deciding for sure. Thanks again!

 

I think I would let the jerk who pounded the pipe flat pay or it.

 

Trust me, if I knew who he was, I'd have his a$$.