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'Simple' Headers for early Funny Car/Gasser: How to make?


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Let me emphasize simple here, I don'rt want anything utilizing a bench vise etc,.... I'm currently working on the AMT Funny Car Mustang-GT kit, the headers are atrocious, so I'm going to try my hand at making some for the first time. Plastic, or , solder? Since I've never done this it seems that solder might be easier to work with? What are the key things I need to be aware of when making headers? Like how to make each side the same, etc,. Greatful for any help, thanks.

Edited by Speedfreak
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Roger thanks for the very informative, useful info. Sounds doable.

Bob, and , Andy, thanks for the info. I did a search prior to posting my question, which inspired me to ask the ' specific ' question that I have.

Edited by Speedfreak
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I think you will get better results with styrene rod. It's not possible to make such tight bends on solder as they should and while bending another bend on the solder, you might ruin the first one. I've built headers from solder before, but nowadays I don't do it anymore, because in my opinion, the headers made out of styrene look much better.

What I do:

1. I make header flanges out of thin sheet styrene and drill holes for the .080 styrene rod that will be used as exhaust pipes.

2. I start with the 7 & 8 cylinder header pipes. I test fit the styrene rod on place and mark where should I bend it and to what direction. I use a candle to heat up the styrene, but you must be very careful not to heat it up so that it'll melt. It's better to heat it up too little than too much, as you can always heat it more.

3. This way you can make all of the header pipes. It's actually very easy, and I succeeded on my first try. Always when one exhaust pipe is bent ready, just glue it on and let it dry properly before bending the second pipe. That way the pipes will fit together into the collectors nicely when finished.

Building collectors is completely another story. But it's not that different either.

4. Start by cutting the header pipes even from the place where the collectors will be attached. Then glue a little piece of styrene rod on place. It should be about the same size as the four header pipes are together. Like this:

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5. Then take out the thinnest sheet styrene you have, and make a round piece (Like a tube) out of it and glue it over the little styrene rod piece you just glued on step four. With a little heat and a flat screwdriver, push those little "sinkholes" on them and smooth out the seam that came visible when you glued this piece of sheet styrene as round.

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Then just paint your headers and they're done! :)

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Thanks Guys!

What kind of adhesive do you use for this?

I'm not quite sure what adhesive means, as I didn't find a simple translation for it in the English/Finnish dictionary... :D But I guess it's the same as glue? If it is, I used just a regular Locktite Super Glue that I used to glue the header pipes into the flanges and to glue the header pipes together under the collectors.

If adhesive means something else... Just explain it and I'll answer agan. :)

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Actually I didn't drill holes to the cylinder heads. When the header pipes have a tight fit with the flanges, you don't have to drill the heads. But if the holes are a bit "too large" on the flanges, then it's a good idea to drill holes to the cylinder heads, too. I had to do that once, and I did so that I glued the flanges to the heads and then the holes on the flanges worked as a template to drill the holes. :) Hope this makes sense.

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