It's been a long time since I installed some headers. Since my left stock exhaust manifold is cracked I have been thinking ceramic shorty's. Are they easier to install than the orginal long tubes?

install - well probably not headers are a PITA... however the shorty's are nice for ground clearance.
If you are running an Automatic Trans the Hedman 68608 (http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10002_62112_-1)is the club fav for shorties

I run the Heddman shortys, had them jet Hot coated, they're great.

I put the Sanderson short headers on my '78 Z28. It has a manual transmission, so the long headers would have been harder. Getting the old exhaust manifolds off was the hardest part, I guess, the old bolts were rusted in pretty good. But I also ended up welding together custom downpipes to mate up to the original exhaust.

Any problem with putting those Hedmans on? Meaning any denting of pipes or not clearing the PS box or AC compressor not mounting up via the extra bracket you can buy?

I have Hedman 68601s and they bolted up without any real problems. Power steering, smog pump, and I haven't put the A/C back on yet but the compressor bolts up just fine with the Hedman bracket.