GET! HEADERS! For the love that is all holy HEMI get headers.

It's just magical on these HEMIs. I put a set of shorties on my 5.7 03, and I wish I went with either ceramic coated stainless shorties, or the full lengths ceramic stainless steel headers.

I have zero regrets swapping to the header, but doing a mild steel the engine compartment got hot. hotter than the manifold made the engine compartment. Plus the shorties doesn't boost bottom end power like the full lengths.

The ceramics will keep engine compartment temps to that of the manifolds; if not lower, and the more that is trapped in the header the better the header is at removing spent exhaust gasses, and allowing more air and fuel in.

The stainless steel will not rust like mild steel, and just last a long time. If you do go the header stainless steel route go for the 304.

Sharp truck. Welcome. The gas station is on the left.