anybody make their own headers??

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evil 340

evil 340

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i m restoring a 72 demon 340 and i m thinking about making my own 304 stainless headers. i m just looking for some ideas. they make kits from a few different companies that i can piece them together. i know i can do it...i m just looking for other examples or hints from the guys who ve actually built their own headers. any hints on which company sells good kits,etc. thanks.
 
IF there is companies that make headers BUY them, you will be tons of money and time ahead. the only reason to build your own headers is if no one makes them. i've made 5 sets so far and if done correctly are time intensive. cost depends on where and what material you need to use.
 
there are a dozen or more different companies and header styles and options for your car. why not just buy some.
 
i want stainless headers. i haven t found a set that was stainless yet. i haven t had good luck and have heard horror stories about coated headers, if anyone knows of a company who offers 304 stainless headers.......i d buy em.
 
Not a kit but supposedly the best of the best headers around. Can't wait to read all the trash comments, one more time.
 
expect to spend 1500+ on a good set of stainless headers.
 
Ed doesn't build headers anymore , but does sell parts. He is local to me and was a legend when he was still welding them up.
Really nice guy and very forthcoming with information.
SPD is very good for parts too.
I built mine for my early A with W-9's ......... I bought the later A body 1 7/8" unwelded kit from Stahl and the flanges from SPD.
Bob is dead on here........if someone makes them , you'll be time and dollars ahead buying.
Mine were mild steel , but after coating I was close to 800.00 into them and somewhere over 40 hours.
Stainless is nice and nice costs. I can't imagine getting into a set for much less than 1500........probably closer to 1800.00
 
I may have to stand corrected here. Looking at Ed's updated site , he , or someone in his shop appears to be welding up headers again.
He has had a few people working for him over the years and the quality has never been a question.
Had he built headers for a '66 Cyclone with a 429 C.J. , I would have bought a finished set from him rather than just buy parts from him. ( this was years ago before I came over to the dark side. ) LOL
But if he lists your chassis / engine combo , I'd definitely give him a look.
 
thanks for the insight guys...thats what i was looking for. i m a long ways away from exhaust, but i like to figure out what i m gonna do before i stick my thumb in my *** and wonder when i am ready. i don t know what i m gonna do yet, but there s no doubt that stainless is beautiful. maybe i ll get my brother s tig over to my shop and build my own, or maybe i ll conform and join the flock thats buying tti headers. they make nice headers, but i know what i like and its usually different than the norm, but sometimes you can t afford the abnormal. thats why i try to do as much of a restoration myself as i can.
 
the flanges are missing from the pic for some reason but all parts came from "headers by ed". he custom made the flanges and the collectors. he also designed the sizes and lengths for my supercharged motor. this is the last set i made and the price with power coating everything was just a tad north of $3000. while you make them you will fine out the true meaning of procrastination.

:wack:
 

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they look good. i m finding some kits and finding out the prices for the bends and what not don t sound bad, til you add in the collectors, flanges, etc. i ve always wanted to make my own headers, and like i said i really like stainless, but maybe i ll just go with the flow on this one.
the tubing prices from COLUMBIA RIVER mandrel bending were as follows>
304 ss header tubing kit- 149.63
304 ss collectors- 235.00
collector flanges- 50.00
409 ss exhaust tubing 3"-230.00
x pipe- 142.48
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807.11
didn t price mufflers and they didn t have the small block flanges. but thats pretty much everything minus the hardware for the exhaust system.
i m probably definately gonna do the headers back exhaust and maybe try the headers on the next project.
anybody ever run SANDERSON headers for the a body? we put a set on a old ford pickup one time and they seem like a nice header.
 
If you are going to build your own might as well incorporate merge collectors....
 
Watch the video at stainlessheaders.com thy built mine and thy are awsome. I've had several complimence on how good thy look. Good luck with your project. Tom
 
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