Hi all, I am currently restoring a VH SLE 5L to factory spec outside a few changes.
I would like to carry a HDT theme with the engine upgrades and am using B-cast heads, VK HDT air cleaner and snorkel, Crane 286 cam, 3.08:1 gears and a 2800 stall.
What exhaust headers did HDT use at the time, and which companies were supplying aftermarket? I have a set of Genie headers currently.
Cheers

Meeting emissions was the issue why GMH wouldn't allow them to be officially fitted. Media in the period quite often quoted the "headers in the boot" story, but most were fitted by either the dealers or HDT themselves (as evidenced on paperwork from some VHs).

HM was used on most of them - and they are now doing period resto supply of the original VH/VK style - for a price, which is fairly reasonable.

However, don't toss out a good set of Genies if they're not leaking - Genie was also fitted by HDT in the 80s. I can't say for sure on VH, as I haven't seen documented evidence from one, but on my VL's HDT build sheets it has HM crossed out, and Genie handwritten on there, along with the name of the person who fitted them (in the same handwriting). When discussing this with people who actually worked ON the cars back in the day (as opposed to internet fame seekers who claim they did, but know jack s*** & the fulla arm of his family), this happened often - either through low stock during peak times, or stop-credit on unpaid invoices.

I have since removed the Genies off my car, as they were original, and leaked like a sieve at every Y joint. I now run ceramic coated pacemakers, and no longer melt the passenger carpet.

Yes, the blue went everywhere - over those bolts you have mentioned (unless you had the HDT chrome covers).

Looking at numerous original blue 308 engines I've stripped down over the years, it appears they had a "mask" that sat over the manifold, and another for the water pump & timing cover areas to shield them from overspray. I've seen the same "escape spray" patterns on the lower front face of the manifold, and on the timing cover, on a number of original blue 308s I've torn down over the years to back that up.

The white letters never seemed to last - so whatever they were applied with was not meant to be durable once the engine got hot. Would I try to replicate them? Personally, no. But I'd be fitting chrome rocker covers which never got them. I'd suggest hat as an idea for your car - chrome rocker covers just like the VH HDT cars had, along with a chrome air cleaner lid for that big-mouth cleaner you've got to match up to the snorkel.

There's still some original cars getting around with the old cardboard tag wired onto the lower front of the block - that's worth replicating if you can find a clean one to read. All the ones I've had were soaked in oil & grease - they were beyond black!