Building custom headers?
 

Curious, how much does it really cost to build custom headers for a car?

I mean, it seems to me that headers are pretty simple to make with off the shelf mandrel bends which can be cut to size and welded in place to form an exhaust header. Even the collectors can be bought really cheap!

So, why are Porsche headers so damn expensive? Is it just P-Car tax?

A lot of the aftermarket headers for the Supras/EVO's/WRX's etc are fairly cheap in comparison to Porsche headers.

If I supplied a fabrication shop some headers to duplicate, would it be cheaper for them to build, since all they really have to do is measure the appropriate lengths required and weld it all up, right?

Easy, all Porsche owners are rich....they can afford it.

its not a matter of custom headers being cheap. the custom (ie good) headers for evo's/wrx's/supras are not cheap. yes there are cheap ones out there, but the good ones are just as much as P headers. A good friend(well know P header builder) says that it takes him 1k bucks just in materials plus about 40 hrs to do them. so 40 hrs time 50 bucks and hr(which is cheap for a good fab guy) is 2k plus your 1k in materials, and you at 3k. That doesn't include a bottle or 2 of gas (and yes you'll use that much if its backpurged backpurged). great quality off the shelf honda turbo manifolds go for 1500 bucks, and most of them use a cheaper schedule 10 or 40 pipe(ie weld els/boiler room tubing). I've seen alot of custom evo headers go for that much, and i have also seen a set of wrx headers go for like 10k, but they were built by a big name overseas Co, but i thought they were crap.

U don't want to take that stuff to a fab shop were you are paying hourly, to do them right and get the equal length takes alot of time, esp if its your first time.