custom header?

green se-r · Apr 17th, 2003, 12:51 AM

has anybody made their own header? what size pipe would be the best to use? is a 4-2-1 design the best way to go? any input on fabricating a header would be nice, but i dont want to hear "just go buy one"

thanks

johnnykomac · Apr 17th, 2003, 08:17 AM

"just go by one"

but, seriously, if you have to ask then its probably not a good idea to fab one, right?

onyxeros · Apr 17th, 2003, 08:54 AM

a custom header done correctly will run you $800+ why would you want to spend that unless you have a worked motor making 200whp anyway?

O

johnnykomac · Apr 17th, 2003, 01:35 PM

even then what makes you think you can put more time, energy, expierience, or engineering into the header?

They are extremely complicated.

toolapcfan · Apr 17th, 2003, 02:32 PM

I'd just copy one. Get a HS gen V from someone and take measurements from it. Tube wall thicknesses, lengths, diameters, angles, all that stuff. Then just weld up your own. Shouldn't cost you much if you buy your material right. The only tricky part would be cutting the thick plate that you'll need to bolt to the head, cutting out the port holes. People make their own turbo manifolds a lot of times, you just need the tools and the knowhow.

green se-r · Apr 17th, 2003, 09:41 PM

i have the knowhow and the tools just wanted to see if anybodys done it before and see what they had to say about it. i dont see how it could possibly cost me $800+

Apr 18th, 2003, 10:52 AM

I have one.
it was made with a 1" 3/4 exhaust pipe. Is a 4 to 1 piece.
The header works great .
i don't think that it works better than a Hot Shot but it definatelly works better than the stock manifold.

It cost me $150

Good luck!!

toolapcfan · Apr 19th, 2003, 06:17 PM

It might be worth buying a HS gen V, copying it and sending it back. Even if you have to pay return shipping, it would probably be wroth it. Especially if you can keep the header while you make yours up and send it back when you're done. If they have a long enough reutrn period that shouldn't be too tough to do. Especially if you can TIG weld, then you could get stainless pipe and really build a sweet one. Then build up a jig that you can set mandrel bent pipe into and just weld, pop out copies in a couple hours a piece, sell them to forum members for $250 or so. Just dyno the first one so you can show all the skeptics that it works. If I worked in a muffler shop and could do madrel bends or get mandrel bent pipe cheap I'd do it in a heartbeat.