My Love/Hate with making headers

[MidTexCuda]

I had a day with no kid or wife I got the hair up my *** to work on my headers.
The love - using my creative side and enjoying some garage time
The Hate - mocking them up about four times to see what tube paths will work. Having to finish the job with scraps because of the four mock ups. Having to fill less than perfect joints.
They are 2 3/8" tubes to a 4" collectors I will be covering them with the volcanic titanium wrap stuff.

 

[67Dart273]

Well I give you a lot of points for even trying. "Somewhere" I saw some fancy flex gizmos you an use to mock stuff like that up.

 

[dukeboy440]

I had a day with no kid or wife I got the hair up my *** to work on my headers.
The love - using my creative side and enjoying some garage time
The Hate - mocking them up about four times to see what tube paths will work. Having to finish the job with scraps because of the four mock ups. Having to fill less than perfect joints.
They are 2 3/8" tubes to a 4" collectors I will be covering them with the volcanic titanium wrap stuff.

these look awesome! Want to build me a set haha

 

[Coronet 500]

Someone who can feel my pain. You said it exactly how it happens for me, I've built 4 sets.

It starts out with huge enthusiasm, creativity flows and then about 3/4 of the way through I say NEVER AGAIN!

Keep going, you know they will look beautiful.

 

[70DartMike]

Do you bend your own pipe or just buy a bunch of different sizes and configurations?

 

[MidTexCuda]

I buy the bends.
I notice half way through that the long side of the J bend is slightly fatter than the rest of the pipe, my fault for buying the cheap bends. I also couldn't get 45s so that's more work. I already see that the #7 needs to be straightened out at the head.
Now I need to decide if I want to leave the pipes round at the flanges or square them. either way the tubes are bigger than the flanges and those are bigger than the head. I started messing with the mufflers and there is not a tone of room. I think I will have to wrap the whole system from the collector back get them coated.

 

[johnson1550]

I buy the bends.
I notice half way through that the long side of the J bend is slightly fatter than the rest of the pipe, my fault for buying the cheap bends. I also couldn't get 45s so that's more work. I already see that the #7 needs to be straightened out at the head.
Now I need to decide if I want to leave the pipes round at the flanges or square them. either way the tubes are bigger than the flanges and those are bigger than the head. I started messing with the mufflers and there is not a tone of room. I think I will have to wrap the whole system from the collector back get them coated.

Where did you buy the mandrel bends?

 

[MidTexCuda]

I mine from summit because they are kind of an odd size. You can also try these guys http://www.mandrel-bends.com/catalog/ I have never used them but there site is easy to look through.

 

[451Cuda]

These work nice

http://www.icengineworks.com/

 

[MidTexCuda]

Thats cool. They are like lego headers. I tried foam pipe wrap but this looks a lot better. Sadly not in my budget

 

[johnson1550]

Tubular Automotive also has "make your own" kits in numerous sizes. You can ask them to include some connector pieces (a 2" OD pipe will take a 1 7/8" OD connector or slip piece) and you can put them together without having to weld them in place for the layout. Tubular Automotive is in Mass. at 781-878-9875

 

[MidTexCuda]

not sure how much these big *** mufflers are going to help with the sound considering the pipe is only about 6' long.
Space was limited and I think I may need a thermal barrier.
Going to have to get creative with the floor behind the seats.

WHY is every picture flipped into landscape??????