Hooker 2314HKR (top), modified JBA 1850 (middle), modified manifolds (bottom)

There are more than a few jokes about my never-ending project that pop up when my Juggy becomes topic of conversation around the office. The exhaust was one of my hold ups. When I first installed the LS1 There were not a lot of options for headers in the aftermarket. As versions of the engine found their way into more vehicles and aftermarket applications more parts became available. I started out with a pair of stock cast manifolds for a ’03-’06 GM truck that were just a bit wide and too close to the firewall at the exit. I then tried some JBA ’04-’06 Pontiac GTO headers (Part Number 1809), but these wanted to route too far forward, right where the motor mounts were. So I went back to the cast manifolds I started with and went to work on them. I had to grind, cut, and weld on them just to get them to fit the Poison Spyder Bruiser Chassis. They were mostly for mock up. I then ordered a set of JBA headers for the same model truck (Part Number 1850). The idea was I could cut them up and weld on them without the cracking that the cast manifolds would get. I could get these new headers to fit but routing the rest of the exhaust system was going to be nearly impossible. Now, at the time when I first started all of this there were no block hugger headers for an LS1. Today there are several companies that offer them. If I hadn’t been lagging on the project so badly I would have had to do much more work to get the exhaust routed. So as soon as I heard about them I ordered the Hooker Super Competition polished Stainless steel LS1 block-hugger headers (Part number 2314HKR). They are unbelievably clean looking, but more importantly they fit without modification and give me plenty of room to run the rest of the exhaust. What’s the moral of the story? If you’re making a cool and original swap it’s only a matter of time before someone will make it easier, if it truly is a good swap. But by that time it won't be a unique swap anymore. Now if some one would just make a bolt-in brakeline kit for my Juggy.