Auto Parts: idnentifying headers, small block chevy, chevy c10


Question
Hi Mike. Hope ya can help me out here. I recently bought a 71 Chevy C10 w/ a 350 blah blah blah. In the shed behind my house is an old pair of performance style headers that I THINK came off a small block Chevy, but I honestly have zero idea. Is there any way to identify them? I'd love to know...if they'll fit my truck, I'll use 'em otherwise...they'll def be for sale, but I'd still need to know what they'd fit. Thanks a bunch.

Answer
    There's no way to tell what they fit just by looking at them.  You can tell if they have the small-block port setup by holding a Chevy header gasket up to them and seeing if everything lines up.  Some manufacturers will weld a small tag with the part number onto one of the tubes where it can be viewed after installation; some will stamp the number into the flange that bolts to the head.  Once you have a number you could compare it to the numbers used by the popular makers.  Of course, if they were sitting around for a long time, they are probably too rusty to find a number.  If you feel like doing something fun some afternoon you could pull the manifold off of the driver's side of the engine in the truck and try to wheedle the headers up into the space to see if they fit.  The things you have to look for are: interference with the steering box and column, interference with the brake booster, interference with the shift linkage, and interference with the floor of the cab.  If the only problem is the alternator or A/C brackets there are replacement brackets available that will enable the headers to work.  If any of these looks like a problem then they won't fit.  Usually if the driver's side will work the passenger's side is a piece of cake.  Good luck.