Bending header tubes: Need opinions
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Bending header tubes: Need opinions I picked up a set of LS1 Camaro headers for super cheap and they look like they are close to fitting. I need to move the passenger's side collector over towards the car's centerline a little bit. I need to do the same for the driver's side.
My thought was to heat up and bend the primaries near the head flange. A small bend here will move the collector over quite a bit. I was thinking of laying the header on a 6" diameter or so pipe. Then heat the primaries and apply pressure on both the collector and the head flange This should stretch the metal and allow it to bend without crimping.
What do you think?
My thought was to heat up and bend the primaries near the head flange. A small bend here will move the collector over quite a bit. I was thinking of laying the header on a 6" diameter or so pipe. Then heat the primaries and apply pressure on both the collector and the head flange This should stretch the metal and allow it to bend without crimping.
What do you think?
An alternative to bending them is to take a thin slice pie cut out of the underside of each pipe not to far from the flange, then push them in the needed amount, test fit to make sure, then weld the pie cut closed. Someone else posted that on the forum a month or two back and said they were successful.
Pat
Pat
Originally Posted by TT_Vert
arent the ls1 headers cast iron?
Dave
Dave
I could be mistaken.
Pat
I clamped the flanges to the workbench, got a 3" pipe extension, heated it all the way around, and then put my bodyweight on it, and they bent fine. they had small stress marks, you cant bend it that much this way. only about 5 degrees. (from the slightly out to straight)
i didnt have a proper heating nozzle, also note block of wood.
olly
edit: above are pacesetter longtubes, too.
i didnt have a proper heating nozzle, also note block of wood.
olly
edit: above are pacesetter longtubes, too.
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Originally Posted by 70 LS1
I thought about the sand. Does that really work? Wouldn't you have to seal the sand in the tube to keep it from just running out?
haha. I hear it works great too!-Matt
yeah ive done that with a titanium header pipe for my dirtbike, works excellent. Use a 3" freeze plug from the plumbing dept at lowes for the collector, and 1 3/4" freeze plugs are avail from there or from autozone to seal the primaries. good luck, be sure to send pics!
olly
olly
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Joined: Jul 2005
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small world I am putting a 6.0 in a 70 vette and I need headers now. Its amazing that your working on the 70 as well. If you have any more picture of what you did to the headers i would love them. wildduckf14@yahoo.com
just heat it evenly and 2-3" from where you're bending, make it cherry red (i actually used 2 torches at a time to keep it hot) go slowly, and you'll be fine. good luck!
olly
olly
