Hotshot VQ35 headers vs. stock VQ30 for 3.5 swap

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08-03-2006, 04:27 PM

THT

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Hotshot VQ35 headers vs. stock VQ30 for 3.5 swap

Are VQ35 Hotshot headers worth the $600 when doing a 3.5L swap into a 4th gen or are the gains minimal enough to use the 3.0L headers and save $600?

08-03-2006, 07:36 PM

d00df00d

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AFAIK, you might as well go with the 3.0 headers. The only thing worth money over that would be Cattman headers, since they're equal-length.

08-04-2006, 06:39 AM

NmexMAX

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Hotshots > stock and worth the price.

I don't have them but have seen dynos where they are right on par with the Gen I/II Cattmans.

08-04-2006, 06:52 AM

Kevlo911

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Yeah if you have the money I would get Hotshots. Easy to install with engine out. Cattman's are NOT that much better than HotShots.

08-04-2006, 06:56 AM

NmexMAX

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If I ever swap a Vq35 my in my A32....I'll go hotshots...

08-04-2006, 07:56 AM

Puppetmaster

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Quote:

Originally Posted by d00df00d

AFAIK, you might as well go with the 3.0 headers. The only thing worth money over that would be Cattman headers, since they're equal-length.

I believe the Hotshots are equal length too.

Btw, I know I only needed the first pic, but they were just so nice I couldn't resist.

From thread: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=435912

08-04-2006, 08:00 AM

Puppetmaster

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To the OP, IMO Hotshots will be worth it.

08-04-2006, 08:16 AM

d00df00d

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Right then. I stand corrected.

EDIT: Wait a sec. Second pic posted by Puppetmaster: That doesn't look totally equal-length to me. The center runner is the shortest, followed by the left one, and the right one is the longest...

And Cattman's definitely look better...

08-04-2006, 08:28 AM

NmexMAX

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Niether cattmans nor HS are exaclty equal length... But they're the closest to it.

08-04-2006, 08:43 AM

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Kevlo911

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Pic's of Cattmans?

I want spaghetti-long tube equal length headers..

08-04-2006, 08:48 AM

#11

NmexMAX

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08-04-2006, 10:13 AM

#12

vq356sp

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevlo911

Pic's of Cattmans?

I want spaghetti-long tube equal length headers..

Here ya go........

08-04-2006, 10:30 AM

#13

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Quote:

Originally Posted by d00df00d

Like already posted, they are not perfectly equal length, but I think the point was just that the design is still better than the stock headers and Hotshots added to a 3.5 swap would be a good idea.

08-04-2006, 10:31 AM

#14

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevlo911

Pic's of Cattmans?

I want spaghetti-long tube equal length headers..

Cattman Gen IIs:

08-04-2006, 11:49 AM

#15

vsamoylov

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bought my hotshot headers for $550 shipped and i am satisfied. i just couldnt see myself spending $700 plus on cattmans. i rather take that oney and spend it on some other mods.

08-04-2006, 02:37 PM

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Kevlo911

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Yeah they look about THE SAME!

08-04-2006, 05:20 PM

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Jar

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sorry to be a little ot here but can you order the top sections seperately from the rest of the Y? in either the hotshot or the cattman?

08-04-2006, 07:03 PM

#18

vsamoylov

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Jar

sorry to be a little ot here but can you order the top sections seperately from the rest of the Y? in either the hotshot or the cattman?

i highly doubt it that the actual manifolds are sold seperatly from the y-pipe. the part that concerns me is how much ground clearance there is between the loop in the y-pipe. so if i hit bottom out somewhere that part is the first to get damaged.

08-05-2006, 02:40 PM

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Nismo3112

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^^ I think I remember someone saying that the bottom-most part of the loop is no lower than the crossmember. Could be wrong though.

08-05-2006, 03:02 PM

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vsamoylov

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Nismo3112

^^ I think I remember someone saying that the bottom-most part of the loop is no lower than the crossmember. Could be wrong though.

i will take a pic of how low my loop is. i believe it is lower then the cross-member

08-05-2006, 07:55 PM

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GodFather

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I got cattman's on my 3.5 swap. I actually got all kinda N/A mods with it. And not only I like the sound of it. The mechanics of the shop that I worked the engine with, they were all clapping and hollering about the outcome of the sounds. Of course, like every other 3.5 swaps, I ran into problems, too. But you can see the outcome of my setup at the following thread, and I did explain a little bit about the way it sounds in post #23. check it out...
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=485451

08-06-2006, 08:28 AM

#22

Nismo3112

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Quote:

Originally Posted by GodFather

Of course, like every other 3.5 swaps, I ran into problems, too.

Not one problem for mine..

08-06-2006, 04:07 PM

#23

GodFather

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Nismo3112

Not one problem for mine..

Ha! You're a lucky guy. I'm so envious of your success with the swap. I hope not to prowl too long with my swap.

08-06-2006, 05:39 PM

#24

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I wasn't impressed by the Cattman Gen II fitment at all. Sounds like I'm going to go with Hotshots.

08-06-2006, 07:29 PM

#25

vsamoylov

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Nismo3112

Not one problem for mine..

i didnt have any problems with the 3.5 swap at all either

08-06-2006, 07:32 PM

#26

GodFather

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I guess my bandwagoning was done without thorough research...LOL.

But, good job and congrats to all of you who's got it to work. I can't wait for mine to work out. Then I'll hit it up the dyno in October.

08-07-2006, 10:07 AM

#27

vipervadim

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I have the 3.5L Hotshots on my 3.0, and some people say they don't fit..

I had my hotshots and cattman gen1 i believe, side by side, they are VERY similar, the biggest difference in that hotshots are 3 piece, and cattman is 4 piece. They are both made to be very close to equal length.

DO NOT use the supplied gaskets, go OEM on the exhaust manifolds and gasket before cat. I nuked the supplied gasket, and drove around sounding like a 5.0l mustang with open headers until i got the Oem and fixed the leak.