The Crawfords ARE longtubes. I mean hell just look at them.

 

Correct me if I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I'll chime in with what I think is the case...

It seems that most or all breathing upgrades (test pipes, headers, exhaust, intake) all make the car much much louder. Nissan probably manufactured their parts with a compromise in mind, between quietness and performance. The aftermarket makes no compromise, they just go for 100% performance and if it makes the car louder, that is just another selling point. The type of people who want to maximize the performance of the car usually don't care how loud it makes the car.

Think about it, the average guy off the street test-driving a Z would probably be turned off if the car is really really loud. Especially some of the older guys, who are typically in to driving nice quiet cars.

 

how can they be a long tube header if the end where the factory cats begin?

longtube replace the cats......

 

maxguy,

IMO, you are absolutley right on every point... It's also a lot cheaper to produce stamped and welded stock headers vs the complex aftermarket headers you see for the Z.

That's why it's no suprise to me they range from 400-1200 dollars!

Zquicksilver

 

I think the term "long tube" refers to the length of the tubes, not where they stop. The Crawfords are definitely long tube. The tubes are all 25-26 inches in length, longer than any except the XERDS from what I understand.

They do not replace the cats (or something that at least looks like cats) which are needed to pass emission testing, especially in areas where they also do a visual check.

The complicated design of the headers also made it necessary to hand build them one set at a time, thus the cost. There is no way they could be "manufactured".

 

Good explination. I thought they were around 28 inches?

 

They look similar length to my Topspeed shorties. The tubes seem longer because they went out of the way to keep the equal lengths. But the exit (where the cat would hook up) is way up close to the engine.

For long headers the exit would be under the car and you would not use the cats...

 

Just read the other post. Well, I guess we have to define then what longs mean. I can see those tubes been longer, but maybe by a couple of inches... If thats enough to make them be called "long", ... whatever.

To me "long" means they go from the head down to under the car, to the Y pipe (or dual exhaust).

 

Fair enough...
but long to me in this instance means long compared to other headers available.

I think the Crawfords' tubes are longer than all of the others that do not replace the cats.

Here's an interesting website regarding headers: http://www.headersbyed.com/bildbetr.htm

 

At first I thought the crawford were long tube also but they're not....they're just longer than all the other shorty headers that are out

 

Slaponte does japtrix still make those y-pipes for the Z/G's?

 

As far as I know, yes. They switched manufacturer recently but I think they are back in stock. Best few $$$s I have spent on a mod. Great product, sounds good.

As an anecdote, I recently had to drop the Y pipe in my garage, with the car on jackstands. After a year of use, and some lubricant, the bolts came off and the pipe came down. I had it ceramic coated. The fit is so precise I was able to install it back with one arm into the cat studs and hook it up in a few minutes. From the time I bought it I was impressed with how precisely it matched the OEM parts.

I have the Y and mid-pipe. Recently added the Topspeed headers and Kinetix HF cats. I still have the OEM muffler.

 

Ok, I talked to Doug and the tubing is 26 inchs long and they are equal lenth. I think I remember that the topspeed and others that are similar to that are somewhere around 18 inchs. Longtube does not mean that they have to go under the car. What makes a longtube a longtube is the actually length of the tubing, not just becuase they go underneath the car and replace the cats.

 

LIIIIEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!

Seriously though, I'm kidding. That sounds good & makes sense. I guess it'll take somebody with the bucks, time and desire to dyno crawford cats + test pipes and some "cat delete long tube" headers against each other on the same car for anything close to a definitive answer to be found.

Still, this has been an extremely informative thread.

Thanks,
Kos

 

Best equal length header IMO, i seen them personally and definately a true JDM quality.

 

Who's are those?

 

A right click and crop of the URL down to the base domain revealed this: http://www.escort-us.com/frames.html

 

They do look like a nice set of headers.

 

yeah they do... will they work for USDM? i think i would wanna get those if they were cheap enough

 

When the price on the website is "call" I tend to think that it's NOT cheap.