Looking to see what a set of custom headers in MILD STEEL would be with removable merge collectors?
What's the going rate for a fabricator to make a set?


I have the mild steel flanges already.


Can a pair of mild steel flanges be welded to Stainless Steel pipe?

think mine cost 1000 plus the parts

I think the guy that did mine charged 1000.00 plus parts but its been awhile. I had them coated in Ohio.

Untitled by John Cadamore, on Flickr

I had mine coated by a local guy in black ( he didn't do silver ) only raced the car about 7 times and they look like they are 10 years old now .

Is $1800.00-$2000.00 too much?

Stainless cost $3000.00
I thought Stainless was twice the price?

Locally

stainless $3500-$4000

mild steel , coated -- $1800-$2500

The set we had done for Barnyard Viper was $1800 before coating. That was in 2013.

You can try to do it yourself.
It is an exercise in frustration , but at the end of the day I got dang near equal length tubes ( + - 1/2 " ) that are a couple inches longer than ideal.
I invented new combinations in swear words......I knew them all , but the sequence I used them got a real work out.
And since it is plumbed through an X pipe and mufflers , the perfect header would be a moot point.
Flanges from SPD , 1 7/8 " tube kit from Stahl , collector from Stahl......I had around 600.00 in parts and it took all of 40 hours.
But they work pretty O.K. ...........long straight from port to first bend , one tube outside frame rail on each side , but no turning interference.
I should add , I ditched the torsion bars , and probably wouldn't even have tried it if they were in place.

The 6 into 1 step header on my Valiant was $1100 15 years ago.

A good set is sure to ruin $2500, maybe more.

My engine guy has built a couple of sets using 1 of these type of collectors. Not for an automotive application and I believe a bit north of $2500 as IIRC the collector was $800 alone from a company that does Indycar stuff.

Kevin

Had a set made 10 years ago. Stainless 2 1/4", 4" collectors.. $1700. Still in use, no rust yet .
Only regret was not using thicker flanges...although there have never been any leak issues.

yes

I spent $1400 on a set of mid-length headers for my car. 1 7/8" stainless primary tubes, mild steel flanges.

Looks like I'm getting them done for $1800.00-$2000.00
He can get the car in next week and start the following week, everyone else is 3 months out.

pricewise that seems very reasonable.
The merge itself is expensive. And unless he's done similar engine and chassis before its pretty time consuming.

It looks like Mark Leshenko (sp?) had 4 in 1 for Superstock on his website with price range. ( down at the moment) here's archived version.
perfweldheaders.com abodymopar page at webarchive.org

FB https://www.facebook.com/pg/Performance-Welding-267848786708509/posts/?ref=page_internal

Yes StSt costs more so adjust for that.

And how would you know whether what you get produces the most power, widest range, tunes to your cam, etc?
You don't.
Exactly equal length is always best? No.
Since no one has mentioned it, the "formulas" for calculating that exact-down-to-1-mm primary length invariably ends with: "then make it 3-6" longer, and shorten by testing".
What's actually going on inside the primaries (and much, much worse in the collector) is many waves of pressure in both directions, plus gas traveling at different speeds... in both directions. There is actual reverse gas flow back into the port at 8,000 RPM.
The best length will change (how much? who knows) even with a rocker ratio swap.

Want to know more about the math? Get an engineering degree, then pay Gordon Blair $2,000.

If you can: make the primaries parallel to the ground (or very slightly up) and leave room in a straight line going back so you can add/subtract length as needed.

Just a little Friday-afternoon rambling on my part...

Unless you've built a fairly common combination, or have enough testing on your particular combination to know what works, the "correct" header dimensions are subject to a number of variables. Where does the OP fit into this range? I don't recall him having said much at all about it.

Also, from what I've read (no personal experience at this point), if you take any sorted-out header w/ a given primary diameter, primary length & standard collector design, and do nothing but switch to a properly designed merge collector, the only thing that may result is that the engine runs "differently", not necessarily better or worse. I've gotten the impression that a merge collector can require changes to the other dimensions of the header, too, in order to optimize the package for the collector.

Is it 5:00 PM EST, yet?

Well, I would build them, not buy, but you're still correct. I can make guesses based on common sense, and available information and design programs. A person would need an accumulated knowledge based on years of experience, trial and error, dyno work and on track testing, to achieve the last little bit of benefit out of their particular combination. Most people aren't at that level - Pro Stock, Comp, even high end Super Stock - and headers have to be a series of compromises They have to fit, be able to get on and off the car, and not cost a million bucks. And most people won't replace or modify them for every tuning change.

Building headers isn't that hard. Getting the correct tube dimensions into the space available and around all the stuff in the way, and keeping them reasonably close to equal length with the collector where it needs to be, is the trick

The last paragraph is about as succinct and correct as you can say it.

There are always compromises. I'll take access to spark plugs and fit over a tube length of plus or minus a half inch.

Also, I've found the closer to the head the first bend is, the bigger the tube has to be, all else being equal. And the more bends the bigger the tube has to be.

These days with steel prices for mild you are likely looking at $1400-1700 depending on the car they are going in. IE tube chassis, stock chassis, etc. In stainless $3K and up for sure.