BBK 1-5/8-Inch Long Tube Headers; Chrome (96-04 GT w/ Manual Transmission)

Video Review & Installation

Hey I’m Justin with AmericanMuscle.com, and this is my breakdown of BBK’s long tube headers, available in your choice of either ceramic, or chrome, fitting the 1996-2004 manual Mustang GT. Long tube headers are one of those mods on the long list of basic bolt ons, that aim to make more power than the factory part they’re replacing. In this case, these long tube headers from BBK are going to replace the ultra restrictive cast iron factory manifolds, which are notorious for choking out the flow of exhaust. Taking a closer look at the headers themselves, you’ll see BBK went with mandrel bent 1-5/8” tubing which should definitely help your flow of exhaust. In addition we’re also looking at laser cut flanges, as well as pre-welded bungs for your O2 sensor as well as your EGR. One thing I did want to point out with these headers that I noticed right away, was that BBK included a notch for the steering shaft, to prevent any rubbing or any interference. This is huge because some other header companies do not offer this, and therefore you might run into some fitment issues. Finally BBK gives you the option of picking these long tubes up in a chrome finish, or for a few bucks more you can opt for the ceramic coating. That ceramic coating is going to offer a couple of different benefits, first, performance, ceramic dissipates heat a little better than a stainless header, so it’s going to be slightly better performance wise and it’s going to be slightly better at reducing under hood temperatures, which is always a good thing. In addition that ceramic coating is also going to be better at reducing corrosion, which is only going to increase the longevity of the header itself. The final difference is appearance, both of these header options will offer their own unique look as they age. First up, we have the ceramics, they’re going to stay this bright silver color pretty much their entire life, on the other hand we have the chrome version, which as they heat cycle, tend to turn a dark blue/purple color which some people might like, others may not. Installing any set of long tubes can be a little intense, so if you don’t think you have the mechanical skill, or the tools to get this one done, I’d leave this job in the hands of the professionals. However if you are going to do the install yourself, just leave a full day to get everything bolted up properly, just to be safe. Keep in mind, whenever you install a set of long tubes, you will need to address your Mid Pipe. In this case in order to run these long tubes from BBK, you will need to run a flanged and shorty Mid Pipe. BBK recommends their shorty H-Pipe just for the best fitment and gains. So if you’re looking for a set of long tubes for your 96-04 GT, with the option of going for a ceramic or chrome finish, then be sure to check out these long tubes from BBK right here at AmericanMuscle.com