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Author
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Topic: Building Headers....
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n2oMike
Gearhead Posts: 2419
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 08-22-2001 08:58 PM
   
A drag racer I know was showing me how he builds headers the other day. He takes an old head and sections out the exhaust side, then drills the exhaust ports out to a round shape (the OD of the pipe he's going to use). This section is then bolted to the block. (in the car)Next, four rings of pipe (which are the OD of the tubing to be used) are welded together and placed on the car where the collector will be. The next step is to take a piece of flex pipe the OD and length that are going to be used for the headers and connect the head to the collector. When it is bent the way it needs to be, you simply build a "real" tube that looks like the flexible one. Repeat for each cylinder. When all the tubes are built, you bolt the header flange to the head, place the collector in its place, and start welding. Good Luck! ------------------
Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/motorcitymustang/cmml/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
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chips67
Gearhead Posts: 651
From: louisville, ky, usa
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 08-22-2001 09:32 PM
sounds like a lot of work, but im sure its necessary on a lot of cars. if i ever have to do that i would definetly have the headers jet-hot coated or something to be sure i only do it once. maybe use stainless with thicker walls too.------------------
67 coupe, 650dp and rpm intake on 5.0 with afr 165 heads, 4 speed, 4.11's.....best so far is [email protected] in 1/8 mile with 1.89 60ft. time.
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JAAZZY
Gearhead Posts: 777
From: Bay Area, CA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 08-22-2001 09:46 PM
I know I don't have the skills or tools. I asked a local shop what they charge for custom headers. The price was $1200 minimum! I spoke to a guy who owns a muffler shop about it. He said he used to make them but it was a lot of work and hassle so he just stopped doing it.
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TomP
Gearhead Posts: 5761
From: Delta BC Canada
Registered: Dec 99
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posted 08-23-2001 02:24 AM
ya lost me with the 'sectioning out the head' bit... i don't see why that'd be needed. I prop a collector up under the car and bolt a flange to the head but no flex tubing, most cars i work on don't have an 1/8" to spare anywhere and need the actual tube to be fit in place. Often the hardest part is designing them so they can be installed and removed.
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n2oMike
Gearhead Posts: 2419
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 08-23-2001 05:22 PM
quote:
Originally posted by TomP:
ya lost me with the 'sectioning out the head' bit... i don't see why that'd be needed.
Often the hardest part is designing them so they can be installed and removed.
He works with BBC's and it's just the way HE does it. Like you say, I would think a header flange with stubs would probably be the way to go as well. I thought the flex tubing and collector rings sounded like a pretty neat way of getting basic ideas on how to arrange the tubes. (You know, the pipe that bends really easily, but holds it's shape) The basic description of how they're built sounds fairly simple, but so do a lot of things... Header building is a ART that few people ever master... especially in the tight confines of an early Ford! That is one thing I am certain of!  Good Luck! ------------------
Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/motorcitymustang/cmml/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
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JAAZZY
Gearhead Posts: 777
From: Bay Area, CA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 08-23-2001 05:40 PM
You can say that again!I can honestly say that one of the hardest projects I ever did on my Mustang was get the big tubes to fit. Maybe there are better options now but there weren't when I was looking. I sure hope I never need to do it again. I can almost understand why people pay the big $$$s for the custom ones. quote:
Originally posted by n2oMike:
He works with BBC's and it's just the way HE does it. Like you say, I would think a header flange with stubs would probably be the way to go as well. I thought the flex tubing and collector rings sounded like a pretty neat way of getting basic ideas on how to arrange the tubes. (You know, the pipe that bends really easily, but holds it's shape) The basic description of how they're built sounds fairly simple, but so do a lot of things... Header building is a ART that few people ever master... especially in the tight confines of an early Ford! That is one thing I am certain of! Good Luck!
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