Non-Turbo Header v1.0 Construction

May 25th, 2004 to June 24th, 2004

Below are pictures of the building and completion of the first incarnation of the non-turbo 3.0 headers.  In order to make the headers easier to produce and install, additional design modifications will most likely be made.  That said, the final version will most likely differ a little from what is shown below.  What you are looking at below represents the first attempt to "make it work".  A huge amount of time has already gone into this but more will be required in order to deliver a final product we're completely happy with.  If nothing else, this should give you a real good idea of where we're going.

1.  Perform before/after testing on the existing headers.
2.  Finalize production design and revise prototype.
3.  Retest performance.
4.  Tweak/Retest if needed.
5.  Look into getting pre-bent components/collectors to speed construction/reduce cost.
6.  Ship prototype to fabricator and have a test production model made.
7.  Perform a quality control review on first production unit to make sure everything fits as the original did.
8.  Resolve production issues if any exist.
9.  Start taking orders.
Ed fits some tubing onto the front of the engine.
 Mike begins cutting some bends.
 Mike shows a piece of pipe who's boss with an angle grinder.  The pipe responds with sparks of fury. ...Perhaps Mike doesn't want to have kids? After some AutoCAD work, we found the shape needed to join 3 like sized tubes together in a collector.
After joining 2, it was abundantly clear that Mike's cutting ability wasn't up to AutoCAD's recommendations so the tips were removed.
 2/3 of the front 3-1 collector.
 3-1 Collector Input View
 3-1 Collector Output View
3-1 Collector Side View
 These were the inital welds for tubes #2 and #4.
 The front header comes together.
 The finished front header.
The rear header begins.
 Straight on view of the rear header.
 View of rear header from under the car.
 Preparing attempt #2 at a 3-1 header.
This one came together much easier than the last.
 Shot of the rear header attached to a flex joint
 The rear header and flex joint on the egnine
 Rear header and the rear downpipe.
Another shot of the rear downpipe.
 Construction of the crossover pipe begins
 Side view of the crossover
 Shot of the front and rear down pipes (If anyone wants a true dual exhaust, here ya go.)
Shot of the rear manifold and crossover behind the engine in the car
 The downpipes come out below the car.
 Shortly into the project, Mike bought a compound miter saw and some 10" cut off wheels.  Here's the setup used for building a 2-1 collector.
 These are the 2 input tubes for the 2-1 collector.
2-1 Collector inputs welded together.
 The long 2-1 input tubes were then cut short.  Here's the outlet view.
 This is the inlet view of the first piece of the 2-1 collector.
 The output is a big 3" pipe.  This was squeezed with a C-Clamp to allow the 2-1 inputs to fit inside it.
Competed 2-1 collector.
 2-1 Outlet view
 2-1 Inlet view
 Left to Right: 
2-1 Collector, 3" Magnaflow Catalytic Converter, 3" to 2.5" reducer, 2" flex joint
End view of 3" catalytic converter
 Downpies welded to the 2-1 collector
 O2 bung welded into place
 Side view of downpipes & 2-1 collector
All header components set out for painting
 Header components painted.  Mike maked off the flex joints so that it would look cool.
 Front painted header
 Rear painted header
Flex joint on rear header
 Downpipes & 2-1 collector
 Crossover tube with flex joint
 Flex joint and flange at end of crossover tube

Flange at other end of the crossover tube
 Front header installed on the car
 Side view of front header and crossover in the car
 Side view of rear header and crossover
Downpipes bolting up just past the cross member
 Catalytic converter and O2 sensor installed
 Zoomed out view from under the car
 Front header wrapped using itchy header wrap
Crossover wrapped with itchy header wrap
 View of the required dipstick  tube modification.  Essentially both stock bends are relaxed.  Piece of cake.
 The fan no longer fits in the engine compartment and must be converted to a "pusher".  This is a shot of where it's going.
 Mike's wife Meghan checks the fan for fitment on the other side of the radiator.
Mike's wife Meghan engineers a way to make the fan work (and asks, "Why are you taking a picture of me?")
 "L" brackets were bolted to the support under the fan.
 Shot of the fan bolted on.
 Since the fan is now a pusher, air wants to go around the radiator.  Here's a shot of the baffles Meghan put together.
The fan is installed (wiring not shown).
 Top view of installation.
 Engine comparment view (radiator removed)
 Engine comparment view #2 (radiator removed)