ok i have read and researched this and can not come to a strait destion on my own. so lets hear some other views aand opinions. which is better. i have a 96. is it better to just run the 96 headers or go with 93-95 headers and add a cat in the y pipe. also what all would be required to put the earlier style headers on my car and stay emissions legal? thanks folks.

 

You can't use the 93-95 headers on a 96/97 car and stay emissions legal. They would "relocate" the cats, putting them in violation of Federal law. If you are only faced with a "tailpipe" test, or connecting to the ALDL connector for emissions, no one will notice the relocated cats. If you live where they do a complete visual, you aren't as likely to pass.

The emissions legal dual-cat headers are poor performers in general. They have to keep the stock driver's side cat in the stock location, at the base of the manifold, so you end up with the drivers side primaries snaking up over the valve cover, melting everything in the engine compartment, and not performing well because of all the twists and bends.

 

ok the shop doing the emissions/ state inspection told me that all that had to be there were the cats and o2s had to look like they were hooked up. o2s are deleted but i can hook some up real quick. im not worried about were the cats are at they just have to be there. so what would i need to put the earlier style headers on.
thanks.