280ZX Driver side header...Starting to make one!

[80LS1T]

Well I am going to start to make my driver side header out of foam and coat hangers tonight. Incase you have no idea what I am talking about here is what I mean...

 

I am going to take 1/2 copper piping insulation (actual diameter is about 1 1/4") and fill it with "GOOD STUFF" foam insulation and 2 coat hanger wires all the way down. Then I am going to make a flange for the head and mount 4 equal lengths of this foam header pips on it in the correct spots and bend and shape them so that they clear the steering gear box.

 

I figure once I am done I will send it out to someone (need help on locating a shop that can make headers) who can make this header for me!

 

How much should I expect to pay for 1 custom header? Including to have it thermal coated(Jet Hot) in a chrome finish?

 

Thanks,

 

Guy

[spdsk8r]

Guy,

Please keep us posted on your progress. I'm sure there are several of us ZX owners that would be interested. I, myself, am one of them.

[Guest greimann]

This will definitely be an interesting project. I can't commit to buying a header but please document the result!

[80LS1T]

Well I think it's done! I just have to wait for the cauk and glue to dry. Then once it's all hardend up I will put it back on and "fine" tune it.

 

Where can I post some pics?

 

Thanks,

 

Guy

[grumpyvette]

Ive tried to stay out of this but I might as well jump in and get involvedIve done this many times its not that hard. heres what I do, get some of that plastic smurf tubeing in the 2" dia size and some ceiling hanger wire and some of that hard set constuction isullation foam. now weld 1" stubs of the exhaust tube to the header flange exhaust ports and bolt it to the cylinder heads. clamp the collectors

to a 6 foot section of 2x6" wood and jack it up solid under the car (collectors not touching the car anywhere)to position them where you want them under the car, now cut (8) sections of smurf tubeing too about 36"-42" long(theres a formula to figure the exact length)slide 4-6 pieces of ceiling suspension wire in each tube with the ends looped over inside the tube. now startin with the upper inside collector position and the rear exhaust port, bend and fit the smurf tubeing to fit, the next forward exhaust port goes to the lower inside collector port the next exhaust to the upper outside collector port and the furthest forward to the lower outside collector port , once they are all bent to fit shoot the tubes full of hardening construction foam, let it harden and then pull each individual tube off one at a time and duplicate it in steel tubeing,(or have your local muffler shop duplicate it) this method REALLY makes the fit and try time minimal. and assures equal length tube headers.SMURF TUBE is flexable plastic electrical conduit thats normally BLUE or ORANGE and COMMONLY called smurf tubeing by contractors its a plastic version of that metal GREENFIELD tubeing that electrical contractors use but its cheaper and easier to work with, it resembles a canister type vacuum cleaner pickup hose but stiffer, its available at big hardware stores,and electrical supply houses dirt cheap in 10' lengths about $6 each or les you will need (3)BTW the 4-6 wires act like rebar in concrete, the loops keep the wires from moveing in the foam while their incased in the construction foam, the hard plastic foam is what keeps it stiff and no it will not be exact you will still need to tweak it to get it to fit but it will speed up the process of making the tube pattern shapes. just keep in mind that you can buy headers fairly cheaply (under $300 in many cases) for most cars its when you go and get an odd ball combo this comes in handy, like putting a 502bbc in a 57 vette or a 392 hemi in a 63 falcon, or you need headers for a LS1 in you 67 camaroHERES INFO YOU CAN USE!

 

]http://www.ssheaders.com/images/MergeCollectors.jpg[/img]

http://www.schoenfeldheaders.com/bbflanges.htmhttp://www.headersbyed.com/hdrkits.htm

http://www.ssheaders.com/header.htm

 

heres a quick way to figure your true primairy tube length (use 1250f degs(950k) and 5000rpm for race cars, 1200 degs(922K) and 3000rpm for street cars)

 

http://www.engr.colostate.edu/~allan/fluids/page7/PipeLength/pipe.html

 

if you want other temps look here,

 

http://www.convertalot.com/downloads.html

heres a quick cross check

http://www.btinternet.com/~mezporting/exhaust_length.html

http://www.slowgt.com/Calc2.htm#Header

http://www.prestage.com/carmath/calc_headerlength.asp

or if your really lazy

 

http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/header-tech-c.htm

 

and the answers in meters (about39"=1 meter)

 

but if you just use 36"-40" it will just move your tuned rpm level up or down slightly, not enough to make much differance except on a very peaky engine combo in a very light car.and this assumes your tube dia. is the same size as your exhaust port size.(never smaller, slightly larger dia. is ok.)

btw mild steel is much easier to work with than stainless

 

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/flomstr1e.htm

http://www.holley.com/HiOctn/ProdLine/Products/ES/ESH/WeldUp.html

 

a pipe dia. that is small enought to partly block the exhaust port can hurt the cylinder scavageing by causeing turbulance and restrictions at the port exit, while a primary tube size slightly larger than the port leaves a ledge that partly retards returning pressure waves from reduceing the scavageing effect

,...USE THE CALCULATOR PROGRAMS THATS WHAT THEY ARE THERE FOR and keep in mind the displacement and rpm levels effect the dia. and length of both the primaries and collectors, these MUST VARY IN DIA. and LENGTH TO MATCH THE ENGINES EXHAUST PULSE TIMEING so that a NEGATIVE PRESSURE WAVE WILL BE CORRECTLY TIMED to SCAVAGE THE CYLINDERS EFFICIENTLY at the desired rpm range

http://www.engr.colostate.edu/~allan/fluids/page7/PipeLength/pipe.html

if you want other temps look here,

 

http://www.convertalot.com/downloads.html

heres a quick cross check

 

http://www.btinternet.com/~mezporting/exhaust_length.html

 

http://www.slowgt.com/Calc2.htm#Header

(btw its not((Degrees ATDC) they mean subtract the BBDC from 180 degs. then use the answer and the rpm level should be picked for the expected torque peak

http://www.prestage.com/carmath/calc_headerlength.asp

or if your really lazy

 

http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/header-tech-c.htm

 

and the answers in meters (about 39"=1 meter)

 

example , my 383 vette has a cam with exhaust cam timing that opens at 83degs bbdc, thats 97 degs atdc,

http://dab7.cranecams.com/SpecCard/DisplayCatalogCard.asp?PN=119661&B1=Display+Card

 

Bore: (Inches) 4.03"

Exhaust Valve Opening Point: (Degrees ATDC) 97 degs

Peak Power RPM: 5500rpm

 

Calculated information appears below

Header Pipe Diameter: (Inches) 1.84"

Header Pipe Length: (Inches) 37.65

Collector Diameter: (Inches) 3.5"

Collector Length: (Inches) 18.82"

 

btw DD2000 guesses at 516hp/514tq

 

http://www.chevytalk.org/forums/Forum64/HTML/005497.html

[Z-Dreamer]

Again we are "Humbled" by your vast knowledge Grumpy!

 

Mark

[niceguy678us]

DAYUM GRUMPY!!!!!!

[80LS1T]

Well I have got a good start on it. I have it routed around the gear box at the top. Now I have to get them all connected at the bottom.

 

If anybody else tries this I would suggest finding a sold foam tubing and not using the "GOOD STUFF" foam, that stuff is really sticky and makes quite the mess! I tried to find some of those foam pool toys but being winter nobody has those so I had to do it this way instead.

 

I am thinking maybe since I have an extra header that I can use I will get 2 of these custom headers made and sell the other one with the custom one as a set for someone else! Let me know if anybody is interested.

 

I think I will be finishing it tonight.

 

Guy

[350DreamN]

80LT1, I too would be interested in your header project if it isn't too expensive(all X-mas'd out). I have the power box steering how about you?

Thanks,

Bob

[80LS1T]

Yeah I haven't looked into a place that can make it for me yet. I have pics of it though. Try my new website... www.datsun-280zx-lt1.com

 

Guy

[350DreamN]

Hey Guy, Merry X-Mas! I really like your header design. Between you and Ross C., it shows there are some really creative people on this site. Your idea looks real good. Keep us posted on your progress. Oh yeah, your website looks good, too.

Thanks,

Bob

[80LS1T]

Yeah I am still in the process of finishing up my site. I just hope that it will help some ZX'ers in the future.

 

As for the header, I am on my way back out to the garage right now to do the final touch ups on it. Then I will be looking for someone in the area to make it for me. I just hope that it doesnt cost an arm and a leg to get it made! Does anybody have a guess at what this might cost???

 

Thanks,

 

Guy

[80LS1T]

Well I just called a local guy who makes headers. He said that it's going to cost about $300 for that header. And if he can't use anything from the extra header that I have then it will be about $400-450! Is this outragous or not? I am willing to pay but if you guys think this is just outragous then I will try some place else.

 

Thanks,

 

Guy

[Tim240z]

That sounds about right. I recently asked Rewarder Headers for a quote to copy my full length LT1 headers: $7-800 for setup and then $400 per set. (although that was coated)

Tim