OBX 930 Turbo Headers?

[WydRyd]

I have no affiliation with this seller, but I was just browsing EBay and came across these 321 Stainless Steel 930 Turbo Headers..

Certainly the cheapest headers I've ever seen for the 930/911 Turbo's... can't really comment on build quality, but they look alright.

Looks very similar to the heaterbox-less B&B, GSF and Schnell headers!

[Candelaria]

They look like the Going Superfast stuff, it is one hell of a price for 321,I don't know, but I have this feeling..............., Candy.

[WydRyd]

Yeh I agree... that price for 321 SS seems a bit low indeed... the GSF & Schnell stuff is T304 SS, as is B&B. I think only GHL make them in 321.

[Lukesportsman]

Shhhhhhh. Don't say too many bad things, YET. I took the plunge/leap of faith and ordered a set of OBX for my NA 911.

1. NA application shouldn't be as critical of material
2. When the arrive, I'll post thoughts and pictures of welds
3. I'll check magnetism
4. Sorry, no corrosion test until I drive on Indiana roads
5. I bought a set of SS headers for my Buick on Ebay for less than two bills. Mandrel bends and flanges looked great, will work for street but internal collector design was less than ideal. Certainly not a Burns collector and wouldn't end up on any of my race cars. I wonder if OBX took like short cuts?

I'll post back results when the arrive end of the week.

[gtu935]

Let us know how you make out. They look good and I like the 321 for turbo headers.

[WydRyd]

You can't go wrong for the price! Even if they do develop cracks a couple years down the track, just buy a new set

I've got the GSF/Schnells on my car and they looked great and work perfectly fine for my street rocket. Only time will tell how durable they are, but for the price I paid for them, who cares! I'll just trash them and buy a new set. Competition in the aftermarket go-fast arena is a good thing, for us

Keep us posted, Luke

As for the 304 vs 321 debate... a very reputable Porsche tuner told me 321 tends to get brittle over time and develop cracks quicker than 304, but stays prettier longer.

[Craig 930 RS]

Uhm.......ever wonder what happens when weld crap from cheap cracked headers enters a turbo?

Please take a look at his feedback from people who have purchased the OBX stuff. Major fitment issues.
Problem after problem.

Not good. IMO.

[gtu935]

I just checked and 316 stainless does hold up to heat better than 321.

[kellcats521]

Originally posted by Craig911
Uhm.......ever wonder what happens when weld crap from cheap cracked headers enters a turbo?

Please take a look at his feedback from people who have purchased the OBX stuff. Major fitment issues.
Problem after problem.

Not good. IMO.

First, 321 is better for turbo headers than 304, assuming the wall thickness is =. The major concern here will be wall thickness and weld quality - if the pipe is too thin, it will eventually crack, esp. on an air cooled motor due to expansion. For the price, if they're thick enough to do the job, having a good weld shop check them and fix as needed would still put you at 1/3 of the ghl cost, and you'd have parts every bit as good as their stuff (which is HIGHLY overrated and waaaaay overpriced IMO). Of course, having my own MIG and TIG capability prolly gives me a different perspective on these manufacturers.

If OBX is using appropriate materials (which I have no idea, although I'm very tempted to buy a set to see what they're producing), IMO the price of $500 is spot on for the time and materials in them.

Basically, I think all of the other vendors out there have copied an original Porsche design (1st seen on the turbo RSR and 934), added heat boxes in some cases, then reamed the marketplace to the tune of 3-4x of what the market bears for 99.9999% of high performance cars out there.

[Craig 930 RS]

I have never seen, nor have had hands-on with an 'OBX' header.

Yet, if you take the feedback regarding the serious fitment issues these appear to have, I'd surmise that your $479 could be better spent elsewhere.

I'd ask myself these questions:
Is this a proven header?
Am I willing to experiment with cuting/welding/refitting?

I agree the other headers are expensive. But, in comparison they are a more proven design and build.

If I had a inert stainless welding rig and was willing to take a chance on these as an experiment - that for me, would be a different deal.

I'd be interested to see a set and to see how they hold up.
Just not on my car

[Garen]

I read quite a few of the comments on Ebay. Some seem to love the product, and for some, it's a fitment nightmare, like Craig mentioned. It seems that quality control is the issue. Luck of the draw, who knows, maybe if your set gets built on Tuesday it'll be fine, but you better bust out the welder if the fabricator makes yours on Monday morning or Friday night...

[Falk930]

... guess they are China made.
I have a China made header on another car,
the finish looks same.
The quality is by far ok, price unbeatable.

*mostly they do 1/1 copys, they dont spend money for development.
Look out for the copyed part, I bet there is one out there :-)


greetings from Germany

Falk

[Porschefile]

You get what you pay for, though there is a certain point where IMO it becomes a bit unreasonable. I was lucky enough to have Marco Manzie / Billet Design headers on my car when I bought it, and I've heard people have paid ~$3-4k for these headers. Honestly, they are probably worth between $1-2k. Excellent quality yes, but how much extra are you really willing to pay just because of the badge on the hood? Not all of us are made of money. I've seen headers for other non-Porsche cars that are of the same or better quality and contain the same or better metals for far cheaper than $4k. Apples to oranges of course, and the rules of supply vs. demand apply. However, if I had to buy another set of headers I think I'd personally go with GSF ones as they appear to be decent quality at a reasonable price. You get what you pay for, though you don't always get "more" when you pay more .

[Ken911]

if they sold them with heat they would already be on my car

[WydRyd]

Originally posted by Ken911
if they sold them with heat they would already be on my car

GSF makes a heaterboxed SS header system for ~$1.2k. It even has swivel flanges, which allows it to be mated up to a 993 motor

You can't go wrong with that IMO.

[mb911]

Originally posted by WydRyd
You can't go wrong for the price! Even if they do develop cracks a couple years down the track, just buy a new set

I've got the GSF/Schnells on my car and they looked great and work perfectly fine for my street rocket. Only time will tell how durable they are, but for the price I paid for them, who cares! I'll just trash them and buy a new set. Competition in the aftermarket go-fast arena is a good thing, for us

Keep us posted, Luke

As for the 304 vs 321 debate... a very reputable Porsche tuner told me 321 tends to get brittle over time and develop cracks quicker than 304, but stays prettier longer.

321 will not crack faster infact it lasts longer unless 2 things. first 321 tends to be made in small lots and from time to time the mill will change the mix a bit and cause for it to be to hard and crack out..

just a note 304 will get very very plasitic like and 321 can handle much higher temps for longer periods of time..

that said These OBX headers are probably the same as GSF and the scnhell units. I think with some good info backing my thoughts that all 3 brands are made in the same place

[Craig 930 RS]

Until someone buys these things, these are all guesses.
My guess is they are crap - but hey, that's also just a guess.

[WydRyd]

oh well, I run the GSF SS headers and I'm very happy with their performance

[Craig 930 RS]

Cool. However, I was referring to the OBX.

[Candelaria]

Originally posted by Porschefile
You get what you pay for, though there is a certain point where IMO it becomes a bit unreasonable. I was lucky enough to have Marco Manzie / Billet Design headers on my car when I bought it, and I've heard people have paid ~$3-4k for these headers. Honestly, they are probably worth between $1-2k. Excellent quality yes, but how much extra are you really willing to pay just because of the badge on the hood? Not all of us are made of money. I've seen headers for other non-Porsche cars that are of the same or better quality and contain the same or better metals for far cheaper than $4k. Apples to oranges of course, and the rules of supply vs. demand apply. However, if I had to buy another set of headers I think I'd personally go with GSF ones as they appear to be decent quality at a reasonable price. You get what you pay for, though you don't always get "more" when you pay more .

The Manzie headers, and other similar systems are specially fab for the intended use, there are many variables here, one been that they are (for the most time) equal length (labor intensive),quality of the collectors (Burn's,etc) play a role here, bottom line, quality materials are expensive, all this together make a big difference for an excellent system not only in built quality but most important Performance, I think that definitly you get what you pay for, looks are one thing, performance is another, but when you put both together you will feel it!!!,Candy.