headers

[veet]

Anyone here ever make their own headers?

[TheSt|G]

That's how SSI and M&K both got started.

[Maltese Falcon]

It's a great hobby. ..which can lead to a great business ! MSDSinc exhibiting at RennsportReunion5

[Jp-oh]

Originally Posted by Maltese Falcon

It's a great hobby. ..which can lead to a great business !

Why is it that headers always look so sweet? Seriously headers are A in the TnA of engine p0rn. Carbs are the T?

[stownsen914]

There was an SCCA racer named Lee Johnson who raced a D production 911 back in the 1980s who made his own headers. I bought a bunch of stuff from him when was winding down his racing effort. His car was on the radical side for that time. He revved his 2L race motor to 9500 RPM, and couldn't find headers with short enough primaries, so he made his own! On of the things I bought from him was a 69 911S motor, which I used as the basis for my race engine. I sold off lots of parts from that engine that I didn't need. Wish I still had that motor intact!

I modified a set of 911 headers to be turned around and face the opposite direction to fit on a 914, so I could put a diffuser on the rear underside of the car. Very time consuming even to modify a couple of the primaries. The hardest part for me was not only making everything fit, but also keeping the primaries equal length.

[Maltese Falcon]

Here is a set of v10's that we build for our close brethren down Bavaria way;
M5 + M6 BMW, coated in 1,750° ceramic. I personally think that these are Hot !

[metalracer]

yeah.....

[veet]

Where did you buy your tube kit ? I'm thinking to build my own as well. Any tips you can offer?

[metalracer]

Just search for mandrel bent tubing, there are a number of good sources.

However, for most applications, I recommend buying pre-made headers as there is a fair amount of engineering that goes into a design, they're very time consuming to make, fabrication precision is essential, buying all the parts and pieces costs nearly what a set of pre-mades do. I think building a set of headers is practical if you've got all of the above handled and:
1) You're looking better collector designs
2) Nothing in the marketplace is a good mate to your engine design
3) Your car/engine/bodywork needs special fitments

[gtc]

I think you deserve an award for sexiest engine stand...

Originally Posted by metalracer

yeah.....

[ganun]

+1 on that, forget the headers, its the stand......ready for the operating room!

[winders]

Originally Posted by metalracer

yeah.....

Not equal length.....

[veet]

Thanks, this a project I would like to do. We have long winters up here.

[Maltese Falcon]

If you build your own Fab'd set, make sure that you are welding all of the primaries, collectors and flanges in sturdy jigs.
911 headers have a non-bridged cyl port flange design, which will move out of alignment if not held down in assembly jigs.