Reply to "What is the point of 180 headers?"

As George and others mentioned, the point of 180s is to get a ram-tuned torque-increase in the mid-rpm range of whatever gearing you run. The drawback of all 180s is extra weight (sometimes 2X), much more radiated heat in an area not suited for it, loss or at least complication in running A/C and a trunk tub, much poorer service-ability for the engine and last but not least- a LOSS of top end torque due to gas friction in those long, long pipes. One SS runner reported a loss of 250 rpms on the top end, which disappeared when he went to a pair of 4-into-1s. Point is, engines are a coordinated assembly and throwing parts not suited for the combination or use you have, onto a motor often reduces its performance in some way. Louvering the decklid and not running a tub at all helps exhaust the massive heat, but your lady-friend will be less enthusiastic carrying a weekends worth of luggage on her lap. As for damaging paint, one car I used to autocross with a set of 180s got a fresh paint job, and a week later BOILED and CHARRED two gallon-can-sized spots on the deck in a 35 mile @ 55mph cruise. Always use a BIG heat shield with stand-offs between the pipes & decklid. An unshielded fiberglas or carbon-fiber decklid might catch on fire....