Any opinions on making your own headers, I'm planning of using 3/8'' plate for the flanges and maybe 1 5/8'' pipe? Making them for a sbc thats going into my t bucket. I'm thinking about making the zoomie style pipes because it would be a less intricate build, for an amateur as myself.
It wouls probably be easier for you to buy an old set of dented up headers from a swap meet or something. I've bought more than one set for $25 just for the flanges. I've cut the pipes off about 1" from the flange so there is some pipe to weld your new pipes onto. Either that or buying new flanges would save you a lot of work.
You can usually buy flanges for an SBC cheaper than you can make them unless you just happen to have the metal laying around and the time and or the equipment to build them. I built a set for a '62 Chebby from two sets of trashed headers one set I got free becasue the bottoms were rusted away and the other set cost me 5 bucks at a swapmeet. WC is on the right track here, he just built a beautiful set for his gasser, search for his thread. Zoomies are easy but pretty much usless if you think about it for just a minute you can build a set with collectors and run a legit exhaust. That is not to say you can't have soomies and if that's what you want build them I'm just saying don't settle build what you want all it takes is a little patience. here's a set that i built for one of the fellas all new material about 80 bulck, and even though they are soomies they are build so that he could hang a collector on them when he got tired of zoomies. its not much of a stretch from this to a proper set of headers and they are simple and easy to build. I'm really not that skilled. If I can you can.
I think beautiful might be stretching it a little. Functional, maybe. And I haven't gotten to the "set" part yet. With only one mocked up.
Hey dalton, it is much cheaper/less time consuming to buy a set of pre-made flanges. As for actually making them, here's a few tricks I've found to help: Tack everything together first. Then, when you're ready to finish weld them, bolt the two flanges together face to face. Weld them up alternating side to side in the same areas. This technique will help to keep the flanges from warping from the heat. You could also use a junk block to bolt them to, but I find it's much easier to maneuver with the headers bolted to each other. Also, you'll have much cleaner results if you run inert gas through the tube you're welding on, as both sides of the weld area will be shielded from impurities. Good luck!
I would buy the flanges. Also, weld the pipe on the inside of the flange and grind it down flat. It's supposed to seal better
I built a set for a V-8 S-10 I had a while back (I know - not HAMB friendly) and started with an old set of headers for flanges and some of the bends. I also bought some 90 degree mandrel bends of the correct size but found I needed tighter bend radius that the 90 degree bends offered for that set of headers. I highly recommend bolting them to something rigid - welding creates distortion - just ask any bodyman who has ever welded on a quarter panel. If the tube welds warp the flanges, they will never seal properly. I'm not sure you need 3/8" for the flange 1/4" or 5/16" might work fine - your call. Some guys blanchard grind the flange faces when they are done (mill them flat) this gets optimum seal to the cylinder head. Its fun to build your own - Enjoy!
header gaskets are cheap buy the black ones not the white ones or buy copper gaskets of you feel rich.
I ve made flanges for a 6 cylinders... 1/2 thick . It took me one week . Drilling , die grinder , etc . I also bought SBC headers just for the pipes , it was cheaper than finding mandrel bent , just to cut it With a SBC , don t waiste time , and find one . Mine ( Edelbrok ) costed 80 $ in Canada . No doubt you can have this for less . I just had no choice , nobody makes dual exhaust for a Rambler with a Jeep head Nor custom intake for a blower ...
i make my own flanges out of 3/8", what i use is a pentagraph tracing machine with my plazma torch attached, so instead of making a flange by hand i make the pattern out of 16ga, much easier to work with, then when i'm done i can make as many as i want, takes about two hours to make a pattern, you have to allow for the torch offset and kerff of course in your pattern, if you dont have a tracing machine it is still easier to make a pattern for your torch out of 16ga first. heres my nailhead pattern, it made from some old rusty 16ga, bits of scrap, short ends
That is what I did. They wanted 75 bucks for the flanges. I paid 50 for a used set. SBCs should be cheaper and easier to find. 25 bucks is 25 bucks! For a first timer it will be easier to weld to a short stub piece even if it's only 3/8" long than to weld the thin tubing to the heavier flange. You gotta start someplace. Go for it.
I agree with the general consensus, either buy a set of flanges or cut them off a used set of headers. I am as cheap as they come but all the time spent on making flanges is not worth the time and energy.
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