Ok I bought ceramic coated headers from flow tech and they looked great but... The front tube on the passenger side hit the crossmember and had to go back 3/4". First I tried heating it up and dinging it but ended up cuttting out 3/4" and welding it back together. This was on friday the 13...errr what a pain. But my ididit column went in super easy, looks and works great!!
That's the not too worst looking part you should see where i torched it and beat it with a hammer. Lucky the big block takes up so much room you cant see it from the top.
It seems like all the parts for our old cars are like that. I started to install my carpet and discovered there is quite a bit of trimming to get it to fit... The stock alternator bracket would not line up to the bolt hole on my Edelbrock intake. The seat upholstery had several subtle differences.. etc etc. Todd
a friend warned me that they just dont make parts like they used too! they are right!! ...universal headers from summit, didnt fit! ...transdapt top and bottom alternator brackets -on stock 820 heads, bolt holes are off... about 1/2 hole on the lower bracket, and a full 3/8 on the upper... i just don't get it!! but you do with what you got, slot out the brackets, machine larger ss washers to cover it up... handy to have a lathe at home, but what a PITA!!
paulish, were you able to weld all around that tube? gotta hate fabbing on a pricey set of headers!!
a friend warned me that they just dont make parts like they used too! they are right!! ...universal headers from summit, didnt fit! ...transdapt top and bottom alternator brackets -on stock 820 heads, bolt holes are off... about 1/2 hole on the lower bracket, and a full 3/8 on the upper... i just don't get it!! but you do with what you got, slot out the brackets, machine larger ss washers to cover it up... handy to have a lathe at home, but what a PITA!!
paulish, were you able to weld all around that tube? gotta hate fabbing on a pricey set of headers!!
andrew
A lot of things just aren't made to fit right nowadays ... try putting together a simple thing like a wheel barrow from Canadian Tire! A hammer is the first tool they should list in the instructions for assembly!
-- Edited by Pontiacanada at 08:27, 2008-06-16
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I ended up welding the two lowest tubes together with a big puddle to close in the gap in the center. I'm going to pull them back off clean them up and paint my butchery with silver header paint to stop it from rusting. You can't see it from the engine compartment so im not too worried about it.
I like the pic's.We must of went to the same welding school? Did you beat on that middle header to clear that suspension bracket or is that from the motor movement when you step on it? I see you BC plates on the car.Where are you from?
Im not much of a welder but I can stick'em together....Used to live in port moody/ vancouver but moved to lethbridge alberta last year where I make twice as much money and bought a 5 bedroom house for less than 200k
I've had a couple of buddies move to AB and they have said the same as you.The cost of living there is nothing compared to BC.The wife dosen't want to move.So I'll stay in this overtaxed province until I retire or the wife gets sick of me.
Headman Elite headers fit great, and are far better quality than Flowtech, but are also much more $$$. I'm in the auto parts buisness, and I tried a set of Flowtech's on my 65. Poor fit, and poor build quality. went to the Headman and it's night and day. Just an fyi for the next guy.
Wish I would have known that a month ago...$350 spent on half ass headers sucks!! O-well they fit now and you cant hardly tell from the top. Flowtech SUCKS!!!
