Texas Speed headers aren't anywhere near 1000 and they are built right here in the great state of Texas.

 

I have been debating between the TSP and SE headers for the last coupe of weeks trying to decide which brand to go with. Still haven't committed.

I wasn't sure about this so I did a quick search. Below is a direct quote from Texas Speed in this thread from 2011, so unless something has changed...
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...ders-made.html

"Yes, the new Texas Speed stainless headers are made in China. Do they fit worse because of it? No. Do they make less power because of it? No. Do other "100% American Made" stainless headers get their tubing from over-seas? You bet they do. The difference is we're telling you up front and not lying about it.

Our headers fit as well now as they always have. When you buy a set you're putting food on the table and supporting not only the 15 employees we have here, but freight companies here in the states who ship them, the company who makes our boxes, the company who supplies our paper for packaging, etc. You keep the extra $400-600 you would have paid for a comparable "American Made" 1 7/8" primary header in your pocket, spend that however you like and you've pumped even more money back into the US economy!

We'll keep making and offering quality components at reasonable prices. If spending an extra $400-600 for a set of headers because they're "American made" makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, by all means! We sell those headers too!"



The Speed Engineering headers are built in China to SE's specs. According to SE they were looking to bring a quality ebay header to the market that would fit and function as it should. Most posts I have seen about them seems to be very positive for fitment, quality and value.

SO... from what I see, if your decision comes down between TSP or SE, then it's basically who do you prefer, ? There's a price difference in SE's favor but, iirc, the TSP's are a little thicker material. I do know the tubes are routed differently between the 2 brands. In the pics, it looks like the TSP's are a little closer to being equal length tubes than the SE's but I feel that which ever I ultimately purchase I will be satisfied with for the cost.

 

I'll be damned. I stand corrected, LoL. Either way they are quality pieces and I wouldnt hesitate at all recommending TSP.

 

I wasn't sure either and wasn't trying to make you look bad. I'm glad you didn't take offense...
As you, and many others, have stated they are nice headers. If they were made in Texas, it would have swayed my decision though.

Unfortunately, it's still up in the air for me. I may just put both names in a hat, draw one out and buy that brand, lol.

 

^^^Same here, BUT, IF the TSPs ARE actually a thicker gauge 304 material (ARE THEY???), that would sway me towards their long tubes, even at the price premium.

 

From what I have read, the TSP's are thicker and said to be seamless tubing for better longevity. I read everything I could comparing the 2 and ordered a set of 1 7/8" TSP's from the WS6Store on Friday. I still feel I would have been just as pleased with the SE headers but with shipping and all it was about $125 more for the TSP's. With the $$ already spent, this was a drop in the bucket by comparison. I pulled the trigger...

When I get the Z lined out I am considering buying a set of SE's for my 53 Chevy truck.

 

I am also looking into buying headers, wanting to go with TSP's. Im looking to build my car into the 450-500 hp range. It was either TSP's or Kooks for me and I think TSP's will be the best fit because of price range.

 

FYI, if you go with the TSP's, I saved about $30 on shipping by ordering from the WS6Store vs directly from TSP, best deal I could find. They are being shipped from TSP, went out today.

 

Thanks, I will make sure to look into that, was looking for a valid sight to look for better deals. Plan on ordering them within the next week or so. How have yours been treating you since you got them?

 

They're in Jackson, MS, waiting on UPS to bring them my direction. lol

 

How long did it take to install the TSP headers? I just received my shipment of TSP headers and TSP cat back exhaust. Can wait to get it installed so let me know if you have any other pointers on the install.

 

It took my brother and I, 14 hours all together. Of course that's a lot of smoke breaks, lunch, run to the store, etc. I also did motor mounts at the same time so that added to the work.

Just get the car up as high as you can. Move the alternator and A/C compressor forward, drop the starter, and have at it.

 

If you have everything there, it will take between 5-8 hours I'm guessing. We had some beer breaks and it took a little over 7 hours. Just Jack the car up as high as the jack will go and out stands underneath it. You don't have to take the starter off, or move the AC compressor or alternator forward. All I did was take the manifolds, factory y pipe off and if you put the headers straight up where the single collector pipe is on end to the ground, they will slide right in through the bottom.

I've read where people have said they needed to loosen that and even take the bolt out of the motor mount so they could Jack it up, but it's not needed. I've put those headers on an 01 and a 98 trans am.

 

If a shop is doing a complete engine R&R, is there ANY reason for them to charge tons of coin to install longtubes with the new engine out of the car (like much more contortions involved to get it back up into the uni-body without destroying anything)??

 

If it's going in from the bottom, no. If they pulled it from the top then it would be a little more time consuming but not a tremendous amount. I think some shops feel they can charge more since something is "high performance".

 

It would be a nightmare doing it from the top. Between your ac stuff on the passenger side and the main fuel line and power steering pump, etc... on the drivers side... It's just way easier to jack the car up. Once you have you stock manifolds and y pipe off the car, it literally can be done in an hour. It takes longer to crawl under the car with the header than it does to slide it up through the opening. Hardest part is if you're by yourself and trying to prop it or tie it off on something so you can get the bolts started.

If you have help, then it will go a lot easier. The time consuming part is taking off all the garbage that you don't use anymore and getting the bolts out of the y pipe to the stock manifolds. The 98 I did was just easier to cut the y pipe as far up by the manifold as I could, because the bolts were so old they were breaking.

What year is your car again? if you have the egr spot on your intake then you'll have to go to the parts store and buy a little plunger for it. I can't remember the name of it, but it's a plug that has a bolt in it and you push it down in the hole, then tighten the bolt so it expands and seals it up. But if you have a 01-02 or an ls6 intake you'll be good to go. If you have the ls1 intake and need that plug, I can find out what it's called for you if no one else can remember.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I'll let you know how it goes.