Interest in LS1 style long tube headers?

[FirstGen]

Since there are more guys that have done this swap now and more that are starting this project I wanted to see how many people are interested in a high quality fully TIG welded T-304 Stainless or coated mild steel long tube header. I think the benefit of having an affordable yet quality header that will fit our trucks with out modification to your frame rails and other related clearance issues (ground clearance, etc) would be an immense value. However I am taking a poll to see if there is enough demand to warrent the fabrication and R&D of this project.

[Sonny]

I was going the TPI route, but I changed my mind and I am going to try and do the LS1 swap. Now I need the stuff to drop in my hands for free! Yeah, right. And I wake up from my dream and realize It going to take some $$$ to make it happen...

Sonny

[FirstGen]

It is an awesome swap and it will be worth your money invested. I wanted to add that the more people that are interested in something like this the cheaper the end product could end up. There are many options that could be pursued when building a set of headers and almost all of them directly effect the price, equal length primaries, primary size, type of merge collector used, header material, etc... If anyone has any input on what exactly they would like to see I would be interested to hear about it.
Thanks.

[shifty]

I really want/need something that would fit. Routing and placement are ever so important to me. I'm at the point where I need to start thinking about my headers ASAP. I'd like to test fit whatever I'm sticking in there like, now, becuase I need to make some choices on where to mount up all the hydraulics and whatnot.

I would prefer a T-304 solution, I guess, it wouldn't truly matter, as long as it was coated and wouldn't rust up as fast as the stock ones. I'd also be concerned about heatsoak on other parts and wires and whatnot.

[FirstGen]

By the time you pay $150 plus shipping for the coating the stainless steel is just as much. Not to mention that stainless lasts longer and has it's own heat sinking charastics.
The problem is that there really aren't that many people interested. If we have 20+ the price could be very reasonable. Making 5 sets is pretty much like building 5 custom one off headers...

[Custom 68]

Well Taylor I guess I could say I would be interested too, however what I have right now is working good, I have the Vette manifolds fitting very well and I dont know what gains I might see over them. I will throw my name in the pot also but probably cant justify the additional price.

[shifty]

Can you give a general breakdown of the cost that would be invovled for like ... 10, 20, 30, 40 people, etc?

Also, would they be dyno tested, or is this more for ease of install and not so much performance?

Who would be making them?

All mandrel bends?

Would the collector have your usual 3-bolt flange?

Would we have the option of having at least one O² bung, if not two?

What kind of turnaround time are we talking about here?

Just curious. I have a ton of questions that I would need to have answered before making a choice on something like this.

[68 short step]

count me in!!!!! wanna know the cost tho, and shifty had good ?s too.

[FirstGen]

I will address these questions here as they are all very good ones.

Can you give a general breakdown of the cost that would be invovled for like ... 10, 20, 30, 40 people, etc? I can once I decide to produce the first set. I won't be able to accuratly predict a price because depending on what bends and lengths of materials directly effects the cost.

Also, would they be dyno tested, or is this more for ease of install and not so much performance?

They could be dyno tested however they are aimed at performance and fitment. Not to mention a nicer appearance than a manifold.

Who would be making them?

I will be making them from start to finish. I have been building headers and downpipes for the turbo MR2 applications and never had time to mess with my truck.

All mandrel bends?

Yes all bends will be mandrel and cut in the tangent line of the bend if necessary. 100% TIG welded construction ER308 stainless filler on a T-304 header.

Would the collector have your usual 3-bolt flange?

Depending on how in-expensive you are wanting them, I could sell them with or with out a flange. I do have laser cut T-304 3" flanges in stock I could use.

Would we have the option of having at least one O² bung, if not two?

2 O2 bungs would be standard.

What kind of turnaround time are we talking about here?

After the first header is built. 10 days build time in batches of 5 set at a time.

Just curious. I have a ton of questions that I would need to have answered before making a choice on something like this.

Keep them coming...

[FirstGen]

Originally Posted by 68 short step

count me in!!!!! wanna know the cost tho, and shifty had good ?s too.

I understand that cost is probably the higest driving force in a choice like this. My goal is to make these affordable and high quality which is rarely done together.

If there are only a couple of interested people I could not justify building these for less than $800/pair in T-304. That would include 1.75" primaries, laser cut 3/8" thick flanges and 02 bungs. As with most LS1 header kits. I will not be providing new gaskets or header bolts since they are re-usuable.

The more people that are interested the lower the price.

I will also warrenty materials and workmanship for 12 months and possibly longer if it is obviously my fault.

Another consideration would be to build a mid-length header like the MACs I am running on my truck now. It would help with any ground clearance issues and also be cheaper to produce.

Here is a conversion header I made to put a Celica GTS motor in a new model Toyota Spyder. All T-304 construction and TIG welded in a jig.

[68 short step]

first gen..... ive been lookin at your truck for awhile now, and its real nice. are you making these for your truck regardless, or only if x amount of people show instrest. do u own a shop here in dallas? off the topic...... where is your pcm located? and where do your wiring harness pass throgh firewall (if inside cab)

[FirstGen]

Thanks for the compliments. I do plan to make these for my truck reguardless however it will not be a priority unless I can justify a production run of the headers.
My PCM is located under my passenger seat and comes into the cab just behind the shifter in the floor toward the rear of the cab.
Yes I own a small shop in Rowlett. I can only take on one project at a time because most of the stuff I get is a full build up. I am currently building a pro-street/pro-touring '69 camaro with a forged LS1 and a custom PT-88 single turbo kit. We are going to keep heat and A/C in it also. Shooting for close to a 1000 horse at the wheels on pump gas and water injection. He wants it to be very tame on the street. No poor idle excellent drivability with insane power. It will be a difficult but rewarding project...

[68 short step]

rowlett, nice area. i just recently moved out of rockwall. but frequent the sammys bbq car shows/cruise on thursdays ( in the summertime )
WOW that camaro sounds awsome!!!

[SCOTI]

FirstGen, I'd like to check out your current project. Give me a shout sometime.

[FirstGen]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

FirstGen, I'd like to check out your current project. Give me a shout sometime.

Will do, I'll give you a shout after the holiday madness is over...
-Taylor

[blazerboy72]

If I can get some of my other "projects" straightened out I will need a set some time after the first of the year.

[FirstGen]

is that everyone?

[chevyguy_72]

I think this conversion might be more interesting to people (myself included) if there are more parts to buy (like these headers) to make the conversion easier.

[FormerMember]

I would be interested in a set of your stainless headers for a BBC...

shorty please. No 02 bungs required.

[68 short step]

hey if thats it, ill be your 'ginny pig' truck, and ill give a little bit of $ too.

[Hart_Rod]

Count me in too. I should be starting my conversion after the first of the year.

[FirstGen]

Originally Posted by chevyguy_72

I think this conversion might be more interesting to people (myself included) if there are more parts to buy (like these headers) to make the conversion easier.

There really isn't that much to get. Motor mounts are cake. Trans crossmember is easy. Clutch linkage is easy to do. Everything besides the exhaust is readily avilable... I do in house conversions PM me for a price...

-Taylor

[FirstGen]

Originally Posted by grendel

I would be interested in a set of your stainless headers for a BBC...

shorty please. No 02 bungs required.

Something like that I would need to do in house or have a donor truck with a BBC to work off... Roadtrip!

[FirstGen]

Originally Posted by 68 short step

hey if thats it, ill be your 'ginny pig' truck, and ill give a little bit of $ too.

Materials are really the largest cost when working with the stainless stuff. If you are at this stage of the process we could probably work something out...

[68 short step]

Originally Posted by FirstGen

Materials are really the largest cost when working with the stainless stuff. If you are at this stage of the process we could probably work something out...

pm me on what ya need to know. i belive im at this point, or will be in the next week
don