atr headers

[malibuick231]

atr headers suck granted my car is not a buick but I have seen were they dont fit the buicks either. Some one needs to call hooker and tell them to make theirs out of stainless and use v band clamps I think they would be much better than atrs. They really need some competition.imo

 

[Men in Black]

I'm happy with mine as are several other people I know.

 

[STP]

Poor baby : )

 

[MIKE10SECV6]

I had the atr headers and i agree,they didn't line up to the heads properly,and leaked like crazy.
I sent them back to atr,and was told "they are out a tad" YA RIGHT!
I got rid of them and bought the Kenne Bell headers, and i strongly reccomend them,-no leaks and perfect fit!!!

 

[GNVAIR]

The other thing I see wrong with the ATR's is the fact that they charge ridiculous money for them and still use the crappy 409 stainless like the stock headers. You would think they would make them out of 304.

 

[86brick]

They can't be all that bad....

ATR headers must "suck" pretty damn good cause Cal Hartline is running 8.50's @159mph with them!

http://www.hartlineperformance.com/cal/index.htm

 

[malibuick231]

I am not saying they don't perform I am saying they dont fit well for 700$ there should not be a clearence problam. Also if Cal were to put hookers on his car I would bet it would run just as fast.

 

[86brick]

Well I don't see any 8 second Stage II TRs with hookers so maybe that says something (maybe it just means nobody has tried them or maybe it means nobody is willing to).... If you want the best quality SS headers with the best fit I think that Terry Houston's headers would be your best bet, but they aren't cheap at $1K.... FWIW, I had hooker headers on my car when I bought it and the DS cracked more times than I'd care to mention and I had the same problem with the stockers (had them welded several times, but to no avail).... I ordered a set of ATR headers and the crossover pipe and had a buddy of mine put them on (had a little problem with the way the crossover fit because I have a TH DP and forgot to mention that to them when I ordered them), but after a little bit of work they fit great and they have yet to crack and the car has made several passes with 20-22lbs of boost.... I really like how they sound and look, but have not noticed any performance gains and doubt I will cause at best my car is an 11 second ride (spool up seems better, but that's probably because my stock headers had leaks).... That's just my personal experience! You might want to try the Poston headers if your ATRs are really giving you that much problems, but I doubt they will be much if any better and Hookers from my experience aren't very high quality unless they have changed since I had them on my car....
HTH

 

[Intercooler]

I love my ATR headers. Fit real nice, perform real well and look good! It is like everything else aftermarket I have ever gotten....it takes a while to get them perfect but when you get them tweaked right it all bolts up perfect.

As a side note I just got a new ATR DP for a Racegate. Jack told me I may need to stretch the mounting holes on the pipe for the Racegate and sure enough I could only get three of the four started. I took it back off, placed a jack handle down in the opening of the pipe and tweaked it ever so slightly. All four went right in the next time without needing to Dremel the mounting flange

 

[Nick Micale]

Originally posted by malibuick231
atr headers suck granted my car is not a buick but I have seen were they dont fit the buicks either. Some one needs to call hooker and tell them to make theirs out of stainless and use v band clamps I think they would be much better than atrs. They really need some competition.imo

Rather "strong" statement for someone without personal experience using Buick headers, just based upon what you "have seen".

One thing ATR does real well is their headers. First off, do not believe they are the same material as stock, seems like MUCH better material to me? Just installed a set and the fit is perfect. Hooker headers for Turbo Buicks are not even is the same league for performance or quality.

Terry Houston does lots of good things and his service is excellent. Still have to state, the ATR's are better and cheaper. Also, last I know, he no longer makes headers.

If it were not for the one downside of the ATR headers that a standard TH downpipe will not fit, I would have a set on my race car.

 

[86brick]

Nick, I have a 3" TH DP on my car with the ATR headers and crossover pipe they sell.... Don't ask me how cause my friend is the one that installed it for me (there was cutting and welding invloved on my 3" single shot exhaust), but it can be done.... I know of another guy down here who also has a TH DP and ATRs headers and crossover pipe so it can be done, but it takes some work.... I need to talk to my friend and ask him what all he did to make it work and then I'll try to give you some info if you want it....

 

[86brick]

Nick, when you say standard do you mean stock style?? Reason I ask is now that I'm thinking about it when I spoke with the tech lady at ATR she told me their headers would fit with a TH DP as long as it was for stock headers because I have their 3-bolt stock style headers so I guess my DP is the stock style or standard Also, I could have sent the headers back to ATR and paid them like $125 for them to modify them to fit with the TH DP, but my friend got them to fit without sending them back so I never had to.... The problem he was having with them fitting did involve the crossover pipe as I remember.... Just some food for thought FWIW!

 

[STP]

ATR practically has a monopoly on the market for stainless Buick headers...I've installed 4 sets total. One set went right on without modification or leaks. And that was the last set I installed. On a particular set I had to use two composite gaskets on each vband clamp, and it still leaked. No other option, so I still use them.

 

[Nick Micale]

Originally posted by 86brick
Nick, when you say standard do you mean stock style?? Reason I ask is now that I'm thinking about it when I spoke with the tech lady at ATR she told me their headers would fit with a TH DP as long as it was for stock headers because I have their 3-bolt stock style headers so I guess my DP is the stock style or standard .............

The "standard" THDP will not fit with ATR headers. TH makes an "extended" version which is longer before the 90 degree bend going to the back of the car. This puts the pipe closer to the inner fender than the "standard" version and clears the ATR headers.