http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=293433&highlight=donna&showall=1 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=343403&highlight=donna&showall=1 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=420065&highlight=donna They may be an Alliance Vendor but after dealing with them daily I would never spend money with them. Ryan my pal, time to reconsider.
I used to sell their products, and found them to be good quality, with piss poor mark up. The gal that answered the phone (Owner I think) was kinda bitchey but who ain't , talkin' on the phone all Gdam day... Bowtie40
Sanderson makes a great product they are really easy to work with and if you lucky enough to have your set put on at the factory they are really cool to hang out with and do a hell of a job! got a set of their shortys on my windsor and have never had an issue.
I bought a set of ceramic coated lakester headers for my buddies Hot Rod from them. One header cracked the coating after the first 15 minutes of running the new engine in, and no, it wasn´t too lean. They were around 600$ , 900 Euros shipped to my door. That´s $ 1170,-in total. When I told them about the cracked coating and sent a photo I was told they engine was running lean and that it was my fault.All I got was a verbal finger, that made my feel like was the latest dambfuck on the planet. I ´m running a business and I know that things can go wrong and mistakes happen. But I also know that´s a good way to lose a customer that has a valid point. Anyway, I can´t complain too loud sitting on this side of the pond, makes no sense... Stay away. Chris
Well I went ahead and put an order in on a set of their raw headers for my car. I am hoping to have them to the house by this time next week and will install the following weekend. I know some of you guys are not happy with their headers but there was a lot of guys here who had good experiences and I am hoping to be one of those guys. Between the 10" crack in my manifold and them being the only company who makes a header for my car I had little to no other choice. My cars a driver so what few exhaust manifold are left out there for these cars I will leave to the guy doing a restore since I know in time it would only crack out again on my car since it is such a common problem
My friend installed a set of stainless Sandersons on his 78 Barth motorhome with a 500CID Caddy engine in it. No problems after almost 10 years.
Hi. I'm relatively new, but happened to catch this thread and figured I'd add my 2 cents. I am actually supposed to get a set of coated headers for my Cadillac 390 from Sanderson today (should be a box waiting as we speak). If it makes you feel better, I took the leap of faith too. I was assured they would allow clearance for the power steering box and that was my biggest concern. I even said I will be looking to send them back should they not work and was given a confident "no problem". I've read a some bad comments, but those I know of that used their stuff have no complaints. They aren't OEM fit though so you need custom exhaust.
Please let me know how they fit when you get them in also is the altenator bracket the same on the 390 as tge 429? If so let me know what you do about that
Yes, I don't think those coatings flex very well when tweaking. I like the idea of ceramic coatings-especially inside the header where rust can form from the exhaust water/condensation. Why not get them uncoated, adjust them to fit and then Jet-Hot them in their final configuration?
Ran a set on a SBC for 16 years and they were used when I got em. Leaked from day one but got to where I couldn't hear them anymore.
I just put a set of ceramic coated on my car. I've heard good and bad things. Hopefully mine will be all good.
A few notes... I have sold a few sets of these (the '63-'67 Cadillac Sandersons), with mixed exeriences. Some guys say they fit great, some say they aren't even close when they send them back. I don't know if they still do it, but Sanderson used to have a really bad rep for saying 'no problem' when you ask if you can return them if they don't fit, then charging a huge restocking fee. I haven't heard that lately, so they may have changed their policy. A couple of sets I sold I got a call saying the bolt holes were drilled for 3/8" bolts (390/429 engines use 7/16" bolts for the exhaust). The customers had already drilled them out and installed the headers, just called to let me know. So heads up - you are a HAMBER and own a drill, so that's not a deal killer The 390/429 engines have a flange that the lower laternator bracket bolts to cast into the exhaust manifold. The headers DO NOT have any provision to handle this. I have plans to manufacture a bracket that will bolt on over top of the headers and solve this, but it's down the road a bit... for now, you are on your own. Looking at it, it seems that a guy may be able to cut up the old cracked manifold, and turn it into a bracket... Sanderson charges less than half of what any specialty coating company charges. Sometimes you get what you pay for... I recommend getting them bare and then sending them to Jet Hot or someplace that uses Tech Line coatings (like Synergy, for example), AFTER a full test-assembly (including the alternator business), so you don't mess up the coating.
Very helpful thankyou for your input and yeah the holes in the flang being too small will not be enough to bother me into talking bad on the company. I put my order in early this week on a set of uncoated headers and not I'm just waiting like a kid at Christmas. I know I have read probles with people buying these headers being told they will fit a 64 and turned out the frame design didn't allow it. I will look into a coating once they are in and I get a new little bracket on the altenator.
I never could afford them, but they do have a lot of cool applications. I will second Russ B on getting them coated after you fit them. Its a pain, but so is paying for a coating twice because you ruin it during installation....and yes make sure you do coat them as cooler operating temp makes for cooler cruising. On my 460, I had both the 429 PI Manifolds, and the head mounting surface trued and installed them with no gaskets. This was recommended to me as like you, I have manifolds that like to crack on one side. Don't know if it would fly on the caddy manifolds. You could find another manifold and try it, add the Cerma-Chrome ceramic coating to them for a cool look.-Jim<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
I got a set of lime fire's on my sbc and they are great, so far. Although they were supposed to only need hi temp silicone for a seal. Didn't work out so good, first time I fired up my car, it was clear I needed gaskets. Some felpro and I was fine.
Got the headers in yesterday. Saturday I will have them installed it weather permits.. By the way they look great. Clean weld no wire in the collectors like I had heard about. Just a good clean what seems to be very nice product. The flange is impressive but still alil skeptical about the whole hi temp silicone. I think I will take the advice of felpro the first time around
I have nothing but good to say, they helped me with a Caddy 500 header before the 500/600 series was made, IIRC it was a BBC blockhugger with a caddy flange.
I never did coated, but was taught to drag a very oily (used oil) rag thru each tube with a coat hangar, install then fire up to leave a layer of carbon soot for longer header life.
Well just because she has a (insert intimate body part name here) she does not have to be one. IIRC I dealt with a "Jeremy" or "Jeffrey".
i like the looks of my jakesters but the coating sucks, there starting to rust and there only 11 months old.
Hey sorry for taking so long for an update but I have the headers on with no leaks. Thats the good.. now for what I found bad.. There was one bolt on each side that was almost impossible to tighten because they bent a primary tube right over the hole. The prover side collector is pretty close and aimed right at the bellhousing. At full turn to the left the steering will make contact with the collector. THe hardest part in the install was the Alt. bracket that needs to be fabbed for the 429 cadillac since the stock was cast into the manifold. I hear now though sanderson sales templets for this engine but for more than I feel they are worth. All in all now that it is done and I am able to drive my car again and they are not leaking I feel good about sanderson headers I guess you could say
They busted their ass to help me with a caddy 500 into a '53 stude headder, excellent people, excellent product.
I'm not a fan of Sanderson. Very expensive and the workmanship is not very good for the price they charge. But, if they are the only company who makes the headers you need and you can't built them.... sounds like you have to buy from them. I own some limefires. They are coming off soon. Sent from my iPhone using TJJ
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