Thread: My first header build

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Building a set of headers for my BBF with those blue thunder heads, I'm almost done with the drivers side.

looking good!

Originally posted by lt1s10
looking good!

Thank Lts10!

Looking good Ted, any more pictures of the process you used to figure out tube placement etc?

Pat

Originally posted by Stu Cool
Looking good Ted, any more pictures of the process you used to figure out tube placement etc?

Pat

Thanks Stu Cool, I use a lot of pictures from this site of other ford chevy ect... and after my kit was spec out with Headers by ED I took into consideration the room I have to put in and I do a lot of test fittings. I guess it also help a little being a pipe fitter. Its not as hard as it is time consuming I make a lot of mistakes, but I think I am going to do ok.

you are doing good .i have built alot of headers for customers here are some thing that may help someone ?? i like to buy J bends and cut the header flanges out of 3/8 steel on my mill . getting the tub to fit up good some times takes a bit i use a belt sander with 40 grit and use a band saw to cut the tube a good set of rigth cutting tin snips come in very handy. i like to space the flange off the head with very thick 3/8 washers and cut the tube a bit long and when you get the tub were you like it hold it up and go around the out side of the flange with a marker and then pull it out . add 3/8 to the mark and cut with tin snips. so when done i weld the tub to the inside of the headder flange this gives them a clean look . getting the tub out of the head will be sometimes the hard part making room for spark plugs . i also do the hard side first? this some times maybe a toss-up when you get in to 2 1/4 + size tube . i look at the car or truck alot??i try to think were the tubes can go. i mark the tubes so i know how long they are. when i think they are close to being the same length . block up the collectors so they are 1 inch from the car floor and move them to where the best shot is for the ex. and try to hit the collector with the primaries tubes and think were you can put the tubes. i try to cut down on welds and try to move the welds so they will not line up with another tubes so that the weld do not hit each other. with a mig sometimes you may have to hit the weld with a sander this is not to big of a deal if you tig them the weld are flat alot of the time you may have to work the tubing some times it not round i use a body hammer and some round stock for the dolly. oh and i try two make the last two tubes run on the bottom of the collectors this add length to them

Thank Pat, a lot of good infromation. I didn't make my header flanges, they are made from 3/8" steel and by me never doing them before and these being ford heads with chevy exhaust ports I thought I'd leave it to more capable hands. I also look at the car a lot.

I do have one concern, with the headers on the engine I did measure them about 10" off the ground to the bottom of the lowest tube, is that ok?

i do alot of 4 ich collector stuff on drag cars and some times there is no room so i run them very close to the floor 3/4 when i do it this way on headers or ex i sometimes make small set up blocks a jack it up to the floor so then i can tack it all up and get them up hi as they will go ,this just is the way that works for me here .is what i talking about working the tubes this is 2 1/4 and a tall deck block and a 3./4 hi ex port

Looks nice, I took another look at my headers, and I think I will pull them up about 2" or so while most of the tubes are tac.

sweet