Adding headers and new exhaust

[mike's1965]

1965 C10 truck with 396 big block, adding Edelbrock pro flo 4 multi port fuel injection, bought new summit coated headers for BBC C10 trucks, and bought a 3" header collector that has O2 sensor bung installed already, may order 2.5" collector with bung as the 3" looks huge, not sure how hard 3" pipe is to find, and run in truck.

Seems no shops in Phoenix or Arizona offer mandrel bending, but found a shop in Bakersfield CA that does it.

I want to have the exhaust sorted out and O2 sensor bung ready before adding the fuel injection, test for leaks and a few drive cycles to retorque headers so there are no leaks, any leaks can throw off the sensor while it's self learning.

See dual exhaust kits you put together yourself, however I think most are made for small block Chevy.

Bakersfield is a long drive with no overdrive, 396, TH400 and 3.73 gears, and I would probably put the headers on here at home, just to make sure they fit, also so they can build the new exhaust from headers back.

Could also try to scrounge my existing exhaust which I took from the donor 1974 Chevy C10, way back then I didn't have the $ for a new exhaust, and the 1974 exhaust could not be run straight like it did on the '74, I had to cut it short and point each muffler and pipe in front of the wheels on the '65, because of the trailing arms, it works but is amateur looking, lol.

These shops in Phoenix act like mandrel bent is overrated, unnecessary and I don't need it.

Looking under my factory stock 1999 Corvette, I see mandrel bends, if it's not necessary why did GM spend the $ to do that?

Would you drive that far for a good quality exhaust?

[The Rocknrod]

No.

[AcampoDave]

I used a DIY mandrel bent kit from Summit. It was just aluminized pipe and various curves with a stub on one end and a socket on the other. It would work for any motor not just the ol' SBC.

[Captainfab]

Both Magnaflow and Thrush make complete exhaust kits for these trucks. Most are marketed for the '670-'72's but the '63-'66 frame and suspension is exactly the same. The other option would be to buy all the mandrel bends and required components and fabricate the entire exhaust yourself. To answer your question, no I would not drive that far for an exhaust. I would build it myself if that is what it takes. I have done it before.

[REDROCKER652002]

Having just finished using the Thrush system from Summit on my son's 69 I would say it was as easy as it could have been to get installed. We had an issue with his headers being "Short" style, but we were able to get around it using some flexible exhaust pipe he got from the local parts house. It seems to be working well, and for about 250 bucks it was well worth it for his truck. He is still in the process and it is not in any way nice yet. But for what he needed it worked out perfectly. Just me two cents worth.

[MT65]

I read your thread, no I wouldn’t go that far, you can most likely do it.
Couple of points, first are Mandrels better—yes, they don’t squeeze down in the bends, are they necessary- depending on how anal you are....stainless holds heat longer and does become brittle, looks nice but facts are facts.
Get online and buy a bunch of mandrel bends, they are not that expensive, gather up a huge dose of patience and go at it...get the v-band clamps and use them for the major joints, that way you can completely dis-assemble the system and not destroy anything.....when you’re finished and someone asks where it was done, you tell them .....in my shop....
I started doing this years ago because I didn’t like what I was getting at any of the best muffler shops and all the kits had to me modified anyway...
Look forward to seeing your project

[vin63]

Regarding your question about why an automaker uses a mandrel bender, it mainly has to do with mass production and volume over time (time = cost).

I run a 3-inch exhaust to the outside of the frame. The toughest part was the curved sections from the shorty header collector down under the rise of the front frame and then pointed back. A local muffler shop let me pick through his scrap of 3-inch tubing and bends. You can buy J and U bends (not too expensive). I pie cut the bends to make my curved sections from the collector. That muffler shop then swadged a few ends for me to slip fit a couple of sections.