Who sells quality headers?

[metalmonkey47]

I'm tired of exhaust leaks from crappy flanges, and I'm ready to toss some coin in the pot for a new header, but I'm having trouble finding what appears to be an actually good quality header that isn't running several hundred dollars more then the rest. The one I have now just has crappy thing flanges, that warp easy and it's freaking messy... leaking at 2/4 cylinders. 

EX: 
http://www.stahlheaders.com/RR%20Datsun.html

^$610 for what I'm assuming is an excellent quality part, but I'm looking to spend half that.

 

 

 

Anyone ever had success with getting a header (shorty) to seal on an L motor? 

[banzai510(hainz)]

Anyone ever had success with getting a header (shorty) to seal on an L motor?

 

 

 

I have seen both. I also heard on hear to remill it so its flat.But need to be ceramic coated otherwise they will rust and the paint peel off in front of you.

 

really I would get the early L otor exhaust manifolds and get MikeKlotz flange and have a Y pipe made for clear the torsion bar.

 

I like the shorty cause one can lower the car or truck the long headers in a lowered vehicle could hang really low.

 

 

If looking for extra power you wasting your money. Baz in Australia says the stock exhaust manifold is good up to 140-150hp if I remember right. Just HEAVY

[wayno]

I have been running a shorty header on my work truck since the mid 90s, I am probably on my 5th one by now, I lost count a long time ago.

The shorty header looks good, but the longest I have ever gotten out of one is 3 years before it starts leaking where the 4 pipes come together, then I have to take it out, cut it at the 4 pipes, weld the leaky spot, and then re-weld it back together, and then I might get another 3 years out of it before replacing it.

I have not had many issues with the flange leaking at the head, maybe I am lucky?, I use studs on my head, bolts don't work, they strip out the head threads.

Shorty headers are cheap, you get what you pay for.

I'm tired of exhaust leaks from crappy flanges, and I'm ready to toss some coin in the pot for a new header, but I'm having trouble finding what appears to be an actually good quality header that isn't running several hundred dollars more then the rest. The one I have now just has crappy thing flanges, that warp easy and it's freaking messy... leaking at 2/4 cylinders. 

EX: 
http://www.stahlheaders.com/RR%20Datsun.html

^$610 for what I'm assuming is an excellent quality part, but I'm looking to spend half that.

 

 

 

Anyone ever had success with getting a header (shorty) to seal on an L motor? 

I agree with hainz, just use an early L16 exhaust manifold and make a custom head pipe with one of Mike's flanges, it will last as long as your custom head pipe, and will be quieter in the cab, but if you have dual SUs, your not looking for quiet.

[EricJB]

I had the same problem with my 521. No power gain, just weight loss. I searched for something else but it seems everyone just relabels the same shitty header and call it theirs. I had a flange lazor cut, and bought a V8 header kit (1 3/4 primaries) from Summit, and made one. It took me a couple weeks but for $150.00 it was well worth it.  

 

 

 

 

[kgrantkey]

This coming from a guy that thru a couple good manifolds away just because my exhaust wasn't set up for the dual outlet thus may sound even more ignorant, but working with small block chevys where headers are a dime a dozen,  If you dont have bench flowed heads and finely tuned carburetion or beter yet electronic fuel injection, headers are mostly a waste unless you have a high reving great breathing engine with a good cam.

 

 The exhaust manifolds that come stock on the L series Datsun's are probably as well engineered as so called headers many SBC owners are riding around with gaining very little HP and constantly changing exhaust gaskets. Not to mention the thin cheap metal used in fabrication.

 

I sure wish I'd kept my L 18 manifolds.   This is just my humble opinion and coming from a guy that still hasn't bought a Weber for my engine yet,

 

But if money was of no great concern I'd probably try a good header just to see if it added a little more zip to my ride along with several other performance enhancers that didn't reduce longevity and street drive-ability.

 

 

Again this is just my opinion and should be taken as such with a good 12 pack to contemplate these things with. :)

[KlassicMotion]

I've got the TopEnd performance shorty header.  I had to grind out their welds inside the port and re-weld it.  Bad welds and goobered on. Then I had to take it to the machine shop were they surfaced the flange, because the idiot that assembled it, haphazardly took a grinder to the welds and ground the flange surface, as well as the flange having gotten warped from the initial welding. 

 

But after all that work, it seals perfectly!  I'm just waiting to see if the welds at the collector give out like Wayno's had problems with.

[EricJB]

The point of a header is to tune the exhaust. All 4 primaries need to be the same length. So that the exhaust pulses hit the collector one at a time, in sequence. If the primaries are different lengths, the pulses will collide into on another in the collector. They also need to be 29 to 32 inches long from the flange to where they intersect at the collector. The shorty header sold by many, offer 2 things. Weight reduction, and that cool tingy sound from the thin pipes.

 

I still have mine, and cant sell it with a clear conscience. 

[EricJB]

This is pretty informative.

 

 

[bonvo]

i got the one on ebay from top end performance its been on the car since 09 has yet to leak and for 150+ shipping you kinda cant beat it make sure the exhaust shop welds in a flange at the end and your good 

[metalmonkey47]

Thanks for the opinions guys. I've been watching video's about collector size/length/diameter, etc for the last 30 minuets. Kind of interesting learning about exhaust pulse, collector size vs efficiency, etc. 

Anyways, I don't want a stock manifold whatsoever. My LZ was built to breath, and frankly just looks like utter shit. It's a set of carbs and a couple small pieces away from a full on race motor. I got a good deal on all the parts, so I figured why not. Anyways, I know they say that the stock manifold is efficient, but to a degree I think it reaches a point where it starts to become in-efficient. My LZ has a big meaty cam, fairly big pistons, 9.4:1 C/R, Z22 crank, L28 valves, dual nismo valve springs w/ nismo retainers. It's crazy fun..

 

I'm all for stock manifolds but I just can't see any benefit on my motor. The header I have is junk, looks like it's got a few thousand miles under it's belt before I got it. There's no cranking, but some of the primary tubes are dinged up and the sealing surface looks like utter shit.

 

I don't need a header to last forever, because in a few short years it will be EFI turbo'd when I have a new DD, so a header will be useless. The header via RaceTep aka TopEnd is $200 shipped now, so I might just shell out the money for it, get it coated, and the flange milled down. I'm tossing some money out for Mikuni's soon, so I'd rather knock it all out at once because after that, I'll be getting a mandrel bend stainless exhaust run. i just want to get everything done in order so I can knock it out in a week once I have all of the parts. 

[banzai510(hainz)]

It works for Baz in Austrialia on his ralley cars at 150hp.the stock manifolds

Im sure your not goin to come near that on your motor.

 

The Top end header isnt all that bad. just make sure its flat and ceramic coat it.Plus it clear the torsion bar if you make the new collector.

 

what I know now would maybe add a 3 bolt flangeat the end and make the opposite end also you you can separeat the motor, if you like.

 

also people dont tell you if the steering is cocked all the way the steering arm may hit the header at least on 510s

 

 

I had a 510 that was fucking fast back in the day!!!!!!!!it had a stock exhaust manifold Yes it was my fastes 510 I had. Even faster than my L18 44mm Mikuni ,cam nismo springs ect with headers.

[KlassicMotion]

also people dont tell you if the steering is cocked all the way the steering arm may hit the header at least on 510s

 

 

He's got a 620, so I think he's ok there.  But yes your right, I found out the hard way that my pitman arm hits the down pipe.  The reducer pipe they sell with the header just doesn't work with the 510.  It's needs a bend right after the collector to get it away from the the pitman arm.

[Farmer Joe]

the race motor we had in eriks old 620 used a ported stock L16 manifold..

 

that was an 11:1 l20 with a ported closed chamber A87. had a 490dur cam and .500 lift with a holley 2300 500cfm carb. 

 

the guy that raced it before we had it said it made less power with the shorty header compared to a stock ported manifold.. 

[red76datsun]

id go with the l16 mani.  got one for my new motor.  quiet and will never crack. things hefty.  always hear good reviews from them and put out the same amount of power as aftermarket.  

[Z-train]

 

 

I have this one for sale if someone needs it.

[RTB]

I have a datsun formula header. Would need to be reworked to work on a regular car but anything is possible.