i got a 96 should i go with lt's or shorties?

 

lt's are usually much better if you're looking for all out top end power, but are also usually more expensive. Also, are you looking to stay smog/emissions legal?

Jonota

 

LTs will outperform shorties in every way possible....except for maybe emissions compliance

so if you need to pass visual...don't even think about it.

if all you need to do is pass sniff test, high flow cats will do the trick.

longtubes and an offroad ypipe are a solid 15-20hp to the wheels

pacesetter i think now has some coated LTs that are VERY affordable and getting good reviews

 

It really does depend on what you're looking for. Yes, topend they are hands down much better. But many people that I have spoken with have complained at the loss in the low end, the less "torquey" feel to the engine down low driving around.

Jonota

 

im running shorties. i havent really seen any proof to make me switch.

 

First off, don't let people tell you shorties are crap. Lots of LT owners will try and tell you that shorties are not worth it. True, the LT's will OVERALL, give you more HP, but for emissions and visual inspections, shorties are a great mod to the car. And the LT's will feel better up top, but with shorties, you will definitely see an increase in torque down low. I could tell a great difference with my SLP's after installation. So it just depends on what you want.

 

LT's will have better low and midrange power but shorties will have better top-end power. HOTROD and other magazines have done countless dyno tests that prove this fact. For overall best power though, I agree that LT's are definitely the way to go.

 

One of the problems with shorty headers is the Y pipe dia. If its smaller it will not have as much of an improvement. Ive done a direct comparisson on my car from JBA 1 5/8 ths shorties no cat to hooker longtubes with a mufflex Y. I gained 3 tenths in the 1/4 going from the JBAs to the hooker LTs.

 

You can always change that. I put true duals with a X pipe after my shorties.

 

Thats a great point, If you have some nice shorties and smog is not a deal the true dueal after the shorties, chunking the shorties Y will give some good gains.

 

ive been trying to figure out what i wanna get for about the last year, i dont drive the car much, its back in jersey and im stationed in germany. i have lowering springs that im putting on when i go home on leave, and im wondering if im gunna have alot of trouble scraping coming in and out of parking lots, and if i decide to bring it out here with me, all the baces out here have speed high speed bumps and i dont want the lt's to scrape. i heard that shorties for the dual cat cars give little if any powergains.

 

With the lowering springs most LT and dual set-ups are out of the question. The 1 3/4 AS&M shorties and RK motorsport clones of them are nice.

 

Shorties are definitely not worth it in my opinion. If you don't want to go with LT's due to clearance/emmissions reasons, then I would say at least go with mid-length headers. You will get much more power throughout the full powerband, low to top end than you will with shorties. LT's will actually make more power than mids and are what I would recommend if emmissions is not an issue.

 

I think you got it backwards -> Shorties better low and midrange, LT's better top end...

 

Not according to this article toby.
http://carcraft.com/techarticles/116_0312_test/