MrBlvd
05-19-2006, 10:51 AM
After much deliberation, I figured what the heyl if he can do it there is no reason I can't either ... especially since he did such a great job of documenting his project ;) . Since some of the following pictures are rather frightening, I must tell you this is the first time I've ever welded anything ... I taught myself how to use the MIG, TIG, plasma cutter, and torch equipment here at work and completed this over the past three weeks in the eavenings and on weekends. I spent one Saturday afternoon practicing with the MIG and the following Saturday afternoon with the TIG before using either on the actual headers. I purchasead some exhaust tubing at Advance for practice as I new I needed practice to keep from burning thru the thin tubing.
Prior to using the welding equipment, I attempted to create flare joints by machining a "plug" that I could drive into the tubing and by use of an exhaust tubing expander. This approach failed misserably ... the #5 primary looks horrible before I cleaned everything up. I did not attempt to flare the #6 and I was actually pleased with how this looked when I was done.
Rather than weldup a fixture like fastsc92 did, I purchased an extra set of stock manifolds and then made use of the spare heads I currently have (soon to be ported with valve job!). I installed the headers and the stock manifold and observed them "side by side". This allong with fastsc92's pictures and some photos I took under the car helped me to visualize what needed to be done.
Prior to using the welding equipment, I attempted to create flare joints by machining a "plug" that I could drive into the tubing and by use of an exhaust tubing expander. This approach failed misserably ... the #5 primary looks horrible before I cleaned everything up. I did not attempt to flare the #6 and I was actually pleased with how this looked when I was done.
Rather than weldup a fixture like fastsc92 did, I purchased an extra set of stock manifolds and then made use of the spare heads I currently have (soon to be ported with valve job!). I installed the headers and the stock manifold and observed them "side by side". This allong with fastsc92's pictures and some photos I took under the car helped me to visualize what needed to be done.