• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

V8 SBC Pics of Block Hugger Headers?

GratefulNed

GratefulNed

New member
Joined
Feb 11, 2017
Location
Georgia
Here there TeeBeeeeeeee

I got a sbc in my 240 on JTR mounts, and like everyone else, i got those deep elem clangin bangin steering shaft blues. Using rams horn manifolds on both sides, and a fabricobbled 2" headpipe exhaust set up, i've got about 1/4-1/2" of steering shaft clearance. To make that worse, i need to upgrade to atleast 2-1/4" pipes to avoid killing horsies.

I found a thread long ago with a pic of someone who got block hugger headers and cut the collector off and rewelded it, and it seemed he had great clearance. However, i can no longer seem to find this thread :oops:

Anybody got pics of block hugger mods for a sbc 240? Furthermore, any other bright ideas for a drivers side manifold that will give more steering shaft clearance? I have nightmares that i'm going to hit a big bump, the exhaust will contact the steering shaft while im turning and send me flying off the road. I have no idea if this could actually happen, but worries all the same... Volvo's are supposed to be safe, even when you quadruple the stock HP! lol
 
I'd love to see pics.
I haven't figured out how to post pictures yet
from what I've seen, you can only load a picture from a "http" and not from a personal computer's file
 
Cylinder 7 (driver's back) is the hardest. I skipped the shorty route and just made my own with a summit 1 3/4 weld up kit. 1 1/2 or 1 5/8 would have been a lot easier to do.

In the first pic, I tried to go around back the shaft but found out it didn't work, so I changed direction and went around the top. (picture 2) Keep in mind these are 1 3/4 pipes.... it's tight but they all fit... 1 5/8 would have been soo much easier... but I was stubborn.
149075576.jpg


151759724.jpg



149422793.jpg

IIRC the JTR kit slides the engine over about 1/2 inch which is what I did with mine to gain a little bit of steering shaft clearance.

Regardless of what you do, you should replace the stock steering shaft with a straight splined unit... I didn't have one in my sbc-240 but here's a picture of one in a 240 with a 302.

167923629.jpg
 
Last edited:
Only hassle with that is getting the aluminum u-joints to let go of their multi-decade death grip on the stock shaft.
 
twin turbo 1947 said:
I'd love to see pics.
I haven't figured out how to post pictures yet
from what I've seen, you can only load a picture from a "http" and not from a personal computer's file
Click to expand...

How about this? Can you see all the pics?

I dont know how either so i just upload them to imgur (which is free just need an acct) and then click "embed post" on the right hand side. Then just copy any past that into your post

<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/JtiJ5Tr"><a href="//imgur.com/a/JtiJ5Tr">VOLVO 240 V8 SWAP SBC 350</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
740atl said:
Cylinder 7 (driver's back) is the hardest. I skipped the shorty route and just made my own with a summit 1 3/4 weld up kit. 1 1/2 or 1 5/8 would have been a lot easier to do.

In the first pic, I tried to go around back the shaft but found out it didn't work, so I changed direction and went around the top. (picture 2) Keep in mind these are 1 3/4 pipes.... it's tight but they all fit... 1 5/8 would have been soo much easier... but I was stubborn.
149075576.jpg


151759724.jpg



149422793.jpg

IIRC the JTR kit slides the engine over about 1/2 inch which is what I did with mine to gain a little bit of steering shaft clearance.


Regardless of what you do, you should replace the stock steering shaft with a straight splined unit... I didn't have one in my sbc-240 but here's a picture of one in a 240 with a 302.

167923629.jpg
Click to expand...



Thanks thats some great info. Why would i want to swap my steering shaft? i havent look at it too hard but it seems that eliminates a U-joint, which seems like it would push the shaft even closer to the headers?
 
Yes, you keep the UJs and replace the fat rubber filled shaft with a plain straight steel part, as linked to above from Coleman.
There is also a old Range Rover steering shaft that will fit.
 
Another idea is to cut the ends off the stock one, and fit a steel bar between them. It is actually pretty easy since the stock one has hollow ends. The right size bar and a couple welds, done.

I learned about that after I bought one, wish I would have thought of that first.
 
I'm not sure I'm brave enough to weld a steering column. Especially when the correct part is so easily available.
 
Mine was $55, but fair enough, I guess I have a lot of confidence in my welder haha. The advantage to it is that the column ends up thinner, giving more clearance.
 
2turbotoys said:
Mine was $55, but fair enough, I guess I have a lot of confidence in my welder haha. The advantage to it is that the column ends up thinner, giving more clearance.
Click to expand...

Would you happen to have a pic of that? Doesn't sound too bad if i'm imagining what you're describing, and i'm about to upgrade my welder, might be worth a go
 
I have Kerker stainless steel block huger headers on the V8 wagon. I got them 30 years ago from Summit,I don't know if they are still made. The right side was a little tight, I had to re-angle the flange to get the pipe around the starter. The rest of the exhaust is 2&1/4" tubes in stainless and Borla mufflers at the rear.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top