Tips and Pics of custom headers

[ProStocker273]

I'm looking for tips and pictures of weld-up header kits in the early A's. My car is a manual steering, manual break, manual transmission. I'm gonna keep them as simple as I can. I know steering shaft, starter, and z bar are things to watch for as well as spark plug clearance.

I got a flange from summit picked out
http://m.summitracing.com/parts/dou-h7880

and I picked out this kit due to what I think ill need bend wise. Also from summit
http://m.summitracing.com/parts/sum-670196

So if you have pics of your custom headers or ones a shop did for you post em up please.
If you have some ideas on a good way to route that pain in a$$ drivers side lets here it.

 

[63 MorePar]

Here you go! My first attempt was modified Tite Tubes. They worked but did not flow well. My 2nd go-around was a $50 set of used Headman Huslers of eBlay. They were for 67-up A's and #7 and #8 tubes were meant to go through the inner fender and wrap around the frame. They are 1 7/8'' primaries to 3 1/2'' collectors. I got a box of misc. 1 7/8' bends from Speedway and started to hack away. I did not want to cut the inner fenders so I got creative. I necked it down to 2 1/2'' collectors and the rest of the exhaust as well. I made an X pipe and had it all high temp powder coated. It fits with my 727 and they work awesome!

 

[63 MorePar]

A few more...
Larry

 

[metallidart]

Nice work! Subscribed, as i have a couple vehicles to do this to. (would anyone have guessed that a 97' Phord Explorer 5.0 has less room for headers than an early a??)

About how much time do you have in them?

 

[gtmopar]

Almost look like the Doug's I have. A looong time ago before I knew how to fabricate I asked a guy what he would charge me to build a custom set and he quoted me 1,500 or more. It's really time consuming but I think I'm going to make a set someday just for the hell of it.

 

[ProStocker273]

Thanks for the pics. I was thinking of doing something similar on the drivers side by going in front of steering box. I would like to do a shorty style header. I'm gonna have to run a mini starter for what I have in mind. I think if can get 3 of the tubes down in a line and the 4th ill have to snake around. I'm trying to avoid removel of torsion bar if I can. Passenger side looks good on yours too. This is the least of my concern. Wish the cash was there for coil overs, room wouldn't be a problem on drivers side. Keep the lice coming. After my parts get in ill be doing a step by step with lots of pictures.

 

[abdywgn]

Very nice Larry! Great outside the box thinking with the #8 tube routing and 3 and 5. Wow! FWIW...I installed a set screw in place of the grease fitting on my pitman arm for a bit more clearance, otherwise it was starting to nick the tube. Great work! Bob

 

[63 MorePar]

Nice work! Subscribed, as i have a couple vehicles to do this to. (would anyone have guessed that a 97' Phord Explorer 5.0 has less room for headers than an early a??)

About how much time do you have in them?[/QUOTE]
Ha! Hard to say??? I had to do a lot of 'ciphering to make it all fit. Pie cuts on my band saw, tacking, slip joints,(remembering to keep the big end down-stream) locator/attaching tabs and a bunch of welding. Maybe a couple hours a day for 2 weeks? Total guess but if it's fun you kind 'a loose track!
Larry

 

[63 MorePar]

Almost look like the Doug's I have. A looong time ago before I knew how to fabricate I asked a guy what he would charge me to build a custom set and he quoted me 1,500 or more. It's really time consuming but I think I'm going to make a set someday just for the hell of it.

If you have the time and a mock-up car and engine you should! With your own tools and experience, what's to loose. I got about $250 into parts,(just the headers & reducers) not including my welder and the power bill.LOL I see people spend a LOT of money on Doug's and TTI's...and they don't always fit. I would rather un-weld my homemade headers and make them fit than take a hammer to some new shiny TTI's.
:glasses7:
Larry

 

[63 MorePar]

Very nice Larry! Great outside the box thinking with the #8 tube routing and 3 and 5. Wow! FWIW...I installed a set screw in place of the grease fitting on my pitman arm for a bit more clearance, otherwise it was starting to nick the tube. Great work! Bob

Thanks for the comp. Bob!
I was thinking of a needle zirc fitting. Haven't got there yet. It's the little things I'm still working on & on & on.......
Larry

 

[63 MorePar]

Thanks for the pics. I was thinking of doing something similar on the drivers side by going in front of steering box. I would like to do a shorty style header. I'm gonna have to run a mini starter for what I have in mind. I think if can get 3 of the tubes down in a line and the 4th ill have to snake around. I'm trying to avoid removel of torsion bar if I can. Passenger side looks good on yours too. This is the least of my concern. Wish the cash was there for coil overs, room wouldn't be a problem on drivers side. Keep the lice coming. After my parts get in ill be doing a step by step with lots of pictures.

?? If you go around the front of the steering gear I don't see how a shorty header will work. My headers are multi-piece and slip fit on certain cylinders so nothing has to be removed on the front end. Like a snake!.. Medusa we'll say.





A mini-starter (3.9-5.2,90's Dakota) is all have ever used on this project, so that's what I built my exhaust around. More room for stuff.
:blob:
The passenger side exhaust in my set-up required me to relocate my oil filter. So that is something else to think about. I think that is part of why they ran the #8 pipe through the inner fender-well on these Headman's. That way you can keep the oil filter in the stock location.(maybe with a 90deg)
Coil-overs????????????
Larry

 

[gtmopar]

If you have the time and a mock-up car and engine you should! With your own tools and experience, what's to loose. I got about $250 into parts,(just the headers & reducers) not including my welder and the power bill.LOL I see people spend a LOT of money on Doug's and TTI's...and they don't always fit. I would rather un-weld my homemade headers and make them fit than take a hammer to some new shiny TTI's.
:glasses7:
Larry

Yea I agree with you 100 percent. It's been so damn hot out here to do much of anything in the garage. Maybe ill make it a rainy day project. The Doug's I just recently bought I'm not real happy with the slip joints. Sanderson are making the shorties for 350 bucks which is a good deal. If the Doug's give me issues after they are hooked up they are getting yanked and sold.

 

[MoparDaddy]

Your engine is what medusa would look like if she were a gear head! lol 8)

 

[Commando66]

I have had two sets of custom headers for my 66. Take a look at tri-y's to save some space.

 

[ProStocker273]

If I cant do a shorty I was thinking of running two tubes up front like you did.

 

[ProStocker273]

I finally got started on my headers. Got Doug's flanges and long tube weld up header kit with 1-3/4 tubes and 3" collectors. I pulled the driver side manifold and seen a few issues that need attention first..

-Need mini starter

-Relocate brake lines for clearance between torsion bar and frame and upgrade to dual master cylinder.

-reroute starter wiring

-and I'm looking into hydrolic clutch slave setup but on the fence about it.

 

[ProStocker273]

Well it looks like I should be able to get three of the tubes in between the bell housing and the torsion bar and one tube between the frame and torsion bar. I think I could get all four tubes on same side of the torsion bar but it would require me to have one tube custom bent and I'm trying to do this with just the header kit, flange, and one or two slip fit connectors.

 

[pishta]

MorePar, Man those headers look good! I made some for a big block install (!!) and ended up using Pro-Parts semi fenderwell headers, just had to reroute 2 tubes but it fit like a glove. Making your own is easy if you got all the bends and a good chop saw. They cost so much to make becasue there is a huge labor bill attached as each piece has to be thought out, measured, cut and welded. Lots of hours at $50-70+ an hour or whatever the shop charges. My design: I think the #1 has to come straight down and under the steering box. #3 has to come out up and straight back over the 5 tube like many 67 and up designs. 5 and 7 are generic down and back with the #3 down there somewhere. Passenger side is off the shelf with a shorty filter or relocate it up to the fender and run an anti drain back filter, those 90's are a PITA to change as you cant even get the filter out past the headers.

 

[draginmopars]

....

 

[63 MorePar]

I finally got started on my headers. Got Doug's flanges and long tube weld up header kit with 1-3/4 tubes and 3" collectors. I pulled the driver side manifold and seen a few issues that need attention first..

-Need mini starter

-Relocate brake lines for clearance between torsion bar and frame and upgrade to dual master cylinder.

-reroute starter wiring

-and I'm looking into hydrolic clutch slave setup but on the fence about it.

Glad to see your back on your header project! You are correct with the hurdles you have. Mine is an auto, so no clutch linkage to fart with. Definitely keep in mind the hydraulic line from the slave/master if you go that route. I ran my rear brake line through my interior to my adjustable prop valve in the trunk. This was also taking into consideration my sub frame connectors, mini tubs and the rest of the exhaust and X pipe. I ran it with my pos. battery cable under the sills. Totally out of the way. I run a Dakota/denso mini starter. Fits sweet. Passenger side required me to run a remote oil cooler, but a 90° filter adaptor may have worked. I just didn't have one. Also went with a home made flexible dipstick and tube but your manual so no problems for you. I used my upright band saw and made lots of pie cuts. If you keep fiddling with the cuts you can make it fit awesome. Lots of patience and take your time and they will come out great! Keep the photos coming! People like to see that it can be done yourself without shoveling out money to someone else. One other note. After my first test drive I pulled out my Raytec temp gun and aimed for the master cylinder. Almost 700°! No ****! I looked at tons of photos of other headers, fender wells especially and some looked so close to the master they were darn near touching it. Only a few had some sort of heat shield. I Goggled ''Mopar master cylinder heat shield'' to find that Mopar makes one. I found a few other images on the net and made my own out of stainless. The master never gets past a 190° now. So keep that in mind especially if you add a clutch master. Good luck and subscribed!
Larry

 

[63 MorePar]

MorePar, Man those headers look good! I made some for a big block install (!!) and ended up using Pro-Parts semi fenderwell headers, just had to reroute 2 tubes but it fit like a glove. Making your own is easy if you got all the bends and a good chop saw. They cost so much to make becasue there is a huge labor bill attached as each piece has to be thought out, measured, cut and welded. Lots of hours at $50-70+ an hour or whatever the shop charges. My design: I think the #1 has to come straight down and under the steering box. #3 has to come out up and straight back over the 5 tube like many 67 and up designs. 5 and 7 are generic down and back with the #3 down there somewhere. Passenger side is off the shelf with a shorty filter or relocate it up to the fender and run an anti drain back filter, those 90's are a PITA to change as you cant even get the filter out past the headers.

Thanks Pishta! The original headers I chopped up were like your drawing on the drivers side. Once I started mocking them up there was so much room in front of the steering gear and K frame it just made sense to stick the #1 and #3 pipe there. It was one less pipe to try and stuff under the steering shaft, around the T-bars and around the steering linkage. Again my attempt was to not cut anything up but the headers which I was successful in doing. The donor headers had 3 1/2 collectors that I changed to 3 then down to 2 1/2 pipe and mufflers. I was afraid that I would have no back pressure and actually hurt performance. It works and sound awesome! I won't change a thing.
Larry

 

[ProStocker273]

Thanks for the tips and pics. I'm planning on a heat shield for the starter and brake master cylinder. I'm still not sure no hydrologic clutch slave/master setup. So far my only concern is about a 1/4" clearance on one tube between pipe and torsion and pipe and frame. I think a solid motor mount is in my future as well. If I would have went with 1-5/8 header kit I would have room o plenty.

 

[63 MorePar]

I have a Schumacher torque strut mounted up and it really helps keep things solid. Kind of tough to see but right in front of #1 cyl. I'll get you a better photo. Mine are 1 7/8 primary tubes so I know you can make them fit!
Larry

 

[Commando66]

Again, have you researched doing 1 5/8 to 1 3/4 tri-y's? They make good power and can be made to fit early-a's. My Barracuda went 12's with these headers. You're welcome to look at mine for ideas.

 

[ProStocker273]

Try-Ys would be a great way to get past the tight drivers side for sure. I was trying to make a set with just the flange and weld up header kit to keep costs down as I intended to make a few sets for for my buddy and sell some if I can find a few 4speed guys that are interested. 1-5/8s headers would be a lot easier to make it fit with more clearance. Thanks for the pics, I should have passenger side done before next weekend. I'm gonna look intoa try-y kit if I can find em and see if its feasible to make a few sets without getting costs near a set of Doug's or dd8s.