I've always liked the idea of headers. Kinda a cool thing, I'd think. But if you're like me, then you're poor as hell, and can't quite afford a set. My cheap mind has been at work again, and I've come up with a plan to make my own headers. I was just sitting around doing some reading, when it hit me - shirt, my parts car has exhaust manifolds on it.

What I plan to do is remove much of the actual manifold itself, leaving the bolt on areas, and removing most of the side from it. From there, I plan on bending up some skinny exhaust tubing and then attaching one end of the tubes to a steel plate that happens to fit where I removed the side of the manifold. Attach them together, and have the pipes join so they can fit into the colletor pipe, and presto! Instant headers. I know that this will not be easy to pull off, but I plan on making it happen eventually. Please, I'd rather not have any of the "headers leak" or "they're hard to do" replies in this thread, as I'm looking for serious input only. Thanx.

------------------
--
Kevin-87 Firebird 2.8 liter A4
!Cat, !Maf, !Air Intake, K&N, Bosch Platinum +4, Blue Streak Cap & Rotor
Performance Rebuild in the planning stages...
Best 0-60 10.26 seconds...for now

 

are u going to try un-equal correct since they'd be the easiest to fab? hmm lemme think. i was thinking the same thing u are before. I think the easiest way would be chop off the bottom manifold that goes to the y-pipe. Take that off and uve got ur first hole. Make 2 more of equal size if u can fit them. fitting will be a B I T C H...! lemme know i have more ideas for this. email me.

------------------
1997 Dodge Ram 1500 club cab
5.2 v8, all the options

Jet Chip

" I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT run at all ".

 

You know how in summit and jegs they have those build your own headers would those work at all??? or actual if you go thoguh using the manafold get a set of those build your own headers and weld those on to yhr manafold part so they will allready be bent and jsut neeed to be cut to size

 

The stock manifolds are cast... can regular steel be welded to cast? Hm, well, I guess it can... I don't know if my MIG could swing it, but I never tried.

The bummer with those weld-your-own header kits for V8's is that they come with a flange to fit a V8 car. If there's any DIY kits for a 60 degree V6, we'd have to use those.

You might want to try a slightly different approach- maybe a junkyard will sell you a 2.8's y-pipe and manifolds for cheap (but you probably have to take 'em off yourself). Then you could hack up the y-pipe so you wouldn't have to go back to the original y-pipe-to-manifold flange... know what I mean?


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

I have been thinking about doing this for a long time. I think I will buy a set for a 2.8 s10 and modify them. Dynomax sells them for about $70. This will give you the flange, colector, and some bends. Next buy some more bends from Chassis shop (cheapest price I found)or from another set of headers. Then cut up the pipes and weld them on untill they work. I would highly recomend making the tubing equal length to ensure that the headers make good power. I can explain this in greater detail if you need. I layout a string on each tube and then measure it to determine the length. If anyone has a better way to measure please tell me.

------------------
86 Camaro 2.8, 92 Firebird 3.1, 1951 Chev 327, Four-wheeling hybrid.

 

That's a good idea to measure the tubes! I'm planning on welding a rear 1/4 panel onto my car to replace the rusting-away passenger one. I was thinking of using that same method to get all the dimensions lined up correctly. Except I'll be (somehow) anchoring string inside my hatchback, and then laying it outside, over the 1/4. I'll make a mark on the string, and make my cut mark at that height. Then when I drag the new panel over, I'll use the same string & marks to butt-weld the panels up.


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

hey guys, why doesn't anyone just buy illegal headers and have an exhaust shop make provisions for EGR/AIR??

------------------
Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)

 

TomP, your right about welding normal steel to cast.. your gonna need a lot of heat, ive tried using my lil wirefed welder to fix a crack in a manifold to absoultly no avail.. the only comprable idea would be, take your old manifold and make a template for the mating surface, and use a new gasket to find out where the openings will go and get some heavy sheet stock about the right size and have at it, drilling and cutting.. that should give you a lot better surface to weld the primary tubes to..

 

All cast iron means is that I will have to bust out the big 'ol Lincoln Arc Welder. Man, is that thing a beast, but can she WELD!