building my own headers ??

[1st_charger]

Ok im looking into building my own set of headers for my project anyone done this? Any advice you could offer? Steps to take, kits to use?

[68CoronetRT]

It's pretty much a fab guys job. If you know how to tig weld and work with tubes/metal then it's not that hard. You will need to find a set of blank flanges to work off of. Or you could cut a header up and send it out for like water jetting/cnc replica.

I've too been on the fence of doing my own headers for a B body since no one seems to do a very good job getting around the starter/z bar.

[1st_charger]

Ive got my flanges but dont have away to bend the pipe trying to decide if i should buy the u bends and cut and piece them together or use straight pieces then take them to an exaust shop and have them bend each pipe out of one piece using the straight pieces as a pattern to get rid of the corners if that makes any sence. Also is it best to start at the rear of the flange and work forward  or vice vers?

[Challenger340]

All I am going to say is THIS
Don't do it.... Don't even THINK about doing it !
especially in a full bodied car.... absolutely HUGE undertaking and P.I.T.A.

You start at the flanges, and work down to the collectors, which you spot weld/gig set up where you want them to be.
Purchase MANDREL BENT J bends, H bends, vary'ing degree's of radius is best to acquire.(Hooker etc.)
FORGET an Exhaust Shop.... it just crinkles the pipe.
Use a Mig to spot hold each piece as you cut & fit, and Tig final
If this is your first set..... in a full bodied car... BANK on 2-300 hours and $6-700 Bucks all said and done.

[Mike DC]

  
I've thought about making some, just because nobody makes what I want.  


Among other things I would want headers made of stainless.  
Ceramic coatings on regular steel are susceptible to dings/scratches.  I've heard of brake fluid eating them away too.  

[Cooter]

I built the ONLY full length, UNDERCHASSIS header for 57-59 Plymouths. Challenger340 is correct, you will have massive amounts of time invested.

Then, at best, mild steel painted (RUSTY in about 6 months)....

[ws23rt]

I agree with the heads up about it being a long tedious project.  The headers I made for my hemi bike project took me around 250 hours.
Working out in the open with the cut/fit and tack welding is hard enough but fitting up the pieces in the car would be that much harder.
I used stainless and bought the parts from this place.http://www.mandrel-bends.com/catalog/mandrel-bends-34/
Very good quality bends.

[RallyeMike]

This is a huge amount of work, but it could also be fun too. As an alternative, if there is something that you don't like about a particular header, maybe start with a set and modify it rather than starting from scratch. I rearranged tubes on a set of Hooker Super comps to fit Indy heads and better clear my steering box and got what I needed, inexpensively, and without all the time of a scratch build.