SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Hey Everyone.

Im starting an thread now to explain a bit of whats happening, my headers & parts to mod them are scheduled to deliver today!

So, i picked to modify a set of Hedman LT's (68460's) because they were cheap ($150) and because IMO the 1 5/8" primary is large enough for my 5.3L as the stock manifold primary's measure 1.49".

From what ive read, 2 ports line up pretty close, im going to slip the headers into the car in new shape first, see which ports line up, then cut the headers, then ill attach the ports to my LS flanges & re-install to check clearances before extending/modifying the rest of the tubes.

I spent a total of $460 on the exhaust system. Thats Headers, LSx Flanges, 4 1 5/8" J bends to mod headers, B/S collector reducers, 6 2.5" J-bends to frabricate Y-pipe, and a Flowmaster Y Collector.

Ill post up plenty of pictures as i modify them to fit. Im figuring if i do it this way, i can have some LT's that will perform better then manifolds for half the cost of SW LT's.

Ill eventually upgrade to the stainlessworks LT's when i put more power through, but for the mean time, i think the smaller primary will work just fine for my LS6 intake/LT 325.

Sheldon

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Hey, that's a good idea - but somehow, it sounds kinda familiar...

Seriously though, I'm glad to see you doing it, since I'm still trying to get everything put in so that I can drop the engine in the car, so that I can begin to test-fit the headers. (Fortunately, it seems that I'm finally making some progress...!) I'll be watching this one closely.

87tpi350,6spd

iTrader: (12)

I've been thinking about this and was wondering if the corvette headers would work has anyone tryed them because they hug the block and exit strait back close to where the trans would be.

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Haha, actually, after seeing your thread, thats what inspired me to do the modification. Looked like the 2 primary's were pretty close, so i figrued the other 2 would be easy to mod.

Im lucky to be at this point, i want to have the car running & on the road by saturday, as ive scheduled an alignment at work for that day. Gotta have it ready for then.

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Well, if memory serves, the #1 & #3 pipes will pretty much line up, but you'll have to "work with" the 2nd & 4th ones.... Good luck!

Oh - and I seem to recall someone saying that the Vette headers wouldn't fit, but I don't recall where I heard it from. If you could get your hands on a pair, it'd be worth looking at, anyway...

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

F*CKKK!!!!!!!!!

All my parts showed up tonight while i was maning the parts desk down at canadian tire, and lone behold, i only ordered one friggen flange!!!!

Im going to order another tonight and try to have it overnighted to me.

This sucks

Tommorow im going to modify one of the headers, so im atleast ahead a bit

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Heres a shot of everything i got.



Think i got a few too many J bends for my Y-pipe (6) haha. Probably have enough bends to make a full true dual setup haha.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

You even got a cat. . .

macdadyZ28

iTrader: (1)

good to see you got a cat for your setup!

Good luck Sheldon, Keep us all in the loop on how it goes!

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

She will be a very efficient cat, she doesnt do much, and is pretty loud

Unfortunately my setback for my 2nd flange really kicked my progress in the nuts.

Going to modify the passenger headers tommorow and post up info/pictures when im done.

Sheldon

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

I think Corvette headers are much shorter (vertical height-wise) & wouldn't reach under the firewall to be of any us in a 3rd gen.

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Finally got some work done on the headers. 2nd flange showed up a few minutes ago, so im going to finish my 2nd header & Y-pipe tommorow night.

In the mean time, heres my first header finished. I never ended up using any of the J-bends i bought on it, i just re-used what was there. Wish i had some more info on this before i had done it. The rear tube lines up perfectly and i figured id base the passenger side by lining up the rear tube. Bad idea, line up the 2nd in from the front as the furthest back tube comes obsurdly close to the A-arm mount, and by lining up the rear tube, i had to almost flatten the tube for it to clear the friggen arm. Not happy at al with this, if i do it again, that will be the one thing i change.

Otherwise it turned out well, because the flange is meant for 1 3/4" Tubes, i had big gaps around the pipes, so made up little rings to space the flange to a 1 5/8" size. Worked out okay, better then i anticipated.

Anywho, enough ranting, heres some pictures of the first header.









Determining the heat level was alot harder then i had anticipated:



Stupid friggen dent






I painted them with some Flameproof paint:

Aaron91RS

iTrader: (2)

wow someone that actually finished one of these projects!

So let see them in the car.

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Ill take some shots tommorow of them in the car, when i finish my 2nd header.

For those i know who will question the primary sizing & dent, to be honest, i think the 1 5/8" tube will be fine for the 5.3L and i wasnt building them because i want max performance, i just wanted a bit better then manifolds, seeing manifolds would cost me $150 shipped, and these headers costed me the same. I know the dent will hinder performance a bit, but i dont think the difference will be massive, so im just going to live with it till i see some hedman LT's com up forsale then ill pick them up and re-do the passenger side.

Y-pipe should be easy, im excited to finally drive the POS. Next comes my tq arm mount, & custom pedal. Hooray for more fabrication!

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Man...nice job! Good to see that you were able to make atleast one of them work. Im anxious to see the otherside finished, as well as how they fit in the car. Good luck!

J.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Those Hedmans always hit the A-arm mount. Given the nature of hte spot it's hitting, I just hack the offending chunk out of the way. It's not really a structural piece.

Blownz28man

iTrader: (2)

Man.. Looks good. Should be made an LS1 swap sticky for sure!! Good job. Now lets see some pics

macdadyZ28

iTrader: (1)

Nice! keep at it man, i want car pics!

NomadTA

iTrader: (1)

Shel and I are hoping to get the driver side header built today. Like he said getting the heat setting on the welder right is a pain with the massive flange and thin header pipes. I tried to weld the tube, filler ring and flange all in one pass. Ended up with a couple of small holes to fix, no biggy, just messy.

when we do the next header we'll take pics of the rings and how it all goes together. Didn't have a camera at the shop when we did the first one.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Did you sandblast/otherwise remove the original paint first?

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

I sanded the original finish off the header prior to painting it.

We werent able to quite finish the other header, got 2 tubes into the flange, and determined how we are going to run the other 2, then i had to head off for work.

If im lucky, ill get tommorow off, and get the headers done & y-pipe done also. Guess ill see if im lucky

cam-

Looking good Shel. Yeah welding heavy and thin together is tricky. Pour the heat onto the heavy parts and float the edge of the puddle onto the thin is what i was taught and use but its still very delicate

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

any updates yet on the driver's side? i am thinking about doing something similar for a 5.3 swap now...but mine's going to be carb'd and huffing nitrous till it explodes lol. awesome work, especially for a youngin....reminds me of myself 3 or 4 years ago lol

NomadTA

iTrader: (1)

Planning on getting the drivers side finished today. Two tubes are in place, remaining two are one tough, one easy. The front tube will need some work to clear the engine mount. Shel will have pics when we figure it out.

deracer

Any updates on this?

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Check out my build thread for my car. Its got shots of the finished headers.

Sheldon

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Link? It would you 10 seconds to give the link vs us Searching & us not knowing which forum to even begin looking for it....

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Sorry guys:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...to-iroc-z.html

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Mater

heres something to look into! http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/6600...ader-Kits.html

SheldonZ28

iTrader: (1)

I had originally intented on using that kit, though after i did some research on LS1tech, i found the LS1 guys saying that the flanges were very thin and were warping & ontop of that i just wanted to modify the hedman headers i had, which, if you do it correctly (As my dad did) requires no extra bends.

Sheldon