There’s basic tenants in hot rodding that we all know. More air in, more fuel burned, more air out, more horsepower. These are things that the aftermarket has studied and worked to refine for decades and that has not stopped in 2020. In fact, this video proves that the aftermarket is still capable of building bad ass parts that can make even the most advanced more awesome. The video you are going to to see shows the crew at Late Model Racecraft running a brand new LT2 V8 out of a C8 Corvette with the factory “manifold” on it and then an aftermarket header from American Racing Headers.
As you’d imagine, the factory manifold is a work of art. It is tubular and it rolls into a collector which looks like it may have a catalytic converter built right into it. The American Racing Headers piece is even more sexy because it’s all polished up and it rolls upward into a more standard collector with no integrated obstructions to the flow of exhaust gasses.
The engine made 480.5 hp with the factory tune, factor exhaust, and 93-octane gas. With the American Racing Headers piece and the same conditions otherwise, the engine made 15 more horsepower. While we don’t see the numbers we hear the guys talking about the pickup. If you were to then tune the engine you’d be making more than that. Pretty impressive stuff if you ask us and proof that the aftermarket can still make horsepower. When the OE engineering requirements for quietness and other factors are stripped away, the real potential of these engines can be tapped!
Fun stuff here and more reasons to hot rod your new Corvette.
How come nobody does these tubular pipes in DEI heat wrap ? That’s alot of BTUs building up in the rear engine compartment not to mention wasted energy not going into the power adder. Probably want to keep their gas station roller dogs warm on the way home…..