Ice engine works
"Dramatically simplify header and turbo manifold design and fabrication with these modeling blocks from Icengineworks! These blocks simply snap together to form header primaries that can then be duplicated by cutting and welding commonly available prebent U-bends and J-bends.
Included with each kit are both straight and curved blocks in a variety of radii. Each block represents a 1 inch arc length of tubing. Blocks of different sizes can also be connected to simulate stepped headers. Each block is molded with a series of markings and index points to make the transition to metal as easy as possible."

Hemi Joel is right. I worked with Schoenfeld when I made my headers and he regularly makes race-application only headers for small time groups like NASCAR & World of Outlaws. He has his own dyno and has proven that unequal length is often better. On one engine, he had runners that varied by more than a foot and it gave the best H.P. numbers on the dyno. He prescribes by the theory that rather than an engine being a set of cylinders working together, they are really a series of individual single cylinder engines working individually. Yes, you want them to work the same but equal length doesn't always equate to that. Bends are more critical. -EM

Very nice!

Exactly. Its like cylinderhead porting. Its takes time and alot of work. Some people just dont get it.

Thank you and every one else for the kind words.

This felt more like a job and I wasn't enjoying it. Nobody will pay all the hours we have into making them.
Welding alone was 9hrs
Last set I made for mine had 2 to 3 welds per tube but being a chassis car was easy

They did a follow up episode, because so many people made that same argument. The Header Bash episode and the follow up Pick the Right Exhaust Header The results were interesting

Those headers look awesome! You have more patience than I.

That is the Ice Engine works kit. Their full kit for one diameter size is around $1,500. That includes the $700 cutting jig.
http://www.icengineworks.com/

http://www.icengineworks.com/product-category/series/1750-series/

Yea, I was way off on the price, but I imagine they would make it easy for fitting in a tight chassis (440 in an a-body). There's a company that makes stainless steel headers for class cars and they start at $3500

I just finished a set of ss B1-SB step headers for my brother. It's a lot of work, especiallly keeping all the stock front end stuff and working around a 4-speed setup in an a body. Came out nice and are at QC coatings getting done right now.

My brother and I still laugh because he bought a "builder kit" from Columbia river and they said was enough to build a set. I think I got through 2-1/2 tubes.lol. It takes much more material then you think and I didn't waste a single bend. We debated on an ice kit, then just put the Tig and chop saw to work.

Cutting and piecing together is the easy part, you just have to know how to cut angles. I made a angle chart on a piece of aluminum from 90 ,45 and 22 1/2 degree's, marked the angle I needed and cut.

I built a set for my small block D50. And there is not much room at all under the hood of it and it has inner fenders. I would probably be faster if someone that knows what they were doing built me some. This was my first set I have built. I ordered flanges from TTI and 2 header kits for a small block Chevy from Summit.

Yeah lots of work, you have done a great job, just don't tell anyone . I made my own fenderwells, that was a lot easier than dealing with starters, torsion bars and inner guards.

Header building is definitely an art.... Greg Holman at REF Unlimited in Kingman AZ builds them in a day. Make the appt, drop the car off in the am, by 2 to 4 in the afternoon he calls you to pick up your car. He does incredible work. Both of my engines have his pipe.

Tell someone 2.5K for a nice set of headers and they often look at you like you have 3 heads. Quality material and parts, keep them equal length within .5", make them fit, make them reasonable to get on and off, the handwork of the collectors and the inside of the tubes at the flanges, etc., etc. Any less and you are just doing it for a hobby.

there are some very impressive skills floating around this place, in spite of the slight differences of opinion...mighty fine handiwork shown here.

My turbo headers I built followed by my A body Big Block headers.

I'm going to try building my first set for the Jensen. I actually bought the 1-3/4" Ice Engine kit, as I'm fairly sure I will be doing some for a few other cars.

If you seen my other posts, I'm looking at a tri-y setup, and right now, looking to make my own 2-1 "y" merges as the pre-built ones are sort of pricy. Hopefully the Ice kit will help reduce the amount of waste. It is supposed to help in ordering the number and type of bends?

I'll need some scrap to practice on. I want to try some with pulsed tig vs. regular tig.

We may to build a set also for a 392 Hemi first gen in a 57 Desoto Firesweep.

I struggled with headers on mine and was ready to load up and take my pile to Arizona but I found a local guy that did some header work. The headers I had made for a low deck big block a body which was a challenge especially made as I wanted. I absolutely did not want in chassis headers which limits any header builder especially with 2 1/8 stepped to 2 1/4 primary. I notched my firewall to give him clearance and came out awesome but a little long which he said run them and we can shorten them if it hurts the HP. So far I've gained 60 foot and lost 1 mph.