DIY Headers

Tedy, I'm on my break! The SWMBO said so! (not really)

Her Birthday tomorrow, so I'm preparing a surprise for dinner.

 

Sidedrafts would be a PITA with AC and Headers. Thanks for the pics - good head-shaker.

 

Handy Andy sent me a great link! Milling off the 200 CID head's integrated intake manifold with a grinder, no less! Good thing the old Ford Vans used the Falcon I6 blocks too! Thanks again Andy!

http://vintage-vans.forumotion.com/t39465-200-log-milling

 

I'm going to buy the PVC pipe to shape the header tubes next week. I pulled the Zephyr's I6 to cut out the piece I needed to repair my driver's side front end, and clean up the transmission cross member and mount. So I'll drop it back in once I shape the PVC pipes.

Andy was telling me about how somebody tweaked their Dodge Ram diesel to run on 3 cylinders, from 6 and it sounded meaner than a junkyard dog, which made me wonder about putting a dual exhaust system, since I can reshape the transmission mount with the double hump Transmission mount, but it all goes into the header together anyway, so I won't.

Single exhaust front to back, coming out in the stock location (Driver's side behind the rear tire.

 

Got scary for a day. I went to Home Depot to get the 1-1/2" OD PVC, and they didn't carry it any more. Tried to tell me it was a 'plumbing specialty item'. Found it at RONA.

That's what I'll use to make a header design to take to the pipe benders.

Anyway, I tried to find some header design software to estimate the tube lengths, and I found 2.

This one was linked from a Popular Hottrodding Mag, article:
http://www.maxracesoftware.com/index.htm

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tech/1111phr_how_to_size_headers/viewall.html

And this came from a Search, but I don't know if it handles inline sixes, so I sent them an email, making the case with a bunch of links to inline six websites:

http://www.buildandclick.com/html/4t_header_wizard_.html

And this article discusses the better stainless grades and design issues:
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tech/0310phr_jack_burns_exhaust_manifold_header_tech/

And this site seems to be only a technical reference resource, but it has some good tips on all kinds of automotive performance issues, including Exhaust Headers, and Exhaust Systems, with lots of good info:

http://www.howrah.org/header.html

http://www.howrah.org/exhaust-system.html

Anyway, the goal is to shape the PVC tubing, get the real ones made up, and test them on the Zephyr engine, in the engine compartment, and then cut up the rest of the body, for scrap or unobtainium parts like the tire well, etc. So I can relocate the portable garage to get my trailer out, and the Mustang II in.

 

Just found one online!

http://bgsoflex.com/auto.html

Here's the formula:

The following equation was used in the above calculation:
BestHeader = (CID * 1900)/(rpm_max * tube_od2)

 

Apparently the exhaust manifold gaskets were rarely used, for these I-6 engines. But with headers, most I6 fans do use the cheap ones that come with the commercial bolt-on headers, because they're often made with as little as 1/4" steel! Mike (The Premier) sent me 3/*" thick flanges, nice and thick.

So I asked Andy, if he knew any parts place in town that might carry them so I could make a template to size the exhaust ports to the final inside pipe shape (a bit smaller). He had a brand new set!

I made 4 templates:

1. Paper Trace
2. 3/8" Plywood
3. 2 pieces out of plexiglass that I had from 3/16" thick, to double up into 3/8" thick. I' use that to test the fit from the flanges with the pipe welded in and the actual exhaust ports, after they've been cleaned up.

Andy did his own, in his latest rebuild, and they look like polished silver. Hope I can get close.

Anyway, they'll be reusable.

Mike are the cones Stainless steel or regular steel? You packed them so well, that they look like SS. I saw that I'll have to do a bit of fitting to merge them in the 2 in 1 extension.

 

Hi Norman, glad to see that have got your parts out and just beginning to have a play with them! The parts are mild steel only as working with stainless steel comes with its own problems such as welding etc. Best result is to ceramic coat the header once you have finished building it anyway.

Cheers Mike

 

Thanks for sorting out the clean steel conundrum. Yes, ceramic coating for sure. Since I'm rebuilding the fender core, I plan on concealing most of the wiring inside the core structure which should keep that safe from excess heat as well. The AC hoses will need to be rerouted as well.

Norm

 

I just love reading Norm's posts.

Just to add a bit of info. I think it was 1981 or 82 there was a head for the 200 produced with a 2bbl carb. I don't remember the casting number but it was for police use here in the US. If you blow the air out better maybe you can get one of the 2bbl heads so you can suck it in better too.

 

Thanks Steve.

One guy on the Foureyed forum said he had owned a Police Service Fairmont, but it might have been one from the E.T. Movie? Maybe Spielburg is a collector?

I found a couple of them, about 3 hours away, but the area is under a flood warning. A 1981 Cougar sedan, and a 1982 Zephyr Sedan, a few dozen Falcons and Comets, with adjustable lifters.

 

I bought some 3/4" PVC conduit to make my old outdoor lean-to, back in 2008, and I got the 1.5" PVC tubes a week or so ago. Then the question came to mind, "How do I get a round peg into a square hole?"

The exhaust ports on the head and the flanges are square (the header trade call them "D-Shaped". So after drilling out my wood template, I figured that I'll drill the mockup wooden flange for the 3/4" tubing, lock them in place with epoxy and screws, and use the heat gun to shape them for the pipe benders. I'll just mockup the spacers to hold the PVC tubes apart, the same distance as they would be or slip sections of the 1.5" pipe to simulate the positioning.

My 1.5" holesaw blade got chewed up, when I cut out my door jambs for power window harnesses. Gotta go get a good Milwaukee blade. Those Asian ones can cut softwood, not US steel!

I figure it this way. The local muffler shop wanted $90 for the 4' pipe from the exhaust manifold to the front exhaust pipe, just to shape it, no installation, no hardware. Once I get the template/mockup done, I can buy stock mandrel-bent Aluminized steel pipe, weld it up, and send it out for Ceramic powder coating, and never see a muffler shop for years, maybe 10 years! And enjoy more power, better fuel efficiency and more torque.

Besides, these exhaust systems, the stock ones, are getting hard to find or too expensive. I pay more for shipping charges than some of the parts cost!:banghead3:

Don't get mad, get even!

 

I haven't been slacking off on these either. I made a few templates using the old manifold, then I took Mike's flanges out and tried to match them to the templates. Some holes were off by 1/16", so I made up one more, cut up the 3/4" PVC conduit into 35" lengths, filed out the holes to another 1/32" additional diameter, and pushed them in flush to the backside of the 1/2" birch ply template (shop grade birch ply is 7 layers, no cavities - very dense and flat).












Then I went and measured the angle of the exhaust port side of the head to the side of the engine 37 degrees.

I'll use the heat gun and bend them into shape, collaring these 3/4" tubes with 1.5" OD (actually 1.6 OD) and fit up the cones. Still trying to find a local shop that carries 1.5 aluminized steel pipe in pre-bent shapes. Might have to get them out of a big shop in North Dakota, 2 hours away.

The next step is to make a wooden stand with the 37 degree angle and a piece of scrap plywood to mimic the engine side, and draw the locations of the AC and Alternator and engine cross member and mounts and do the final shaping.

For Mike, I found a few header length calculators online. I figure I'll end up with about 140 HP, from my current 85 HP. Maybe 150 HP, but that depends on CAM and the 3 Carbs (Carter YF). They all result in 32 to 33.25 inch tube lengths. You recommended 18" to 24". Is longer a better performance result? Clifford Performance make both the shorter and longer tube headers, whereas Classic Inlines only sell the shorter ones.

Calculator
http://bgsoflex.com/bestheader.html

Scroll down to see the long ones:
http://www.cliffordperformance.net/...?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CP&Category_Code=F200

http://classicinlines.com/products.asp?cat=53

My 3/4" PVC mockup tubes are 35". The 1.6 tubes are 30", not that it matters, since they'll be in short lengths to show spacing.

 

Keep at it! When I did mine, they took a while, but its great having them and being able to say I built them myself. Sooooo much better than the cast iron truck manifolds that were on there before!

 

The really old school sites and some really early hotrodding pics just put all of this header "science" within anybody's reach. Ain't backing off of this, especially when gas is going up, and I can improve both power and fuel efficiency for a couple c-notes. Thanks for the comments.