headers

ok eventually i will be building up a mild 350 but for now since it might be awile i want to get what i got running decent. i have the 91 305 tbi and have already took off the cat and welded a pipe in there and have a 3 in pipe from y pipe to flowmaster 70 series mufler and dual 2.5 inch outs. my question is there r so many headers in these magizines and i dont know what to get. i see headers (good brands) for around 150 then i see cat forward system like the ones from eddelbrock for like almost 400. what do i do?? and if i just buy the less expensive like hooker headers i assume they dont come w/ a y pipe if i was to weld one up would it put a big damper on performance since i dont know any magic design techniques they clame?? and also if i buy the cat forward system instead i heard that i could order the one for the 350 tpi single cat and get a 3 inch y pipe as apposed to 305 tbi w/ a 2.5 inch y pipe and it would still bolt right up and clear everything is this true please help!!!

get the edelbrock TES cat forward with the 3" pipe

Usually, you buy the Y pipe for performance (but the gain is very slim) and the H pipe for sound.

And the X pipe on true duals are performance...right? I know they make it quiter and equalize exhaust pulses. Doesnt the H pipe do the same thing, then making it for performance too?

i dont mean to hijack this thread but i also have a question about headers. im getting these soon they are on the way to my house http://www.fbody.com/cgi-bin/3gen/read.cgi?msgid=52342
but i dont have collectors or reducers. what should i do for back pressure? im not getting y pipes im keeping it true open headers with the exception of collectors or reducers.

well, im confused, are you looking to run open headers, or strait pipes??? cuz if you are running open headers, all you have to do is bolt those on, but if you are creating pipes that route the exhaust gasses out the back youll have to contact a muffler shop about it to figure out how they would go about it with your particular car and the exhaust setup you want. just remember, if this is a street car youll need an exhaust system, that exits the car behind the passenger compartment.