Hooker 8525-4HKR ... Thoughts?

[RCSB73]

Ok, so I've been gathering parts for the truck in my profile pic... It is a daily driver, A/C, th350, 3.07 or 3.08 12 bolt... Original motor, 85k miles, leaks and blowby getting worse daily. I am building a late model block to put in 1) to keep driving while I see what the original needs, 2) to have more pep than stock, 3) so I won't worry about racking up the miles...
Having had a couple hot street trucks in the past, I am doing this one really mild for the street manners and retaining A/C... Point of the thread is the Hooker sbc cast manifolds...
They come in raised D configuration, 1 5/8 runner, 2 1/2 outlet.. I will be running the XE268, in a 350 with 9.2-1, 64cc heads with raised D and straight plugs, 1800 PA converter and got really excited when I saw the Hooker manifolds since I never had good luck with plug wire life or exhaust leaks on a daily driver with headers, plus I've never tried attaching stock A/C with headers.
Anybody tried these? I doubt they can kill enough power that I will be disappointed since this motor will be around a 75hp improvement anyway..

thoughts??

 

[Catbox]

Interesting.
I have never seen those before.

I can say that the headers and their gaskets on my big block are being tested every time my son gets in and drives the truck.
They are holding up well.

We used thick flange headers as well as the dead soft aluminum gaskets.

 

[RCSB73]

I am less interested in possible power and more interested in mounting my compressor properly as well as saving the $300 on new exhaust work since longtubes would put the flange about where my H pipe is now...

Of course there will be less scavenge than headers, but surely they breathe better than stock...

Somebody chime in before I sell em to myself ...lol

 

[perryis5150]

I was just getting on here to see if anyone had looked into these. Ill be interested in what you do.

 

[82TwoHeadlight]

I'd be interested to learn how they do. They sure look nice. Based on pictures alone, they look like they'd flow well. At that price though, I wonder how much better they are than a standard 96-99 vortec manifold which can be sourced pretty easily, though they wont have the D port shape. Now that I typed that out I think that's really what you're after. Let us know how they do.

 

[Raider L]

Those things are crazy! I didn't even know Hooker made a cast manifold. I wouldn't have even thought to look at Hooker for anything other than tube headers. Man!

 

[RCSB73]

Well, I stepped out of my comfort zone to try Pro Filer 185s on this engine... Figured since they have so much porting potential, I could always sell em if they aren't that great for my use.. when they finally get here I can start opening boxes and assembling.. with all the other "might as well while I'm in there" purchases, I highly doubt I'll miss the 300 or so in giving those manifolds a shot also... Goal is to get a healthy 350 hid under orange paint and a quadrajet so it still looks close to original while racking up miles... I'm probably gonna try em, but with my strange combo I doubt I'll be able to provide any real usable info other than photos...