HotRod style 240sx LS1 headers
HotRod style 240sx LS1 headers OK, so I'm on a pretty small budget with my LS1 swap into an s14 240sx and my major thing i have left is buying/building headers. I don't really have enough money to buy some Sikky headers since I'm using their kit.
So I was searching around on google and came across a Hot Rod magazine article about building headers out of an old ford drive shaft and I was wondering how efficient this style of headers would be if i just made some out of mild steel, and routed it to my exhaust.
Link to the article:http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/...ers/index.html
Since I don't have very much money to spend on good quality long tube headers, and I dont really have any fabrication skills I thought that this would be the easiest way to make some headers to get me by until I can save up for some nice headers.
Any other ideas, and/or opinions about these or other types of headers would be appreciated!
So I was searching around on google and came across a Hot Rod magazine article about building headers out of an old ford drive shaft and I was wondering how efficient this style of headers would be if i just made some out of mild steel, and routed it to my exhaust.
Link to the article:http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/...ers/index.html
Since I don't have very much money to spend on good quality long tube headers, and I dont really have any fabrication skills I thought that this would be the easiest way to make some headers to get me by until I can save up for some nice headers.
Any other ideas, and/or opinions about these or other types of headers would be appreciated!
I'm with you. I bought a new set of Flowtech 1 3/4" Big block chevy headers for a chevy truck for $125, and am in the process of putting LSx flanges on them. The 2 inner pipes damn-near fit perfectly. The outside pipes need to move in about 1" to fit-up with the LSx flanges.
You might be further ahead to find something like that (maybe BBC camaro headers???) and have something that looks like a header to start with.
You might be further ahead to find something like that (maybe BBC camaro headers???) and have something that looks like a header to start with.
That driveshaft method looks pretty specific to a street rod with and open engine bay. I simply can't imagine something like that working with all the obstructions on a 240sx. Plus it doesn't look like any less work than building a set of headers from mandrel bent donuts.
Block hugger headers are what people with little money and no fabrication skills get for their cars. They are relatively inexpensive since they fit most any vehicle.
Won't have the performance of long tubes, but won't have the price either. Unless you are building a ***** out motor you won't lose much with the shorties.
Block hugger headers are what people with little money and no fabrication skills get for their cars. They are relatively inexpensive since they fit most any vehicle.
Won't have the performance of long tubes, but won't have the price either. Unless you are building a ***** out motor you won't lose much with the shorties.
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Why dont you just buy a header weld up kit. For around $100 you can get the tubing and the collector. All you need to get is the flanges (around 30-50) and you have a custom header for less than 200 easy. They sell the kits at Jegs and Ebay and stuff.
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Here's my 2 cents, FWIW-
I've built a few sets of headers with good results, but if your fabrication skills with tubing are low, you are going to get very frustrated very quick with a tight installation like you have. You will end up throwing most of the kit in the garbage. To get the best results, you'll need a bandsaw (with a jig to cut the tube square), a tig (to weld the tubes together) and a mig (to weld the tubes to the manifold with a fat fillet). (yes, you can do it with a hack saw and a MIG, but it will likely look like hell)
Unless you can find a set of Ford or big block headers and modify them I'd suggest the following-
Get some early Corvette LS1 sheet metal exhaust manifolds and modify them.
They have center to slightly aft dump and fit tight to th block. Cut off the factory flange at the discharge and weld on a V-band flange. Get some 2.5" mandrel bends with as tight a radius as you can find and make the down tubes out of that so they clear your steering or whatever, and into your cats (or your exhaust if your not running cats)
I doubt if shorty headers flow any better than the factory Corvette's
(they might work unmodified - I'd try that first!)
Here's a link to some pictures of some LS Corvette manifolds I modified for a LS motor in a Jag where I had a lot of trouble clearing the steering rack and shaft.
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1238476889
Hope this helps you some
I've built a few sets of headers with good results, but if your fabrication skills with tubing are low, you are going to get very frustrated very quick with a tight installation like you have. You will end up throwing most of the kit in the garbage. To get the best results, you'll need a bandsaw (with a jig to cut the tube square), a tig (to weld the tubes together) and a mig (to weld the tubes to the manifold with a fat fillet). (yes, you can do it with a hack saw and a MIG, but it will likely look like hell)
Unless you can find a set of Ford or big block headers and modify them I'd suggest the following-
Get some early Corvette LS1 sheet metal exhaust manifolds and modify them.
They have center to slightly aft dump and fit tight to th block. Cut off the factory flange at the discharge and weld on a V-band flange. Get some 2.5" mandrel bends with as tight a radius as you can find and make the down tubes out of that so they clear your steering or whatever, and into your cats (or your exhaust if your not running cats)
I doubt if shorty headers flow any better than the factory Corvette's
(they might work unmodified - I'd try that first!)
Here's a link to some pictures of some LS Corvette manifolds I modified for a LS motor in a Jag where I had a lot of trouble clearing the steering rack and shaft.
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1238476889
Hope this helps you some
On my swap I am using my own engine mounts (basically the same as every other mount out there right noe, ie daft, sikky all those) And I am using LS2 Corvette manifolds and they will fit just perfect. I will just need to make a few little bends to get around the steering shaft, but besides that its all easy.
do you think the stock f-body manifolds would work? i still have them. they clear the mounts but they look like they might hit the firewall..
EDIT: i just went out and measured and i think they will fit. i just need to get the motor in and get them routed to the exhaust. But keep the comments coming! If a better option comes up i might try it.
EDIT: i just went out and measured and i think they will fit. i just need to get the motor in and get them routed to the exhaust. But keep the comments coming! If a better option comes up i might try it.
Last edited by yesaCSpencer; Aug 19, 2010 at 04:00 PM.
do you think the stock f-body manifolds would work? i still have them. they clear the mounts but they look like they might hit the firewall..
EDIT: i just went out and measured and i think they will fit. i just need to get the motor in and get them routed to the exhaust. But keep the comments coming! If a better option comes up i might try it.
EDIT: i just went out and measured and i think they will fit. i just need to get the motor in and get them routed to the exhaust. But keep the comments coming! If a better option comes up i might try it.
hey, have you tried the f-body manifolds??
