When are we (early yr cars) gonna Get headers?

[Mr.H.O]

I remember not long ago a member saying how he might start building headers for us older J/L/N car guys? Any progress on this? Is there anyone or any company out there as well that is attempting or in the process of doing this? If not then maybe we should start showing interest to companys like S&S who already make a 3400 and would just have to modify it! Let's see if we can all work together and make this happen?

[bszopi]

When we first started working with S&S back in 02/03? to develop the headers that they currently produce, we were trying to get them to develop them for the older body styles. But, they weren't really interested because as the cars get older, more and more come off the road, and therefore are less likely to be fitted with headers. There are the few of us that keep these cars to mod them, but a large company is not going to manufacture a component that they know they are only going to sell a limited number of, especially at a decent price.

You are better off fabbing your own set or modifying a set of S&S to fit your vehicle.

[bracketracer]

Mr. H.O.
I posted awhile back that a friend of mine and I had built a set of prototype headers for my '93 Sunbird with 3.1/5-speed combo, with the intention of building future sets too. I will be getting the headers back from him after final welding on Monday. The pictures that I have in the Photo Gallery had them mocked up with spot welds. If these fit well in my car, and work well enough, we plan to do additional "production sets" starting in late fall/early winter. These headers will be specifically designed for a J-Body with 3.1/5-speed combo, I do not know for sure how they will fit in an L or N-Body car, or one with an automatic tranny (since I don't have access to one for test fitting). They are set up for Gen II heads, but I have heard that they should work for Gen III heads too (with the 1 5/8" round ports in the flanges from betterthanyou). I agree with bszopi, there is very little chance that any major company will begin producing headers for us, and the ones from JBodyPerformance are too damn expensive. That is why my buddy and I figured that we would build a set, and then use jigs and templates to be able to build additional sets to sell. We both have "regular jobs" so this would be a side venture for us. We aren't looking to quit our day jobs and live off of our profits, but we can't give them away either. I hope that we will be able to sell non-coated sets for under $750, and JetHot coated sets for under $1,000. That is cheaper than JBP, and would still give us something for our time. We can't buy materials in bulk, so the materials aren't cheap for us.
I plan to let Ben see my set on my car when he does my tuning, if he likes what he sees, and we can work something out, we may be able to sell them thru the 60degreeV6Store, who knows. Once I get the finished (although uncoated yet) set on Monday, I will post more pictures in the gallery for folks to see them more closely. Like bszopi mentioned, your only other option is to fabricate your own set, or modify a set for a similar application. Either way, it will still take time and cost money. We just don't have a way of getting headers for our cars as cheap as a set for a small block Chevy!

[bracketracer]

My buddy got me the headers back after final welding the other night. He only has an old MIG welder at home, so that is what he used to weld them up. Naturally the welds aren't as "pretty" by using a MIG welder. We have already discussed that we will have to get the "production sets" TIG welded so they look better overall. He also accidentally dented one of the tubes in a vise, on an outside radius. I want to get the dent pulled, and clean the headers up a bit before I get pictures of them. Then I need to send them off for JetHot to coat. I will also have to get some pictures of them coated. I will post more pics as I am able.