View Poll Results: Who should put my headers on?
Pay the shop, and enjoy a Colt 45 without a headache
37
28.24%
Put em on myself, cuss alot, buy lots of beer after
94
71.76%
Voters: 131. You may not vote on this poll
Do headers or shell out $225 for a shop to install em'?
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,829
Likes: 30
From: Central Indiana Honors: 4th grade spelling bee contestant
I think the experience of doing it yourself is very worth it.
Here's pics from my header install experience from 2 1/2 years ago: http://www.scottsrides.com/smr00taheaderinstall.html
Here's pics from my header install experience from 2 1/2 years ago: http://www.scottsrides.com/smr00taheaderinstall.html
firing it up untuned after the header install is priceless.
hearing the idle hunt reminded me of watching my latest puppy try to run.
can't wait to do it all over again with the cam!
hearing the idle hunt reminded me of watching my latest puppy try to run.
can't wait to do it all over again with the cam!
Get a good helper and get it done.I installed my Qtp's in 8 hours.It was my first header install.I printed out the directions from slp's site.
http://www.slponline.com/inst/30053.pdf
http://www.slponline.com/inst/30053.pdf
DIY, it's, at most a weekend job (that's doing it alone) not that difficult, besides the $225 you save could be put towards another mod, or even, if you're lucky, a full tank of gas 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,216
Likes: 236
From: Wichita KS / Rancho San Diego
Which do you have more of, money or time? If you have somebody do it, you bypass the inevitable aggravations, but also lose the sense of satisfaction when it's all done.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Originally Posted by RevGTO
Which do you have more of, money or time? If you have somebody do it, you bypass the inevitable aggravations, but also lose the sense of satisfaction when it's all done.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
Damn my second set of Pacesetters was delivered today and now I can't figure out what I'm going to do with the extra $250 I'll have in my pocket by doing the install myself. Come on guys, do the math. For $225 you can buy a decent floor jack ($70 for a 3 Ton at Sam's), a set of jack stands and the hand tools needed to do this job and have enough money for pizza and beer left over. You could go over buget if you included a compressor to make the job go faster, but we're trying to look for reasons NOT to go to the local muffler shop.
Last edited by eallanboggs; May 6, 2006 at 03:16 PM.
I have installed a few sets of pacesetters, on a couple of them, the steering shaft has had to come out... Best tip I can give, remove coil packs and get a set of gear wrenches.
Well I put some headers on my 89 camaro and it was a two day event. Personally 8-10 hours of my time is deffinetly worth more then the $250.00 for me. I just bought a set of SLP and am toying with the same question. The fact about doing it yourself and really appreciating it is priceless. But after the Camaro I think I'm going to let someone else do it. No way I can have any sort of aggrevation from the upgrade 
. Anyone done both and think by some crazy chance the LS1 will be easier than the 305?
. Anyone done both and think by some crazy chance the LS1 will be easier than the 305? 
Originally Posted by 1BDWS6
Takes me roughly 3-4 hours to do headers on an LS1
Seriously, I'd do it yourself, but plan on spending at least 2 days doing it... Oh yeah, and dont break your starter solinoid like I did... it cost me $220
if youve never done it before youll need some friends....the key here is time, and patient, when i get mine ive got a guy wholl put them on for alot less then 200 bucks but i also can sit there and help, i dont ever really have 8-12 hours to sit around, and i know he can do it right...so i can watch and learn while getting it done the right way at the same time
$225 is really cheap!
Plus, when messing with all the fitment issues, leaks, and whatnot, it's THEIR problem.
I did my own install with a mechanic friend.
For $225, I would've dropped the car off and picked it up the next day, no question!
Plus, when messing with all the fitment issues, leaks, and whatnot, it's THEIR problem.
I did my own install with a mechanic friend.
For $225, I would've dropped the car off and picked it up the next day, no question!
Originally Posted by 1BDWS6
Takes me roughly 3-4 hours to do headers on an LS1
But that's with a lift and air tools. And I work on cars for a living.
If you live near me, I'll do it.