Home made Headers for a Nailhead, how to.

Here's how we built headers for the Nailhead in the 41 Biz coupe............
Bought a box of these SS elbows and 2" tubes

Next some 3/8 SS flat stock cut on the band saw.........

Next problem, how to put a round tube into a square hole......We made a tool.

made this for the shop press.

 

Worked pretty good...........

Next start tack welding elbows and tubing into the shap you want.......

 

After we got what we wanted everything got welded........

Now the welds get ground and sanded and then polished...........

 

Starting to look pretty good eh?

All this gets welded together.......

 

Here is what we have so far.............


We started building the colectors today............pic to follow.

 

Cool...so why'd you stop?
3/8th's thick flanges...isn't that a little over kill?

 

Excellent.....excellent!

 

3/8" is thick..too thick! I'm building another set for my RPU and I will do it a little different.

I stoped 'cause the bell rang...............

 

Very nicely done sir.... can't wait to see the rest...

I've got a couple sets of flanges waiting for projects to reach that stage. They're 3/8 as well. It's nice to not have to worry about warping....

 

When we did the final welding, I bolted the 3/8 flanges to the stock cast iron header to help stop warpage........

 

HAHA...lookin good. I can't believe how nice your welds disapeared when you polished the pipes. Real nice job!!
Keep the pics coming...

I've just never seen any flanges that thick, but it sure makes sense for the warpage factor.

 

Man, those are tight- I've been mulling over making some noodlebasket headers myself and I figured if I was going to go through the trouble I'd do them out of SS as well.

• What are the specs on the tube, 304 I ***ume? Those 90's look pretty thick, what's the wall thickness? I can get sch 5S pipe and fittings, at 2 inch that's about .065 wall or a heavy 16 gauge
• It looks like you scored the fittings that you squared off somehow, could you expand on that some?
• What collectors are you goilng to use?
• Did you measure or estimate them for equal lengths?

Again, nice work- I freakin' love making shiney things in stainless!

 

I love the way you make a round tube square.

The headers look fantastic to say the least!

 

Super cool. I like this post and the work looks real nice as well. Very nice looking set of pipes and I dig the tech info. Wish I had the skills to do something like that but I don't think super glue and tape will hold up on headers. Hell of a good job with the band saw on the flanges too. Still not quite sure how you accomplished that with a bandsaw. You must have one hell of a nice bandsaw with a very strong but small blade.

 

"When we did the final welding, I bolted the 3/8 flanges to the stock cast iron header to help stop warpage...."

Great idea - much easier to fiddle around and get a good welding angle that turning a whole block upside down.

Those are gonna be pissah!

 

Genius idea making the tube square. I have a similar upcoming problem. I think you may have solved it for me.

 

good job man! these headers look alot like the ones me and a coworker just got done with for a twin turbo big block chev! you have done a great job the thick flanges seam like over kill but help with warpage. remember u can always mill! there is alotta bench hours and elbow grease in these things

 

Awesome tech. I need to make a set myself. I'm specifically interested in the overall geometry, and how you pretty much kept the flow sort of high and parallel to the valve covers. I'm in the (slow) process of putting a nailhead into a 53 f100 with a camaro clip. I've run into some clearance issues with the headers and the steering gear. I was imagining something like this... so it's thanks for the visual.

Are you planning on running the rest down through the fender-wells?

Thanks!
-BK

 

3/8" thick flanges are just about right, unless you like pushing gaskets out all the time.

Very, very nice work, but isn't a nailhead a low rpm torquer? 2" primaries are awfully big . . .

 

Looks great!

 

Uh...no more overkill than a 9" Ford behind a puny-***ed SBC

Good job on the headers man, and kudos to you for using a REAL TRADITIONAL engine!

 

Those are sweet! Thanks for posting that one, that's some great tech there. I love seeing nailheads in the tech posts.

 

Thanks guys......................I'm hoping to build headers for my own car, a Nail powered '27 RPU. That will be a more traditional build.............here's a mock-up shot.

 

There is noooo other engine to use!!

 

Totally awesome job!!! I'll need a pair of headers for my 48 Ford F1 this winter. Your idea about squaring the pipe is just what I need. I hope you keep posting pic of the whole project

Lee...

 

Looks like sch. 40 stainless pipe 90s, not exhaust tubing. Yes?

 

SCH 10 , 1.90 inch stainless, Richard

 

Thanks for posting your ideas. Great job. Will vote you in for Best Tech

 

Nice! Fabricatin' square shape to round pipe has been question mark in my mind for a while. Your idea seems to work fine, so I'll fabricate same thing same way to same kind of engine.

 

Hey, this sort of looks familiar! Yes, EXELLENT work! Great Job!