So I am looking to change from my current lakes style headers to something similar to those pictured below. I'm looking to see more pics -- especially those on a SBC. Thanks! Here's my roadster with the current lakes style headers: Here's the look I'm after for the headers:
I think you got them all Bull! I haven't seen that many with that style but the ones that do are really cool. Another option is to put those pipes on the inside of the rail and dump them just before the rear tire. I think the Rolling Bones guys run it that way on a couple of cars. What I want to know is what did Keven S. coat his exhaust with? It's awesome!!!
There's a pics from the Birth of Hot Rodding that I can't find on line where the front of the lake pipe is open to try to give a ram air effect. I know it doesn't work right but damn-it is that a cool pic. I would love to see someone with a car like yours try to run them just for nostalgic purposes.
saltflatmatt here on the HAMB (www.lakesheaders.com) is going to build them for me. Right now the only concern is making them look right on a SBC. All of my examples are on flatties where the exhaust ports are down low on the sides of the block -- unlike a SBC where the ports exit higher.
You don't use the tube what you use is the drive shaft. The '36 ford is the darling. Totally trad, I'd do it if I could find the pieces and unless I was building a lakes style car I would hang them low like the sedan example.
I believe the Tardel & Bishop book states that they used 34 driveshafts, but I've been told that 28-36 will work.
The '36' are preferred because they perfectly symmetrical. Cut it in half and you have to two lake pipes. But on your application they are going to be so long that you are going to need to Drive shafts so 28-36 is probably right.
If you used the outer housing (the actual torque tube) like I think you are considering, they will need a VERY LARGE bracket on the back end to hold them up. Go pick one up and you'll see what I mean. And I bet they crack in the first 1,000 miles. Most guys use the 35-36 inner driveshaft as described above. Driveshafts of earlier and later years were either solid bar, or a very small diameter tube. Not applicable at all for exhaust.
The other thing is that you will need to roll a cone to go from your primary tube size to the collector on the end. Not that it can't be done.
As I recall when I read the section in the Tardel & Bishop book they actually used a pair of 34 driveshafts due to their taper all the way from front to back. I've been told 28-29 Model A are much the same as far as taper.
Though ***us says I ought to just go with a set of rams horns, full exhaust and hood sides to tie together the 40's hot rod feel the rest of the car has.
dint those ol hippy vans have pipes like that .. a few lower leg burn scars on the inner legs is attractive and will help hold up yer socks maybe have to look at other models of cars fro the right shape possibly trucks 1 ton or larger woud be longer .. what does jeff know ... any way
I have something similar but shorter for the sedan Jay. GV's SECRET exhaust connection, they are really VERSATILE.
Torque tubes are HEAVY!! I wouldn't use them for exhaust components, I like to try to make my car faster, not weigh it down. As others have mentioned, lots of early lakes cars used '35-'36 DRIVESHAFTS, not the torque tube. And in the book like Tman said, they fabbed those pipes from scratch. There's a diagram in the book that shows how they laid out the pattern.
And this is how she ended up. Saltflatmatt (lakeheaders.com) did an amazing job. We met at his shop, talked things over for an hour or so and I left my car with him for the week while I was away for work at the SEMA show. He started with a 36 Ford driveshaft which I got from ***us, some bends, a length of 2-3/4" tubing and TONS of talent. He sent me a few pics during the week, but they did not prepare me for the masterpieces I saw when I walked into the shop a week later to pick up the car. To say I am pleased would be an absolute understatement! The car sounds wicked now too -- a nice low, deep tone. It really bought out the sound of the cam too. The car sounds pissed off and I love it! Before: After: Mock-up: I promise to post up some better pics after the weekend. I have been driving the hell out of the car before snow flies! The plan is to get them coated in a flat/semi-gloss black. Any suggestions on coating/painting?
Fair Haven, MN -- near South Haven -- not too far from St. Cloud. Took a nice country drive and ended up in Silver Creek at a little hole in the wall for a burger and Corky's for a beer. Put 100+ miles on back country roads with the top down. Who woulda thought that it would be perfect roadster weather in November in Minnesota!?
Well, so much for the pics. We got a few inches of the white stuff yesterday and the car is in hibernation for the winter. Matt did post this pic on Facebook from his shop though. Still looking for suggestions on header coatings though . . .
Well ****! I bought a couple of torque tubes at the swap meet this weekend with hopes of building headers out of them. After the walk to the parking lot, I was seriously wondering what kind of support these heavy *******s would need. At least I'm not out a bunch of money.
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